A Crawford County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday for beating his father to death.

Khamphong Tony Phimvongsa, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Crawford County Circuit Court in the January 2010 beating of his father, Khamdy Phimvongsa.

Tony Phimvongsa will be eligible for parole after serving at least 14 years at the Arkansas Department of Correction.

Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune said the Phimvongsa family agreed they didn't want to go to trial, and after discussing the terms of the plea agreement, they were happy with the terms. None of the family members was in court Monday morning.

"In fact, two sisters, a brother and the wife took off Thursday of last week and flew to Laos," McCune said. The family traveled for a traditional Laotian burial ceremony, McCune said.

One of Tony Phimvongsa's brothers didn't travel to Laos, but he didn't want to see his brother because it upset him too much, McCune said.

On Jan. 26, 2010, Peter Phimvongsa, a brother, called 911 at 9:22 a.m. and said he believed his 59-year-old father was dead after he was injured in a fight with Tony Phimvongsa, who had hit his father with a 31⁄2-foot piece of iron and then left the scene in his truck.

Authorities located Tony Phimvongsa at South 40th Street and Kibler Road, but he refused to pull over until police boxed him in with their squad cars and arrested him.

Kibler Police Chief Roger Green told the Times Record then that Khamdy Phimvongsa suffered multiple arm, head and facial injuries. EMS transported him to Sparks Regional Medical Center, but a CAT scan found that his situation was dire and he likely would not live.

In addition to the 20-year prison term, Tony Phimvongsa received a 20-year suspended sentence.