Edward Vollmer’s parole consideration extended to 2024

ATLANTA - The State Board of Pardons and Paroles has reconsidered the case of Edward Vollmer, the codefendant of Travis Hittson in the 1992 murder of Conway Utterbeck in Houston County.

Vollmer, who was sentenced to life with parole eligibility, was originally to be reconsidered by the Board in 2020.  As a result of today’s Board action, Vollmer won’t be considered for parole again until the year 2024.

Legally, the Parole Board must give periodic reviews to inmates who are parole eligible. Vollmer was last considered and denied parole in 2015 and he was set off five years. As a result of information the Board received during yesterday’s clemency meeting for Hittson, the Board decided to act now, reconsidered Vollmer’s case, denied parole, and set his next reconsideration date for the maximum set off of eight years.

Parole Board Chairman Terry Barnard says Vollmer’s participation in the murder of Utterbeck is clear. “Vollmer’s culpability is not questionable,” he stated.

“The Board’s position is that Edward Vollmer’s next parole consideration not occur for the maximum period of eight years and that he remains incarcerated for Utterbeck’s murder,” said Barnard. “The Board is taking the strongest action available to it in Vollmer’s case.”

In order to meet legal requirements, parole eligible inmates serving life sentences who are denied parole, must be reconsidered periodically. The Board adopted a rule in 1985 giving it the option of setting parole reconsideration dates one to eight (1-8) years in the future following a decision to deny parole in a case involving a life sentence.

Yesterday, the Board denied the clemency request for Hittson who is scheduled to be executed tonight for Utterbeck’s murder. Following Conway Utterbeck’s death, his body was dismembered by Hittson and Vollmer. Vollmer is serving life with the possibility of parole.

For more information about the Parole Board, please contact the Office of Communications, Director Steve Hayes, at 404-657-9450 or [email protected], also visit www.pap.georgia.gov.

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