American Eric Volz Released from Nicaragua Prison

Great news: American Eric Volz was released from prison in Nicaragua -- just in time for Christmas.

Volz, of Nashville via San Diego, was sentenced to 30 years in a Nicaragua prison after a judge ruled him guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Doris Jimenez, in 2006. Volz had been living in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua at the time of the murder. His sentence was received with international outrage, as Volz maintained his innocence. Ten witnesses swore Volz was in his office in Managua at the time of Jimenez's slaying.

After much delay in the appeals process, on Thursday night a Nicaraguan appeals court in Granada cleared up the confusion and signed release papers for Volz, says CNN. Volz left Nicaragua this afternoon.