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Boarding House Murder Suspect Escaped Deportation Due to Lack of Paperwork

Records reveal Ka Pasasouk has a long criminal history.

The man arrested on suspicion of killing four people outside an illegal boarding house in Northridge was supposed to be deported in 2006, but he remained in the United States because officials in Laos failed the provide the necessary paperwork, according to a broadcast report.

A federal judge ordered the deportation of 31-year-old Ka Pasasouk "based on his criminal history," according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in response to an inquiry by KNBC, which reported that he had convictions for felony assault and robbery at the time.

Pasasouk was arrested in Las Vegas, along with three other people, a day after the shooting deaths of two men and two women about 4:30 a.m. Sunday.

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When he was released from prison in 2008, ICE took him into custody but was unable to deport him to Laos, because the agency could not get the necessary documents from the Laotian government, Channel 4 reported, quoting an ICE statement.

Pasasouk was booked on suspicion of murder. Also arrested were Howard Alcantara, 30, of Glendale; Donna Rabulan, 30, of Los Angeles; and Christina Neal, 31, of Los Angeles. All three were booked on suspicion of aiding a felon, and Alcantara was additionally booked on suspicion of robbery, police said.

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The suspects agreed not to fight extradition to Los Angeles.

The victims, found outside a five-bedroom home in the the 17400 block of Devonshire Street, were identified as Amanda Ghossein, 24, of Monterey Park; Jennifer Kim, 26, of Montebello; Robert Calabia, 34, of Los Angeles; and Teofilo Navales, 49, of Castaic.

Police have not disclosed a motive, saying only the killings stemmed from a dispute.

Police said the victims were visiting friends at the house when they were fatally shot. More than a dozen people lived in the house owned by a Yag Kapil, 78, who said he was ill and slept through the gunfire, according to published reports.

Pasasouk was on probation at the time of the killings. He pleaded no contest to possessing methamphetamine and served about two weeks in jail. Pasasouk also had multiple convictions dating back to 2004.

Pasasouk, who has convictions dating to 2004, was released from prison in January under the state's early release program for those locked up for non- violent, non-serious or non-sexual offenses. Assembly Bill 109 was designed to the reduce state prison population, shifting parole responsibilities to county probation agents.

After his released from prison, Pasasouk repeatedly failed to check in with a county probation officer. He was then arrested in early September on suspicion of methamphetamine possession.

"We recommended that probation be denied and that he go to state prison," said Reaver Bingham, a county probation department deputy chief. "We did not want him in the community."

But a Los Angeles Superior Court judge said no weapons were involved and sentenced Pasasouk to about two weeks. Pasasouk was late for a Nov. 14 follow-up hearing at which his probation was deemed violated, because he failed to show proof he was enrolled in an drug treatment program, according to Bingham.

A warrant for Pasasouk's arrest was in the works when the killings occurred, he said.

"The probation department works very hard to engage in public safety and put public safety as our first and foremost priority," he said.

Probation department investigators plan to review of their policies and procedures, Bingham said.

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