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Eric Volz
A Nashville native with strong ties to the South Shore is facing three decades of incarceration in a Nicaraguan prison for heinous crimes against an ex-girlfriend, despite wide-spread pleas regarding his innocence.
Eric Volz was convicted on Feb. 21 to 30 years in jail for the daylight rape and murder of Doris Ivanez Jimenez in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, on Nov. 21, 2006.
"It's hard to believe that something like this is happening to a good friend," said Brian Levy, owner of Divided Sky.
Volz lived "off and on" at the South Shore from around 1996 until 2000, according to Levy. He said that Volz's arrest and conviction has been "shocking to everyone" and added that violence is not a part of Volz's nature.
The 27-year-old had been living in Nicaragua for about two years prior to his arrest. He published EP Magazine, "a bilingual travel lifestyle publication focused on cultural tourism, community, development, and entertainment," according to the magazine's Web site.
Eric Volz was convicted on Feb. 21 to 30 years in jail for the daylight rape and murder of Doris Ivanez Jimenez in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, on Nov. 21, 2006.
"It's hard to believe that something like this is happening to a good friend," said Brian Levy, owner of Divided Sky.
Volz lived "off and on" at the South Shore from around 1996 until 2000, according to Levy. He said that Volz's arrest and conviction has been "shocking to everyone" and added that violence is not a part of Volz's nature.
The 27-year-old had been living in Nicaragua for about two years prior to his arrest. He published EP Magazine, "a bilingual travel lifestyle publication focused on cultural tourism, community, development, and entertainment," according to the magazine's Web site.
Shawn Harstad, Volz's partner on the magazine, described the trial that took place in Rivas, Nicaragua as brimming with anti-Americanism and highly influenced by Jimenez's mother, Mercedes Alvarado.
Alvarado has close ties to Nicaraguan journalists who waged a "full campaign against Eric" to ensure his conviction, according to Harstad.
Hundreds of people took to the streets of Rivas throughout the trial to call for Volz's conviction. The tension came to a head on the day that the verdict was handed down.
"Police were forced to fire several shots into the air to disperse the group and quell a potential riot," according to a report in The Nica Times, an American-owned, English-language weekly newspaper in Nicaragua.
It was not the first time the case had conjured an angry mob.
Alvarado has close ties to Nicaraguan journalists who waged a "full campaign against Eric" to ensure his conviction, according to Harstad.
Hundreds of people took to the streets of Rivas throughout the trial to call for Volz's conviction. The tension came to a head on the day that the verdict was handed down.
"Police were forced to fire several shots into the air to disperse the group and quell a potential riot," according to a report in The Nica Times, an American-owned, English-language weekly newspaper in Nicaragua.
It was not the first time the case had conjured an angry mob.
A Dec. 13 update to a Web site set up by the family of Volz, www.friendsofericvolz.com, recounts Eric's daring escape from a machete-wielding mob that required him to slip his handcuffs and break through the wall of a casino office where he had briefly sought refuge.
Despite the sentiments of many Nicaraguans in the communities surrounding the murder, Harstad was vehement about Volz's innocence. Harstad claimed that he, as well as several others, were with Eric at the time of the murder. He also cited cell phone records that trace Eric's movement from Managua to San Juan del Sur after the murder took place on Nov. 21.
Prosecutors in the case disputed these claims, but produced little significant physical evidence to link Volz to the scene of the crime.
"None of the hairs found at the crime scene matched samples taken from Volz, and the Type O blood stains found on the sheets didn't match Volz's Type A," according to The Nica Times report. "The only alleged eyewitness that placed Volz at the scene of the crime was a self-described drunk who was arrested shortly after the murder as one of the original suspects, before being let off."
The mob mentality surrounding the trial and arguably biased media coverage ultimately led to Volz's conviction, according to two members of Volz's defense team, Joe Reedy and Jackie Becerra in a news report.
Despite the sentiments of many Nicaraguans in the communities surrounding the murder, Harstad was vehement about Volz's innocence. Harstad claimed that he, as well as several others, were with Eric at the time of the murder. He also cited cell phone records that trace Eric's movement from Managua to San Juan del Sur after the murder took place on Nov. 21.
Prosecutors in the case disputed these claims, but produced little significant physical evidence to link Volz to the scene of the crime.
"None of the hairs found at the crime scene matched samples taken from Volz, and the Type O blood stains found on the sheets didn't match Volz's Type A," according to The Nica Times report. "The only alleged eyewitness that placed Volz at the scene of the crime was a self-described drunk who was arrested shortly after the murder as one of the original suspects, before being let off."
The mob mentality surrounding the trial and arguably biased media coverage ultimately led to Volz's conviction, according to two members of Volz's defense team, Joe Reedy and Jackie Becerra in a news report.
An appeal has been filed on Volz's behalf, but the process "could be as quick as a few months or as long as a year," according to Harstad.
Meanwhile, Volz remains in a Nicaraguan prison that isn't much safer than the mob that chased him through the streets of Rivas, according to Harstad, who was recently given the opportunity to visit Volz.
Harstad said that Volz spirits remained high despite the circumstances.
"Considering what he's gone through, he's doing really well," said Harstad. "This really couldn't have happened to a stronger person."
Information regarding what can be done to help Volz can be found at www.friendsofericvolz.com. The Web site gives instructions for writing to Eric, involving senators and congressmen in the case, and making donations to cover Volz's legal expenses.
"The biggest thing is time," said Harstad. "Time is of the essence."
Meanwhile, Volz remains in a Nicaraguan prison that isn't much safer than the mob that chased him through the streets of Rivas, according to Harstad, who was recently given the opportunity to visit Volz.
Harstad said that Volz spirits remained high despite the circumstances.
"Considering what he's gone through, he's doing really well," said Harstad. "This really couldn't have happened to a stronger person."
Information regarding what can be done to help Volz can be found at www.friendsofericvolz.com. The Web site gives instructions for writing to Eric, involving senators and congressmen in the case, and making donations to cover Volz's legal expenses.
"The biggest thing is time," said Harstad. "Time is of the essence."
