The mother of a man killed in a triple homicide last year plans to sue the federal government for $100 million, court documents state. Sandra Miller of Altoona is the mother of Stephen Heiss, who died Aug. 28, 2005.
Miguel Padilla was convicted and received death sentences this month for killing Alfred Mignogna, owner of the United Veterans Association building; Fredrick Rickabaugh Sr., UVA doorman; and Heiss, a patron.
The jury wasn’t told that Padilla is an illegal alien.
The civil lawsuit notice, filed by attorney Art Cohen of Hollidaysburg, blames the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for allowing Padilla to remain in the United States.
Padilla, 27, came to America as a young boy with his mother and brothers to escape an alcoholic father.
He graduated from Penn Cambria High School but never became a U.S. citizen.
He was involved in a stabbing incident in which the victim was his then-father-in-law.
ICE never took Padilla into custody or attempted to deport him.
U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-9th District, spoke of the case on the House floor, saying ICE did nothing about Padilla.
Most of the money sought is for punitive damages because the government did not take any action that could have prevented the homicides.
An attorney with ICE declined comment Wednesday. ICE has asked Cohen to provide it with more details concerning the Padilla case.