A man who killed a mother of six children during a masked robbery in Lynn in the middle of the night is being released to ICE after being granted parole on Tuesday.
Oeun Lam, now 52, was convicted of first-degree murder in the first-degree for the death of Cheang Ley Nhor, 41, in 1993. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
However, in 2024, the Supreme Judicial Court decision stated emerging adults between the ages of 18-20 cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Massachusetts.
The high court ruled that life sentences for defendants within that age group are unconstitutional and amount to “cruel and unusual punishment.”
Due to the decision, Lam, currently in Old Colony Correctional Center, was allowed to go in front of the parole board for the first time in April.
On Feb. 3, 1991, two masked men, including 18-year-old Lam, forced their way into the Nhor family residence in Lynn. Soth Nhor, 46, and Cheang Ley Nhor were home asleep with their six children at the time. Lam and the other man, Vann Long, attempted to rob the family with guns.
Long ripped a telephone cord from the wall and used the cord to tie up the husband. He was able to eventually free himself and began struggling with one of the masked men, trying to protect his daughter.
Officials believe Lam fired his gun, wounding Soth Nhor as the bullet passed through his neck and hit his wife between the eyes, killing her.
Lam has been incarcerated for 34 years.
Part of the decision with the Massachusetts Parole Board included Lam’s history of being a refugee.
He was born in Cambodia and left to live in a refugee camp due to the civil war when he was 4.
“Mr. Lam provided insight into the relationship between his exposure to significant violence and other adverse childhood experiences, as well as generational trauma and difficulty with acculturation, to the offense,” the parole board wrote.
During his time incarcerated, he earned his GED and participated in multiple programs. And, the parole board stated, he has taken accountability and demonstrated remorse for his actions.
Psychiatrist Jose Hidalgo believes Lam is unlikely to re-offend. And he has a strong support system in the U.S. and Cambodia.
Essex County Assistant District Attorney Michael Sheehan, however, was against parole.
Still, the board decided to grant Lam parole in 30 days. At that time, he will be released to ICE.
If ICE releases him, the parole board stated that Lam will have electronic monitoring for 6 months, will be supervised for drugs and alcohol, have no contact or association with co-defendants or with the Nhor family. He also must have mental health counseling for PTSD and adjustment.
Long was released to ICE after being granted parole in 2016.
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