Erik Maund hired three men to murder the woman he'd had an affair with and her boyfriend, who were trying to extort him.
Erik Maund, 48, an executive at his family’s automobile dealership in Austin, TX, was convicted by a federal jury of hiring three men to murder the woman he'd had an affair with and her boyfriend, who were attempting to extort him.
The jury also found guilty two of the three men Maund hired to murder the couple: Bryon Brockway, 48, also of Austin, and Adam Carey, 32, of Richlands, NC. The third man Maund hired, Gilad Peled, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the murders and cooperated in the trial.
The guilty verdicts have mandated life sentences in federal prison for Maund, Brockway and Carey, with separate sentencing hearings scheduled for 2024. Peled, who testified against his co-conspirators, will also be sentenced in 2024, with consideration given to his cooperation.
The plot was set into motion when William Lanway, of Nashville, TN, attempted to extort Maund, who is married, over his affair with Holly Williams, also from Nashville.
Maund hired Peled to handle the situation. Peled then subcontracted Brockway and Carey to investigate, and later, to eliminate the threat posed by Lanway and Williams.
The culmination occurred March 12, 2020, when Brockway and Carey kidnapped Lanway and Williams from Williams' apartment complex and murdered them at a nearby construction site. Their bodies were discovered the following day.
The financial trail played a crucial role in the investigation. Maund wired $150,000 to Peled on the day of the murders and an additional $900,000 over the next year. This financial evidence was critical in linking all the involved parties to the crime.
U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis commended the detectives of the Metro Nashville Police Department and FBI agents for their thorough investigation, which led to these convictions. Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta of the FBI Memphis Field Office emphasized the dedication of law enforcement to keeping citizens safe and bringing perpetrators to justice.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake acknowledged the complex nature of the case, which required extensive investigative work and collaboration across state lines. The partnership between local and federal agencies was instrumental in bringing these criminals to justice.
