Chicago ICE officers deport Lithuanian national convicted of murder

CHICAGO — A Lithuanian national, who was convicted of second-degree murder for his role in the 2005 beating death of University of Illinois at Chicago student Tombol Malik, was deported Wednesday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Mantas Matulis, 27, was deported via commercial flight Tuesday under the escort of ERO officers and arrived Jan. 23 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Matulis was convicted of second-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Cook County May 18, 2007, in connection with the Chicago slaying of 23-year-old Tombol Malik. Malik was beaten to death with a bicycle lock near the University of Illinois' Chicago campus July 9, 2005.

Matulis was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the crime, receiving credit for the 670 days of the time he had already served. He was released from the Illinois Department of Corrections Nov. 29, 2012, and turned over to ICE. He remained in ICE custody until his removal.

Matulis entered the United States March 23, 2000, as a U.S. permanent resident. ERO officers encountered Matulis at the Dixon Correctional Center in 2008 and placed him into removal proceedings. On March 10, 2009, Matulis was issued an administrative removal order by a federal immigration judge in Chicago.

"This individual's conviction and resulting deportation underscore ICE's commitment to promoting public safety," said Ricardo Wong, field officer director for ERO Chicago. "We hope this case will serve as a stern reminder about the consequences awaiting those who show such willful disregard for our nation's laws."