After 43 Years Behind Bars for a Crime He Didn’t Commit, Subramanyam Vedam Faces Deportation Battle
After spending 43 years in prison for a murder he never committed, Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam finally walked free earlier this month. But before he could even hug his family or breathe the air of true freedom, the 70-year-old found himself back in custody — this time, not as a prisoner, but as an immigration detainee.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Mr. Vedam shortly after his release, citing a decades-old deportation order to India, the country where he was born but has not lived since he was an infant. Now, his family and legal team are fighting to keep him in the United States, the only home he has ever known.
From Wrongful Conviction to New Injustice
Mr. Vedam’s release came after new evidence completely exonerated him of a 1980 murder charge — the killing of his former roommate, 19-year-old college student Tom Kinser. Kinser’s disappearance and death had haunted the small Pennsylvania community for decades, and Vedam, then a young man with a bright future, was accused and convicted despite the lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime.
For more than four decades, Vedam maintained his innocence, insisting he had no role in Kinser’s death. His supporters — including lawyers, journalists, and activists — pointed out that the case against him was built on circumstantial evidence and racial bias. As an Indian immigrant in rural Pennsylvania in the 1980s, Vedam had few allies and faced a system that treated him as an outsider.
Two years after his arrest, he was sentenced to life in prison for murder, along with a separate 2.5-to-5-year sentence for a minor drug offense that ran concurrently. Throughout it all, Vedam’s family stood by his side, never doubting his innocence.
A Family’s Long Wait for Justice
Vedam’s sister, Saraswathi Vedam, told the BBC that the moment of his exoneration was supposed to mark the beginning of their healing — but instead turned into another ordeal.
“He went from a facility where he was respected, where he mentored others and had his own space,” she said, “to one where he now shares a room with 60 men and where no one knows his story.”
Despite his new confinement, Vedam has remained calm and philosophical. “I want us to focus on the win,” he told his sister. “My name has been cleared. I’m no longer a prisoner — I’m a detainee.”
For the Vedam family, his words are bittersweet. “What was deeply disappointing,” Saraswathi said, “was that we didn’t even have a moment to hold him in our arms. After everything he endured, he should have been allowed to come home first.”
How a Flawed System Stole 43 Years
The original 1980 murder case rested on weak evidence. Kinser’s body was discovered nine months after he went missing, found in a wooded area with a single gunshot wound to the head. On the day of the disappearance, Vedam had asked Kinser for a ride. While Kinser’s car later reappeared in its usual spot, no witnesses ever saw Vedam with the vehicle again.
Police seized Vedam’s passport and green card, labeling him “a foreigner likely to flee.” He was denied bail and swiftly charged with murder. Over the decades, he filed multiple appeals, but each was denied until new forensic evidence and testimony emerged, proving his innocence.
Earlier this month, Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna officially announced that he would not pursue a retrial, effectively clearing Vedam’s name after 43 years of wrongful imprisonment.
ICE Detention and a Renewed Legal Battle
While Vedam’s murder conviction has been vacated, a 1988 deportation order remains on record — originally issued because of his now-overturned murder charge and the old drug conviction.
Vedam’s family expected to file a motion to reopen his immigration case, assuming ICE would allow him to reunite with his family while legal proceedings continued. Instead, ICE agents detained him immediately after his release, citing the standing deportation order as justification.
ICE has stated that Vedam’s drug conviction still stands, giving them legal grounds to proceed with deportation. The agency has not commented directly to the BBC, but told other outlets that Vedam “will remain in custody pending his removal.”
His family and lawyers argue that the deportation order is outdated and unjust, given that his most serious conviction — the murder — has been completely overturned. They also emphasize that Vedam’s record during incarceration was exemplary: he earned three college degrees, served as a mentor to younger inmates, and contributed to prison education programs.
“He has lived with integrity and purpose for 43 years,” Saraswathi said. “That should mean something.”
Facing Deportation to a Country He Doesn’t Know
ICE’s plan to deport Vedam to India adds another layer of heartbreak. Though he was born there, he left the country as an infant and has no memory or meaningful ties to it.
“All of Subu’s family, his community, and his support system are here in the US and Canada,” Saraswathi explained. “If he’s deported, he’ll once again lose everything he knows — it’s like having his life stolen twice.”
She also said that while distant relatives may still live in India, they are essentially strangers to him. “He would be completely alone in a place that isn’t home,” she said.
Vedam had been a legal permanent resident of the United States before his arrest, and his citizenship application had already been accepted prior to his wrongful conviction. Both of his parents were US citizens, and his family argues that this history should protect him from deportation.
Public Support and Calls for Clemency
Vedam’s story has sparked outrage and compassion across the country. Civil rights advocates and community groups have organized “Free Subu” rallies outside courthouses, urging ICE to release him and let him stay in the US.
Supporters highlight how Vedam’s case exposes deep flaws in both the criminal justice and immigration systems — particularly how one injustice can trigger another, even decades later.
“He’s already lost more than half his life because of wrongful conviction,” said one activist at a recent rally. “To deport him now would be another tragedy, another act of cruelty.”
Legal experts say ICE has the discretion to release Vedam on humanitarian grounds or to reopen his immigration case in light of his exoneration. The family’s lawyers have filed petitions urging the immigration court to cancel the deportation order and grant Vedam permanent residency status.
A Life Reclaimed, a Freedom Still Denied
For now, Subramanyam Vedam remains detained in Pennsylvania, far from the home he should have returned to after his exoneration. His sister visits him as often as she can, trying to remind him that the world outside still supports him.
“Subu keeps telling us, ‘Focus on the win,’” she said softly. “But the truth is, he’s still not free. Not really. Not yet.”
The Vedam family remains hopeful that justice — real justice — will finally prevail.
“After 43 years, his name is cleared,” Saraswathi said. “Now, we just need his life back.”