Eric Randall Nance was born on January 9, 1960.

On October 11, 1993, Julie Heath, an 18-year-old woman, was driving on U.S. Highway 270 in Arkansas. Her car broke down while she was on her way to visit her boyfriend. Eric Nance claimed that he stopped to help Julie and offered her a ride back to Malvern. The prosecution stated that he then raped and murdered her. Later, Nance was seen in a convenience store without shoes, socks, or a shirt, and there were dark, damp stains on his overalls.

Julie Heath's body was discovered on October 18, 1993, by a hunter. Her throat had been cut. Investigators noted she was fully clothed, but her belt was partially undone, her pants zipper was not completely up, and parts of her shirt were torn. Her clothing was also inside out in several areas. A pubic hair found in Nance's pickup truck was identified as microscopically similar to Julie's.

Nance claimed that he accidentally killed Julie. He stated that she became hysterical when she saw a utility knife and started kicking him. He said he raised his hand to stop her, and the knife accidentally went into her throat. This story was shared in court by his siblings, who said he had told them what happened. Nance's sister later revealed that he asked her to destroy evidence, including the murder weapon, but she chose to report it to the authorities instead.

During the trial, Nance was convicted of capital felony murder, with attempted rape as the underlying felony. The jury recommended the death penalty after learning about Nance's prior conviction for beating two girls in Oklahoma. His defense argued against the execution by claiming he was mentally disabled, citing conflicting IQ tests.

On November 17, 2005, the Arkansas Parole Board voted to deny clemency for Nance just before his scheduled execution. The decision was briefly paused by a federal judge but was later cleared by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Nance's execution was set for November 28, 2005. He requested a final meal that included bacon cheeseburgers, fries, ice cream, and cola. He did not make a last statement. Nance was executed by lethal injection and was pronounced dead at 9:24 p.m. CST. This marked the first execution in Arkansas in over a year.'