After agreeing to testify against his two co-defendants in an upcoming murder trial, Hoomphanh Vanvilay was sentenced to probation Friday, and was to be released from jail.
Vanvilay, 46, has spent the past 744 days in jail for restraining 25-year-old Youthaloth Oudanonh while his friend fatally stabbed the man in the neck at a Laotian community dance in Salt Lake City in 1991.
Vanvilay and his co-defendants — brothers Viengkeo and Vienphet Sundara — fled in a vehicle following the stabbing. A security guard at the dance called the vehicle’s description into police.
A short time later an officer stopped the vehicle at the 900 South onramp to Interstate 15.