In the autumn of 2003, the life of 33-year-old Eric Scott Mansfield, a male resident of Nashville, Tennessee, was tragically cut short. On the evening of November 11th, Mansfield was behind the wheel of his silver Volkswagen Jetta near the intersection of Chapel and Greenwood Avenues in East Nashville when he was fatally shot. The incident was an apparent carjacking that went tragically wrong.
Eric, who served as the Director of Creative Services for Warner Brothers Records, was close to
his home when the fatal encounter occurred. He was found unresponsive in his vehicle after being shot through an open door. Investigators believe the motive for the attack was robbery. When Mansfield attempted to accelerate and flee the attempted carjacking, a single shot was fired. The bullet struck him, causing catastrophic injuries to his heart and left lung before lodging in his spine. Despite the grave injury, he managed to pull his car over to the side of the road, where he succumbed to his wounds.
The investigation into the senseless killing led authorities to a 16-year-old high school student. On December 7, 2003, Dionvelt Miller, a tenth-grader at Maplewood High School, was arrested at his home without incident. A tip to Crime Stoppers was instrumental in his capture. Miller was subsequently charged with criminal homicide, aggravated robbery, and two counts of unlawful weapon possession. Following his arrest, Miller confessed to the crime, admitting his intention was to rob Mansfield and steal his vehicle. Another teenager, Lateze Robinson, also confessed to being involved in the attempted carjacking and killing of Mansfield. The community, including Mansfield's employer, was deeply affected by the violent act, with Warner Bros. Records contributing significantly to a reward fund for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
