unfortunately Nicaragua has fallen into a state of fear and rabid fixations on money and quick judgement. I am nicaraguan, not a native but my parents and grandparents are… the stories I have heard of the country can destory what amazing culture it posseses…

Maurico,

Thanks for your insight about Nicaragua. While there’s no doubt that the roots of the country’s amazing and vibrant culture remain, I (like you) am troubled to see what happened in this situation. Why do you think so many native Nicaraguans were quick to judge Eric Volz? Is it because they are seeing their country become more and more westernized as Gringos quickly buy up coastal land? Do they view that as an invasion into their way of life? I can see that while rapid development may provide a much needed economic boost, it may also be overwhelming from a cultural standpoint.

Thank you for posting about Eric Volz. He is a good friend of many close to me and this story has all of us proactively raising awareness and supporting the appeal process in any way we can. I’m happy to see joshspear.com take issues such as this seriously and want to thank you again for helping.

Nicaragua is a very impoverished country filled with people at a disadvantage. When people in power positions are swayed toward one ideal or another its no doubt covered and influenced by money. Nicaragua has alot of land owners with ties to war criminals, these land owners control the people under them very very tightly, if they say this person is to be “blacklisted”, it happens without hesitation. These people have ties to alot of levels, including media.

I recently learned my grandfather’s estranged brother is like this. He stole land from my great grandparents and from his siblings. He has a wife who fought in the drug trade. I have never met these people and my grandfathers wants nothing to do with them, he fears if he returns himself.. he could get easily killed. They have virtual fortresses there…

people are influenced so easily when they are at a disadvantage financially.

Only cash buys justice in this world. In the USA or elsewhere.

If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it. This person needs some angel investors. Sad but true.

For the past three years, I have traveled to Nicaragua several times. I am familiar with the magazine EP and have heard wonderful things about Eric. Much of my time was spent in San Juan Del Sur due to the people, the cute downtown, and of course…the ocean. I even have a small lot just south of SJDS. However, with the knowledge of this incident…I am so ANGRY! What the hell is our embassy and government officials doing for us? Is Nicaragua so corrupt that even the US embassy is basically worthless? Is this Ortega’s way of creating Anti-American sentiment? Regardless of what has happened…it’s time to act! The entire civilized world should be DISGUSTED. The media, world-wide, should be blasting this story everyday until the corrupt government officials are humiliated into making this right.
This story cannot be buried. Eric doesn’t have much time. I AM SO ANGRY!!! I’m going to do my part…write, call, harass, my congress officials and tell everyone I know about this story. Additionally, I will not be spending any of my US money in Nicaragua until Eric is freed.

I am currently living in Nicaragua and am appalled at what people have to say about this country and the people who live here. One of the reasons people are angry here about what happened is because a Nicaraguan woman was raped and killed. Whenever someone is killed people look for someone to blame, regardless of whether they have the truth or not. This is not an excuse for the anti-American sentiment that has been displayed, but it is to say that there are many and varied possibilities for anti-American sentiment that cannot be understood unless you have lived in a country such as Nicaragua that is constantly living in the shadow of the United States. Suggesting that money and power have anything to do with this case automatically writes off the possibility that there could be justice here in Nicaragua. It also suggests that those who are economically disadvantaged will automatically be persuaded by money and side with those that will pay them off. All of these insult the integrity of the Nicaraguan people. I believe this case needs to be solved and that clearly the truth needs to come to the light and that justice should pervail, no matter in what country it is tried. But that does not mean we need to automatically write off an entire country by a few stones that are being thrown by people who see the issue being one of a Nicaraguan woman being killed by an American man.

As an aside, it is hard to underestimate and weigh both the damage/economic benefits that are being incurred by the influx of tourism here into the country. Certainly tourism brings an economic benefit, but it does also change essential ways of life and brings with it a certain bit of resentment to those people who purchase valuable land at incredibly low prices effectively displacing the people who lived there. The landscape and the culture of Nicaragua is changing as a result. The effects of this are still not known, but it is easy to imagine feeling resentment for a foreigner who can come into your country, live comfortably in a large house on the ocean while you can barely make enough money to feed your family for one day and are forced to live packed into a barrio with many other families without proper sanitation or access to water. What would you feel?

None of what I say is pronouncing Eric innocent or guilty. But I believe we as Americans need to be more educated about the rest of the world and how this case might be viewed from Nicaragua, rather than automatically writing off an entire country because of their perspective on this case. It is infinately more complicated than that.

what the fuck is everybody confused about, IS Oj simpson innocent? why dont you mentioned the fu… scratches eric had whenwas arrested or the fact that the only alibi he has is renting a car in managua which by the way someone else other han eric went to rent it, and the 10 witnesess ae all eric friends, come on people!!! let that poor girl rest in piece and let eric do the time he deserves, this is not about hating gringos, this is about a bunch of people tring to influence the judges to et this criminal free.

Greg are you insane? If there is no evidence, physical or witness, no motive, and nothing connecting him to the crime, plus overwhelming witness testimony that he was somewhere else, then he cannot be guilty. Take off your blinders.

This video hides and distorts some of the facts. Eric Volz was prosecuted for conspiracy to commit murder, for which there was evidence. He was convicted for paying two Nicaraguans to commit it. Thus all the evidence putting him in Managua at the time of the commission is irrelevant.

I don’t understand why Eric Volz family and friends are trying to do to free that guy. They are doing a very dirty campaing against a whole country and his people. This is not a political case , it dosen’t have anything to do with anykind of goverment. They were far away when this murder happened , and they talk like if they were there. It is very obvious that they don’t care about the issue. they are just family and friends. NBC and other journalist should do more research in this case. This guy Eric now is saying that the Nicaragua is a dangerous place , so why did he lived there for two years and i heard that he was very popular and had a lots of friends. Nothing bad had happened to him when in jail . Are all of you people who thinks that he is not guilty, aware that in Nicaragua travel and live twousands of Americans who don’t have this kind of problems because they haven’t kill a humanbeing. Eric did some mistake against himself , and thats why he was convicted. Why in first place if he was inocent had to drive to Managua and try to rent a car through a friend and worst at all to tell his friend to make sure that the document say that he personally went to the rental car , which was denied by the rental car employees. Second , the poor answer when questioned about the number of scratch on hid back ? he sais that he got that from carrying the coffin . Come on . I understand his family , but all of you who are becoming accomplice of a murder, would you think for a minute about the girl who was raped and murdered and his family. There is a guy from Nicaragua waiting in deathraw in Texas for a similar case and the Nicaraguans didn’t make a dirty campaign against the USA. There always be a divine justice. I would tell to the Nicaraguans government to free this guy as long as he doesen’t get back to Nicaragua and rape and kill another person. Eric will do the same in a future , because this type of person as we see in the news almost every week . thet always do it again. Just watch out for your sisters dudes . Make sure that they are away from Eric Volz.

Sherry , this is not a political case. I understand he is your friend. Now tell me how much did you spend in Nicaragua ? Did your money help hundred of people ? Please Sherry don’t ever go back , They don’t need you . By the way, Did you party a lot ? , How much are the beers over there ? Becaus e I saw youngs American drinking a lot over there.

Mauricio, It seems to me that you don’t know Nicaragua or that you haven’t been there for a while. It also seems to me that you repeat what others tell you. Don’t you think that what you are doing is very unfair to talk about a whole country and its people. All the foreings travelers who go to Nicaragua they always go back, that says a lot. Do you know that is one of the safeest country in Latin America? Crimes are everywhere and this type of case happened everywhere, probably much more in other countries. This case doesn’t have nothing to do with the last goverment , neither the new one . The goverments are corrupt every where , I agree . If this guy Eric was innocent , why he wanted the rental car people to say that they saw him at the time of the murder, when was his friend the one who went to rent the car , i asumed that at that moment Eric was driving to Managua from San Juan. Doris mother said that if the guy who killed her daughter were Nicaraguan , cuban, chinesse or American , it doesen’t matter , This is not because eric is American.

I am curious about this case. I think many Americans who believe in Eric’s innocence needs to stop the Nicaragua bashing or think there is a connection with Daniel Ortega taking over again. Eric’s lawyer represented Ortega at one time over another criminal case. Also stop the crap that he didn’t get due process, he got due process, it was just not due process in a Common Law System, but in a Civil Law system. That doesn’t mean he got justice, I think the evidence against him is pretty close to hearsay, and we know how many crappy death penalty cases are overturned in the US because of plea testimony from a corrobative witness. I think like most Americans, we would like to see a better burden of proof and to make sure conclusively he was down in San Juan del Sur before the murder was discovered.

If Eric is innocent, his team needs to get a minute to minute hour by hour timeline of Eric’s actiivities from the week before the murder to the time of his arrest. In acutality, there are too much info for his time from 12-2pm, he had a meeting with Ricardo Castillo, IM a friend in Atlanta during this time and had an hour phone call all at the same time… and then lunch, It sounds kind of over the top. Besides the haircut. I don’t think why Ricardo Castillo is lying, but the Hertz Rental Car story is kind of weird…

The cops said she was killed between 11:45 and 14:00 or so. however I stand to be corrected with the right info.

I do have some problems with Eric thinking he needs to rent a car when he already owns a car, or there is some big discrepancies of happened between the Hertz Rental Car Agency and what his side is saying. I also have a problem with his very hands on approach after the murder and before his arrest, either asking or demanding to pay for the autopsy sounds weird, when he wasn’t in a position as a spouse or fiancee, he should had defer to family. The scratches on his back, I find kind of implausible but still in some way possible that he got from the coffin, I saw a picture of him carrying the left front side of the coffin, but he wasn’t at the very front.

I think there is enough validity of suspicion on Eric Volz. However, the cops and the Judge should had done a better job in getting the timeline nailed down and Eric’s activities. If he did murdered Doris, and had accomplices, this took some planning and some money transfered.

Also this rich Nicaraguan (Armando Llanes) who was arrested along with Eric sounded like Doris’s current boyfriend.

Doris’ s friends seem to paint Eric as jealous and possessive, while his college friends tend to paint him as laid back and environmentally conscious. I don’t know what to believe, but it sounds like it is something down the middle. I worked in South America, and know that expats more than anything want to make an impact, and of course make some money to survive. Realtors may have some environmental consciousness, but they are much more conscious in making money, and given his ambition and the magazine which he headed, I think he was more driven than a surfer bum but less than a Wall Street derivatives trader, or a metals trader in Santiago.

I don’t like the case against him, it kind of shoddy, whether in a Common Law or Civil Law system. However, I also don’t like the PR campaign run by his mother and stepfather along with his friends, it does sound like they are leaving some stuff out to make Eric appear more innocent than he is. I am getting a sense that his side is downplaying the motive, and he was quite jealous and possessive of Doris. (the pictures of her made her look quite stunning, but no excuse for jealousy) It doesn’t matter if he had murderous psycho intentions or not as long as his alibi sticks, and it is not the after 12:00pm time the day of the murder, but beforehand, along with the scratches, along with his behavior before his arrest in San Juan Del Sur.

I have some issues with Doris’s mother especially if she had the body embalmed immediately after the murder. I would like to see what the expat community stands with Eric, given they knew about the relationship along with Doris’s friends, and saw him upclose. I haven’t read much about some of the expat community in San Juan Del Sur.

One thing I tend to sympathize with Eric is that San Juan Del Sur is a small town, and small town aren’t the greatest place to find justice or the truth of the matter at times. I do think Eric was better off not rushing down there, or being bossy to the cops or trying to take charge, that is not cool in Latin American country, especially in a small town, whether it was touristy or not.

I would like to see the truth in this, and I just don’t want the wool pulled over my eyes on this from either side, but I think Eric’s sides needs to approach the appeal froma different angle, they can’t state, “Well here is the witness saying he was here at this and this time” they need context and they need to cancel out any link that he knew the other two men, or talked to them about the murder. They need to hire a private investigator. They also need find out why they had all their witnesses’s testimony thrown out or disminished. They need to to show step by step what Eric is doing from a week before the murder and a general timeline of his relationship with Doris. It not her mother that put him in prison, it was her friends’ testimonies.

I may come across as leaning toward the guilty camp, but I am really trying to be neutral, because I think the verdict is flawed, and I think there needs to be much more concrete evidence to convict him. However the PR campaign to free him needs to change and be much more professional and subtle. I would hire a better PR firm, and it is better off using the angle of police incompetence than Anti-American sentiment. It seems people were quite suspicious of him before the funeral.

Hi Ted… Eric was EP Manager that is why he didn´t rent the car by himself, someone else did it… He got a land cruiser Jeep that was a slow car to travel in a bad way to San Juan del Sur. If you like maths you will like this fact: Rivas is in 110th kilometer and San Juan Del Sur is in 150th (aprox.). So let´s do math a calculate how much time Eric will need to arrive to San Juan Del Sur kill Doris and return to Managua (that is in 0th kilometer). His lawyers can easily prove when was rented the car by 2 ways: 1. Phone record from the office to the rent a car phone and 2. When you rent a car they give you a comprobant for your rent…
Also, I don´t know if you know this but this 2 witnesses from the rent a car were forced to testified and maybe they were pist off with Eric for intervent in their calm life…
Armando Llanes were near from San Juan del Sur than Eric was, however, his alibi was that he was in the church (without introducing any witneses to prove his alibi, wasn´t that weird?
Why the police free Danglas if he had a lot of scratches in his body and in his intimate parts? If you plan to kill someone you don´t do it in the middle of the day, and you don´t hire someone to introduce to your girlfriend´store(according to Julio Chamorro testimony, he helped Eric to introduce to Doris´store) and you won´t need someone to carry some bags and introuced into you car (according to Danglas, that is the only thing he did, weird, right?)
The truth is that the judge was affraid for her life (because some people can be dangerous) and she said to her secretary that she wouldn´t take the riks because anyway they (Eric´attoneys) are going to free him in appeal (because in the deep she knows that Eric is innocent)… Even the first judge (Peter Palma) said in the last hearing thatif he would have all the evidence that he has at that moment he would never sent Eric to a trial..
You seem to be an inteligent person, so keep writing and be in touch…

HE DID IT I LIVE IN RIVAS. AND SAN JUAN DEL SUR. THE STORY HERE IS, HIS DAD PAID A JUDGE WHO LET HIM GO . THE POWERS IN THE CAPATAL SAID NO WAY. AND THE JUDGE LOST HIS JOB, BUT KEEPS THE MONEY. EDDY SAN JUAN COP RODE IN MY CAR AND THATS WHAT HE SAID. ALSO HE PAID TWO LOCALS TO HELP HIM HIDE WHAT HE DID, ONE DID NOT KNOW HE WALKED

Eric’s Friend,

From what I read, and why Armando Llanes was registering for College Courses and had some sort of paper to prove this, not being in Church.

Whether the Hertz Rental Car people were forced to testify or not, they told a pretty damning story against Eric. Worst for Eric, the Judge believed them and relied heavily on their testimony to show that Eric wasn’t in Managua. I realize that “Nuevo Diario” isnt’ the greatest source for this saga, but it did state that he left Managua with Doris’s Father and Aunt, (another passenger was El Puente’s graphic designer? I don’t know) they left at 17:00 and got to San Juan Del Sur at 18:30. If someone at “El Puente” tried to help Eric by getting the forms change, instead it put a nail in the coffin for the case.. That doesn’t mean I think he is guilty, I just trying to figure out what are the main gears that turn this tragedy as a verdict for Eric.

From what I read, Eric’s team needs to change both its legal strategy and PR campaign. It isn’t about the alibi being ignored or making sure it is accepted during the Appeals process. Instead, the motive has to be disproven, Eric’s connection to Danglas and Chamarro has to be disproven, Eric’s action right after her death and before his arrest has to be shown with good intentions.
His team needs to disprove each point in the Judge’s ruling, they need a boatload of money, and get a bunch of affidavits to see if they can accepted. Why the 8-10 witnesses testimony was thrown out rested with the Hertz’s employees testimony and the Judge ruled as more credible, no matter of Ricardo Castillo’s reputation. Eric’s team can’t rely his alibi witnesses for his appeal, they need to start with the motive, show any communcations between Eric and Doris during the relationship and especially afterwards as maybe friendly ex boyfriend/girlfriend, but nothing to show that Eric wanted to kill her. As I wrote before, her friends helped very much in getting that conviction.

From what I getting from reading and knowing from a little from travelling thru Latin America, stamped receipts are king. Which is why Llanes was let go, compare to Eric and his IM with his friend or cellphone calls and bills. If Eric left a message with someone via his cellphone during this time, this may help… To Gringos, we are more willing to accept time stamp stuff like IM and cellphone with triangulation for location, but a stamped receipt takes precedence in a Latin Amercian Country. The only place were the stamped receipt could help Eric and was his first for the day was at the Hertz Rental Car Company in Managua, and given that the employees testifying of shenanigans from either from Eric or “El Puente” staff, the judge is going to see this as a “A-HA”! moment for her, and write up her verdict accordingly.

Why I am writing all this, even you know all this, is how “La sistema” worked against Eric, fairly or unfairly. What needs to be done now, is stop the PR that he was convicted because he was a rich American or just an American, whether it is true or not, or that the Nicaraguan Justice System is based on corruption and fear of mob rule. Whether it is true or not, it is not the point. It is important not to work within “la sistema” in Nicaragua, but understand it, and the reasons he was convicted no matter how flawed, so his appeals case works better.

I also read that Bobby Brown (sp?) some bail bondman in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is going to work for Eric’s parents as private investigator. My advice: DON’T HIRE HIM!!!!!! having a gringo private investigator isn’t the way to go, whether he speaks spanish or not, Eric’s team needs to hire someone who knows Nicaragua, the cops and the culture. An American private investigator, no matter how good in the states, if he or she doesn’t know Nicaraguan culture is going to backfire big time. There needs to be a PR firm who deals with Latin American and especially Nicaraguan Media, there are good PR firms in Miami that can help, appealing to US media may be like turning over a bee hive, and get alot of righteous indignation from Americans, but it is PR firm who deals with Latin American Media can do a much better job for Eric. Portraying Nicaragua as a corrupt, stupid and country bumpkin like in their justice system is not going to make the Appeals/Supreme court to take Eric and his defense seriously. It has nothing to do with truth right now, it is about being taken seriously. I think his PR has made things worse for him within Nicaragua, because it comes across as very insulting to Nicaraguans. (Which is why “Nuevo Diario” is writing the stuff they are, they aren’t dummies, they want to sell papers and gain attention, “La Prensa”, I am amaze how they are trying to be pretty fair and balance)

Also drop that the judge based on verdict that there was a mob outside the courtroom ready to lynch her if she acquitted Eric. That is not gong to help his appeal, in some ways it is going to hurt it, because it takes away from the arguments that he couldn’t possibly do this crime. What needs to be done is step by step, documented and eyewitness testimony from people who knew Doris and Eric during their relationship and afterwards. Step by Step timeline from a month before Doris’s was murdered of Eric actions, movements, receipts etc. etc. and a timeline of Doris’s history a month or so before she was murdered. I don’t think Llanes has a motive, and I would leave him alone for now, unless something comes up showing he had motive or plan this, but I doubt it.

I don’t know how Nicaraguan law and procedure works for forensic evidence, or an outside lab can do test like in the States, but if Eric’s team can, look over the medical examiner findings again, the Judge based heavily her rulings on this, and this is one of the weakest parts of the case against Eric along with Danglas’s testimony.

Danglas’s testimony in the court case is one of the last thing I would work on right now, if all the other work points to Eric favor, then it will disprove Danglas’s testimony.

As I wrote before, ignore the mother and her story of the million dollar bribe. My guess that Eric or someone after the murder offer her financial help after her daughter’s death and it got extrapolated to this. Her friends are a much more bigger and stronger obstacle for Eric’s freedom, they basically paint Eric as capable in killing Doris, no matter if he wasn’t there or not, that has to be address. If he dated other Nicaraguan women, there better be affidavits of them, whether they were short term relationships, one night stands, etc. I would get affidavits of pretty much of all Eric’s female friends and acquaintances in Nicaragua.

I apologize if I am babbling on about this, but the American media campaign for Eric that I may not like, did get me interested in his case, and I care if he getting shafted, but I also don’t see his story as completely squeaky clean that his PR campaign wants to show it was before he was arrested. If he didn’t committ this horrible crime, his story needs to told differently.

Tambien, mi correo electronico es ecw1216@ix.netcom.com si los amigos y apoyos de Eric necessitan más ayudamente.

I believe that what is important is that Eric Volz gets a fair trial , and dismiss the charge that he organized his ex girl friend murder.

Nicaraguans love Americans , but we have to make sure that no one
(Nica or Gringo) can get away with murder.

I hope Eric is innocent and lets help him clear his name , but whoever killed the girl should be found and processed.

Mauricio ,

If your grandfather`s brother stole to your family and he lives with luxury in Nicaragua , you should make it public , name & last name .

I dont think we should cover up these kind of people.

Seems to me there is MORE than enough doubt to aqquit this man. The victim’s family and community members are angry and want someone to pay… Who better than a young relatively successful American man whom is representative of many things that developing countries envy and detest all at the same time. Sometomes we want something to be true so badly, we disregard logic and make it so. It would be easier to accept that some American outsider could commit such a horrendous act before accepting it is someone from your own community.

Nevermind , Who told you that Eric was a succesful American in Nicaragua? He was partying all the time. There are many succesful nicaraguans and NicaraguanAmericans in Nicaragua, so why envy ? He didn’t even own a house over there ? The other guy in jail Chamorro was a drug dealer and also Eric’s friend . Come on

There’s a SLOPJAR full of doubt to acquit this man. Is the Nicaraguan court system THAT backward?? We have our own problems with the court systems here, but my LORD, the “evidence” proving his guilt was simply NOT THERE!

Give me a break!!! He said on national television that he had no intentions of marrying her, etc and yet he lived with her. He then says that he felt sorrow when he heard and a knot in his stomach BUT no mention of guilt for having not been there to protect her. This woman that he shared a bed with. This man is at the very least a complete CAD. As he says on national TV, “she didn’t come with me, she was never invited”. So, if he’s the type of man to use someone == what does that tell us of his character. PLUS, he did have the connections to have her killed if not by his own hand. I do not feel in the least sorry for this pathetic poor excuse for an American Man in a country of underprivelaged women.
Sincerely,
An American Woman

Your an angry, lonely, sad woman who will never meet a man with that attitude. The same hate you have in convicting this man without knowing him is the same hate and injustice the people of Nic have shown. This was a beautiful woman who was approached by men every day of her life. The way she was murdered was a crime of passion I believe. I believe it was someone close to her or obsessed with her. THe evidence does not point to this kid though. I have lived in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Peru. I have a dated a lot of women and its amazing in the begining the girl and all of her friends love you and think your a night in shining armor. As soon as you don’t marry them or break off the relationship you become the devil. I believe this is what happened to this guy. Instead of being a stand up guy he should have just left the country.

Get real Jacy. Casual relationships exist in this world. Many have them without any plans for getting married. The guy said he had sorrow and a know in his stomach, what do you think guilt is? Or are you so literal that you need someone to spell things out for you? Having a casual relationship with someone does not make a person guilty. Its a sad state where you are guilty first and need to prove your innocence.

Personally, I think her mother’s friends are all cowards for letting her mother take this thing out of hand. Having sympathy for the family is one thing, but taking your vengence out on someone based on heresay is disgusting.

I’m american 100% and i know Nicaraguan people pretty well.
I’m embarrassed with the people in Nicaragua, because that guy did the worst
mistake of his life, he is guilty and he not only killed and rape that girl, even
he destroyed our reputation in all Central America he destroyed his family and principally he ended a person’s life is disgusting forme.
Sorry for his family because they don’t want openning their eyes. They have
a lot money to spend in dorty campaign but it’s just passion, they need to have more dignity and ask their son what’s the true. Because there other side suffering in this case the Doris family. Don’t forget this point.

Prosecutors facts:

Eric has scratches on his shoulder.

Taking a look at the pictures and having seen thousands of scratches those are not scratches. Those are marks. I have carried a funeral on my shoulder in that same procession (my great-grandmother) and I got the same marks that he obtained from doing so. They didn’t go away for about 9 days.

Blood in his fingernails.

The blood is not Doris’. Enough said.

Witness that saw Eric near Doris’ workplace close to time of murder:

A known drug dealer/trouble maker/BUM testifies and is released of all counts of his arrest? That’s circumstantial enough to get the judge fired in countries that aren’t “developing”.

Furthermore, what locals knew about Eric was he was a rich American who was cocky, conceited, and flaunted this fact. Naturally, Nicaraguans in poverty or close to are going to hold some resentment towards him. I have felt this resentment in my hometown where Mexicans are the minority and I am not even rich by any means. The judge was afraid for her life or using her power; either of these adds up to corruption. The prosecutor in an interview with Dateline even shows resentment towards an American Male, not Eric Volz.

This system should be destroyed. This is a pathetic, and very ignorant court system. If Eric does not win his appeal to the 2 judge panel or the next appeal, then there will be no hope for Nicaragua concerning its Justice System.

I hate to argue ad hominim, but anyone that believes Eric is guilty is one dumb human being and shouldn’t be allowed to think for your thoughts are polluting the world. Let the people that have logic and rationalization do the writing.

Also…

Concerning the cell phone calls:

These calls were traced by satellite at the time they were sent. That means through the records you can trace where the person making the call was at the time they were sent. Therefore, the person that held Eric’s cell phone can be traced to the exact time the cell phone reached San Juan del sur. The exact time of arrival Eric Volz made it to town.

Concerning Rent-a-Car:

Someone already commented on this and said this exact quote, but he was the Chief Executive of this magazine. I have worked in office settings where my manager would ask me to go get him things (Lunch, tickets, newspapers) If he needed a car to rent I would have been the one to rent it. In Eric’s case, it is quite plausible that another person rented the car and signed for it under Eric’s name (I have had friends sign for me in some instances so it’s quite possible).

Concerning the 10 witnesses:

I doubt 10 people are going to lie for their manager even if he is well-liked. For if they are caught in the act of lying they could face punitive justice and could be sent to jail in Nicaragua (Not the place you want to spend some time). And I highly doubt Richard Castillo, a credible and popular journalist in Managua is going to lie for an American Editor that he might have business dealings with.

There is nothing else to be said about it. The man is innocent. I don’t care if you desire some chauvinistic pig to be in jail for actions against submissive women. Swallow your pride and look at the evidence; or lack there of.

I love America.

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9869

http://www.envio.org.ni/articulo/2152

To end your points with ‘I love America,’ is ridiculous and has nothing to do with anything. It’s kind of like the 7 yr old bratty kid at the playground proclaiming he has the best sandwich for lunch that day.
I’m American, my mother from Nicaragua. I have been to Nicaragua and have seen the hardships and the way of life. I have lived in Chicago my entire life. The U.S. is certainly not the role model society by any means. Take a look around. There is pathetic injustice everywhere. It is a fact that those in power in this country continuosly exploit other 3rd world countries time and again for their own gains. Is that something to brag about and be proud of?
I do not know if this person is innocent or not. If he truly is, then I am sorry. If he isn’t, then he should be punished. I am certain that our Government can do something, if they really wanted to, however to them, 1 life is not that important. Think about the war we are involved in (Iraq if you’ve forgotten) and maybe your reality will be clearer. Sorry for the negativity but this is the reality about our ‘great’ country.

VOLZ

I have some serious questions about this conviction, but I have bigger qualms with some of Eric’s proponents. First, much skin tissue or any DNA under the fingernails is degraded to point that tests show inconclusive results. This happens all the time, the best example is the Jon Benet Ramsey case.

Eric’s appeals hearing should be coming up, His side needs to show a timeline of his relationship of Doris, and they need to show a timeline of everything he did a month before this murder, to show that he didn’t have time to plan it according to the Judge’s ruling. I would try to not lay the defense’s case on the eyewitnesses at the El Puente office, because it didn’t work before.

Even with all that, his defense team need to explain why Doris’s friends are all against Eric, or stating the stuff they have done in court. Besides the Hertz Rental Car employees, they were the other half that put him in prison. If his team can neutralize their testimony, then they done half their job.

Eric is running a con game, something strange about this guy, his alibi and demeanor are just too tight. Even a U.S. judge can disregard testimony from a witness he deems non reliable. Every decade or so, rich kids get convicted of murder and they all see to have that same look and countenance. Remember the Beverly Hills brothers and the Newport Beach volleyball player. Eric could not outfox those peasants, although he probably would have with a Los Angeles jury.

Rob W - Like your keen insight. The magazine publishing thing was most likely all bait, wanted to be the big man in town. A magazine publisher driving a junk car? The spectacular and genuine Doris was way out of his league. How tall is Eric? Look like scratches to me. Lenny, Beverly Hills CA

So tragic, for the families of the victim, and (I believe) the accused.

I don’t know enough about the case from what I’ve read to contribute much about each allegation, but the scratches on his shoulders struck a particularly sympathetic chord with me:

I started working out with a personal trainer about a year ago. He had me do standing calf raises, in which I raise a pad on my shoulders with couple hundred pounds attached, by standing on my toes to bear the weight about 30 times per workout. The first time I did it, I got those same marks on my shoulders. My wife teased me that she thought I was fooling around with someone who likes it rough. I joked with my trainer about that the next time I saw him, and he said that his girlfriend raised the same question with him and needed an explanation, because he ALWAYS comes home with those stripes on his shoulders. I’ve always considered those marks to be an indication of how hard my workout was, because with that much weight (almost exactly what I would think a body and coffin would weigh) I can’t imagine that his shoulders would NOT bear those marks, unless he wasn’t carrying his share–and clearly from the videos, he was.

Seriously, ask any weightlifter. It’s the only exercise I’ve ever done that leaves welts every single time you do it. They look exactly like that. PLEASE discredit the scratches on his shoulder from your opinion as to his guilt/innocence. If at all possible, I urge you to take photos of people who bear the same load if they will allow it.

On a side note, I’d sure like to buy this guy Ted a beer. I can’t remember a time since college when I heard someone genuinely seeking the truth and toeing a neutral position on such a passionate issue. I think his points are terrific, but the quality of evidence against Mr. Volz is just so tremendously weak compared to the evidence in his defense, that I find it sad that the burden still lies on his team.

Eric doesn’t seem like the greatest guy, but no worse than most of us, and even if he were, I hope that in a court of law that that isn’t what is put on trial.

TED - Why were Nicoles friends against O.J., same as Doris’ friends, they both knew first of all that O.J. and Eric were all about B.S. and just had that gut feeling regarding their guilt. You sound sincere, but obviously know little about criminal law in the U.S. or Nicaragua or issues of an appeal.

KEN - No doubt you are for real and sincere, but at first I thought you were a shill for Eric’s spin machine. Rethink this, welts going that for down his upper back, was he lying down when he lifted? Check out the friends for Eric websit, go to advance search (dit it).

TED - Just went back and read your blg of 4/7, you obviously are well schooled and have the legal basics down. One of the few on any of the sites that points out the big picture on the Eric story. Most of the legal machinations are moot at this point and will only be of interest for debates in non judicial forums. Yes, Ken, send Ted one of those Vermont Teddy Bears, hope to hear from both of you. I don’t think Eric will prevail on his appeals, but it’s a close call. As a sidenote, he could have even convicted in a U.S. court, but most likey would have walked. Did you foillow that recent conviction in San Diego of the wife who poisoned her Marine husband, little evidence at all, just a theory and the women’s bad vibe.

Most people in Latin America do not even buy newspapaers. Did the magazine really exists. It’s one of the most difficult and costly businesses to start or make money in, but ideal for a con-man to dangle as bait, particularly in low cost Central America. Throw a few dollars around, open a small office, hire a few people on a periodic basis like a graphic artists, etc., a prototype edition, bingo you are in the magazine business, a legit cool eco gringo who is there to help, El Puente. What was the real deal with the magazine, please let me know. Also, good bait to dangle to foreign investors and scam local women. Eric was a strange cat who probably did commit this evil act.

thanks for your comment Rob. After reading it I was shocked by your observations that the marks went down his back, because if it were true–and I realize that you have no reason to present the information otherwise–then yeah, the idea that these marks were from bearing weight on his shoulders would be completely ill-founded. So I looked for the photo online and couldn’t find a good image, but came across these videos which show it clear enough for this discussion:

Evidence against Eric Volz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSo3sb73CZY

and this response, which I include not for the commentary, but because it only shows the image of his back, so as not to include other info:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up_bqyXKtSM

Those scratches extend only slightly below his trapezius, if at all, stopping at his shoulder blade, which is where one would avoid putting any weight, since it would cause the most discomfort, resting directly on bone. The weight is distributed from the constant point of contact on this muscle and spreads out in places that would bear it less, further down this muscle, in places that would not always be in contact with the burden he was carrying.

But I took your feedback to heart, and actually hoisted a bag of gravel on my shoulder and walked it to the end of my driveway and back to see on which point I would carry this weight. What I found was that standing upright required unnecessary support from my core muscles, a little more difficult than walking around with your chest puffed out all the time, and that I had to hunch over a bit to counteract the forward momentum of the bag, to keep me from tipping over, since I was moving forward. Try it, if you have a bag of gravel, sand, potatoes or dog food–actually something more rigid would be more telling, but you’ll get the basic idea of where you need to apply pressure to move forward with a lot of weight on your shoulders. If these marks crossed his shoulder blade I would wonder just what the heck he was doing, but the marks remain exclusively on the soft part of his shoulders just below his back.

Okay, try this (really, I mean it)! Put your thumb on your clavicle, and move it straight back until you hit a point with enough muscle to support about 100 pounds without pressing on that bone. There should be a pretty clear ridge where the muscle jumps up. Now move your middle finger over your shoulder until you feel another bone that you wouldn’t want to put any weight on (your shoulder bone). That soft area between your fingers is what you would automatically use to carry this load, anything else would be too painful. Now draw your thumb and your middle finger together to find the center point of this load-bearing part of your body next to your neck. It’s not in the center of your body like you’d expect, in fact it would hardly be considered on the top at all. Now if you look at the photos, that is the point where Eric’s marks are the darkest.

I maintain that there is no possible way for him to carry that much weight without getting red marks of some sort, so any visible scratches would need to be visible in addition to these.

I do think it’s a shame that no evidence was presented of DNA under the victim’s fingernails, because it would have made this an open-and-shut case. If she did in fact scratch the perpetrator, this evidence was there for the taking and the prosecution missed out on the most damning evidence of all. Frankly I’m surprised that they would have missed this, unless the forensic testing just isn’t credible with the equipment that was available at the time of the investigation.

Anyway, thanks for your response. I’m open to any doubts that you may be able to cast on my assessment, and I hope that you will also consider these points with an open mind.

Just a slight correction, if you didn’t figure it out already:

…the marks remain exclusively on the soft part of his shoulders just below [THE TOP PART OF] his back.

Also, I’m flattered that you thought that my argument was compelling enough to be prepared by a slick “shill” (which I’ll admit, is a term I had to look up, “plant” was a term I was more familiar with), and not just a regular person concerned about how justice is being carried out. However, if my convictions are wrong, believe me, I want to be the first person to recognize the error of my ways, and I trust people like you to bring to light things I haven’t yet considered. So thanks, and I hope you had a chance to get through my boring anatomical diatribe so that you may respond to these objections I have to the judge’s analysis.

Does anyone know where I can find info on where the (judge’s) assessment that those marks couldn’t have been caused by a carrying the coffin came from? If there was evidence presented about this, I’d be very interested to review it. Perhaps someone looked into this deeper than I did.

Rob… by the way, I meant to ask you what it was that you want me to look up on the friends of eric website. Can you provide a link, or tell me what it is that you think would be helpful? I didn’t see an advance search option on the site I thought you were referring to, and I’m not sure what you were suggesting that I search for. I’d very much like to see it if you think it would be relevant.

Thanks so much.

Ken - Thank’s for your kind reply and enjoy your thoughtfull perspective. You have me doing a 180 after reveiwing further photos, more like welts. Did the authorities check out those other pallbearers for marks. I plan to do those experiments you spoke of. I still think Eric had this done, Hubris did him in, some of the nicest guys out there have committed cold blooded acts, there true nature exposed. All of his machine is about poor Eric, his home page under facts is so damn cold, letters from him and his family with nothing about anguish for Doris. Intersting, even in the U.S. people are occasionaly convicted of murder with practicaly no evidence against them. A theory coupled with opportunity, as the recent case in San Diego of the wife who was convicted of poisoning her Marine husband, no hard or soft evidence, just a bad vibe her, got a boob job with the insurance money, partied too much and like Eric, the Hubris showed, just something about her.

Ken - in continuation, google Eric Volz-then advance search ¨did it¨ go to first site ¨Friends of Eric Volz E Mail-Topix¨ and scroll down the blogs. As to Hubris, it even shows in his family, hate to say, he and his mom similar to the style of Scott Peterson. In that back in the day, I was a world class traveler and womanizer (now reformed) and have met a few women of Doris´incredible beauty, class, charm and genuine good nature I can speak with some authority on this subject. Mere words can not describes these angels, nor will most men even meet one. Eric could simply never get over her and she would never let him come back. He could never have really held her for long, out of his league, so he……………..thanks ken, rob

Thanks for considering my questions about the scratch marks, and if you get a chance to do any experiments, please let me know.

I understand that a coffin with a body actually weighs about 500 pounds, and normaly eight people carry it, though in this case there were only four which actually doubles the load that is typical of a pall bearer. I mention this because it would affect the kind of marks that pall bearers typically would present. Also, if you want to do an accurate experiment, consider that his share of the load should have averaged around 125 pounds, considerably more than I used in my experiment. Consider also that with that much weight, a person would want to vary the tissue that the weight rests on when one spot gets too irritated, which explains why they would show multiple tracks running parallel. You’d need an undisturbed part of your shoulder to alieviate the pain when you want to put the burden on fresh tissue (no setting it down!), so it stands to reason that there would be a gap between the marks when one part got irritated.

If anyone knowsof a way to look into any photos of the other pall bearers shoulders after the wake, there’s no reason that any one of them should not have the same marks, especially with just four people carrying the coffin. None had the luxury of not sharing the load equally, or their corner would have clearly been carried lower than the others.

Anyway, the amount of significance that people are putting in these marks are what I wanted to seriously address, and you’re bringing up some character issues that I can’t comment on without knowing these people personally.

***

All other arguments seem to be speculative, inferring motive and drawing conclusions about their relationship from assumptions based largely on her beauty. I will say that I’ve known a few seemingly spectacular couples that I thought were perfect together, but was stunned when they split, though it was long overdue in their respective minds. I can’t begin to know how their relationship developed after that initial introduction when he first noticed that she was hot.

I went to the link you mentioned–and I should mention that there are a lot of people who do Eric no favors with their tasteless banter–and yes, his entourage is doing everything they can to bail him out. It’s too bad that they didn’t seem to take the high road in consoling Doris’s family early and often, but they do have a cause, as does Doris’s family. Both families want justice, and both are wrapped deeply in the lives of their loved ones and representing them with their fullest efforts.

I’m sorry to hear people drawing parallels between this case and that of Scott Peterson and OJ Simpson. It reminds me of every world leader that has ever been compared to Hitler, and in times of war they always are. They’re not the same, and we’re not trying those other cases here, but it does paint the ugly picture people want to invoke to mention them. Also, I don’t feel the precedents where people are convicted with insufficuent evidence should be observed in deliberating in any trial. We need more responsible models if we want justice. Additionally, it’s not even the weak case against him that stirs outrage, but the sterling case in his defense. Peterson and Simpson weren’t tried in Nicaragua, so their cases obscure any relevant comparisons, but neither presented evidence that suggested convincingly that they were innocent (though OJ cast a shadow of doubt as to his guilt, which was enough in the American system). Right or wrong, Volz has to prove his innocence in this system, and I’m not sure what more he could present to support his alibi and discredit the evidence against him.

I know people like to comment on Eric’s swift involvement, but Doris’s family was also critical of him that he didn’t come down sooner, so i’m not sure that he could have done any better by showing deference to the system or finishing his business before heading out of town. These points are all purely speculative, so I prefer to leave judgement to people who know the culture and the people involved. I forgive his parents for being absorbed with getting their son the vindication they feel he deserves, and I forgive Doris’s parents for stopping at nothing to get a conviction in this case so they can begin to deal with a different part of their grief. Terrible times for both families.

Allow me to pass judgment on YOUR character now :). I’m sorry that you lost have women of this caliber (and sorry that I haven’t!), but you seem to be a well put together fella who was able to refrain from killing anyone when it was over. I think it’s not unreasonable to believe that Eric could be just as sharp.

Dangit, I got windy again. Sorry. All I REALLY wanted to say is that those “scratch marks” have no place entering this debate as evidence against him and that any connection to him and the crime scene really needs to come from some other avenue.

One last thing though, that other guy who got convicted? I never hear anything about him. I’m curious what his case is and how he’s connected to Eric. If they both killed her, aren’t their cases complexly intertwined? He’s a pretty big piece of this that gets zero attention. Strange.

Rob W.

¡Oye Güevon! No me insulta que si Ud me le quiera una respuesta a su mensaje. ¿Claro? Yo sé las jurisprudencias y yo sé ambos sistemas de leyes, común y civil. Pregunta mis argumentos menos que no me insulte.

en la otra idioma:

The Cynthia Sommer case is not a good analogy, her husband was found to have something like 1000 times the amount of arsenic in his liver and a huge amount of in his kidneys, besides it was inorganic arsenic. A better analogy would be the Mickey Thompson murder case and conviction of Michael Goodwin.

On another post about Doris’s friends, they don’t have direct evidence, but they give the court reason to judge “motive” that is old as law itself, jealousy and obsession, whether it is true or not in this case, I don’t know.

In the Judge’s eyes, the Hertz Rental Car employees testimony show opportunity and the plan to cover up. Once again, I don’t see it that way, because the 6-8 eyewitnesses at El Puente’s office/house have a strong burden of proof that is difficult to dismiss.

The big thing in that is missing in the Judge’s ruling is the element of planning by Eric. If he committed the murder in accordance to the court’s rulings and explanation at Rivas, then there has to be an event that made him decide to plan the murder of Doris. I haven’t seen anything that shows intent, unless it was her starting a new relationship. However Eric would had to conspire with the Lopez-Danglas and Chamorro according to the Court’s ruling, and there is nothing out there that supports the Court.

Beside that, I try to read from many sources on this case and the appeal, but I rely on this a bit..

http://www.laprensa.com.ni

No hay motiva a dialogar con Ud. ciao

I don’t think this has anything really to do with politics as much as it does with pure ENVY! I lived in Honduras for a bit and while there I discovered something… corruption to the umpth degree. Central America lives in a state of corruption… it’s hard to explain. People will lie and make up stories about you JUST BECAUSE. I lived it… and I am a missionary. Not everyone is the same I do not want to make a blanket statement. However, for a few minutes of fame or to have some coveted information, folks will just make up stuff. I was the aim of so many gross exaggerations and hurtful lies. Even though I was there to help the very people who spoke meanful things about me. I continued on my work and would go back in a heartbeat… but I think there is something to say about the sensationalism that surrounds people from afar (gringos) and money. You are either LOVED or HATED for no apparent reason. It’s a culture of corruption… we gringos would say that but for those who live there….SURVIVAL. Someone lied obviously… I’d start with that surf instructor…. and then anyone who was envious of the poor woman whose dignity was robbed of her in the moment of her death and after in the ridiculous preceedings called a trial. I think USA CSI should have been involved… I pray the best for ERIC. May the Lord reveal the truth in HIS good grace and time.

I cannot believe after all the evidence some people can still believe he is guilty motive, well i don’t seem to find one. Some say jealousy well let me tell you weather you believe this or not jealousy is a natural thing we are all born with it,if you say you are not a jealous person you are lying. Eric and Doris remained friends he did not go to Managua to rent a car he had moved there but he and Doris saw each other once in a while. When he heard she was murdered by Doris friend (Call proven) he told her he was going to rent a car to come to san juan del sur, the rent a car it was proven he sign the contract,the fact is that all the evidence was thrown out the window he was not given a fair trial. What seems soo weird is why don’t some seem to really focus on Danglas he was set free after he was originally charged with the murder, he was on some kind of trip when he testified,he had scratches all over ,he was nervous yet he was given immunity for testifing against Eric. Now Eric had solid alibis yet some people keep focusing on the so call scratches to convict him, Well if you have seen the video you don’t have to be an expert to know those are not scratches, and don’t you negative people think he would have more not just on the right shoulder?. I PERSONALLY think he is innocent if he did commit this crime well let him pay,but if he did not please let him regain his life he has been suffering too long. As for Doris i hope justice will be served may she rest in peace. We all have our opinion in this case but there has been soo much bickering among each other,lets just wait and see this will all come to the truth. Thanks!