In 2026, then 33-year-old Marina Volz (born Matthew Volz), a transgender-identifying inmate serving a 25-year sentence for a predatory series of assaults on her own daughter, entered settlement negotiations with the New Jersey Department of Corrections. The investigation established that Volz was convicted in 2022 of sex crimes against her seven-year-old child. The prosecution of the underlying case reported that Volz was initially housed in a men’s facility before being transferred to the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for women, identifying a total abandonment of human decency in the original crimes that led to this incarceration.
The investigation established that Volz’s series of behaviour in prison has involved a discrimination lawsuit alleging violations of religious freedom. The prosecution of the civil claim reported that Volz, who identifies as a Wiccan, was denied access to “sacred herbs” and a “Witch’s Garden.” This identifies a priority assault on the administrative protocols of the New Jersey prison system, as Volz has submitted 12 demands, including the right to perform rituals while nude and to be designated as a Wiccan religious leader within the facility.
SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS AND INMATE DEMANDS
The court and New Jersey state records indicate that Volz is also seeking permission to marry Ashley Romero, a co-defendant in the original child abuse case who is also currently incarcerated. The investigation established that Volz’s profile was officially updated from male to female in 2023 following the transfer to the women’s prison. The prosecution reported in 2026, that the head of religious services at Edna Mahan has resisted these accommodations, citing the mechanical necessity of prison security and the “clandestine” risks associated with unsupervised outdoor rituals.
Authorities stated that the behaviour under investigation identifies a commitment to clandestine child abuse and the systematic subversion of prison discipline. For her actions in New Jersey, and the nature of the series of child abuse, serial sexual violence against a minor, and the violation of domestic safety investigations reported, Marina Volz remains a maximum-risk prisoner. The investigation established that her forensic profile as an individual who targetted her seven-year-old daughter is now a matter of permanent record as she pursues legal “freedom” from behind bars.
STATUS AND CASE DETAILS (2022–2026)
Based on judicial and New Jersey Department of Corrections records as of 2026:
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual assault of a minor; Child abuse context; Civil Litigant).
- Custodial Status: JAILED (In 2026, serving a 25-year sentence at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility).
- Offence Nature: Sexually abused her own seven-year-old daughter; utilised a “parental” role as a mechanical necessity to facilitate the assaults; demonstrated a “horrific” intent to violate the life-safety of a child; currently seeking a settlement for religious accommodations including ritual nudity and the cultivation of a “Witch’s Garden”; seeking marriage to a co-defendant from the same child abuse case.
- Timeline of Case: Sentenced May 2022; Transferred to women’s prison July 2022; Profile updated to female 2023; Settlement negotiations May 9, 2026.
- Location: Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, New Jersey, United States.
- Forensic Profile: Then 33-year-old transgender female (born Matthew Volz); forensic history documents a “predatory and manipulative” intent; identified as an inmate who has filed multiple discrimination claims against the state.
- Demands: Designation as a religious leader; Permission for nude outdoor ceremonies; Marriage to co-defendant Ashley Romero.
- Judicial Oversight: Monitored by the New Jersey Department of Corrections and the Third Circuit Courts.
- Criminal Record: Registered sex offender; Series predator; Child abuser; Litigious inmate.
- Origin: New Jersey.
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
In 2026, the litigation initiated by Volz identifies a significant legal conflict between inmate rights and the management of high-risk sex offenders. Due to the nature of the behaviour—specifically the series of persistence in abusing her own child—authorities have prioritised strict oversight of her contact with others. Authorities reported that the 2026 settlement talks identify Volz as an individual who prioritises her own “religious” demands over the principles of human decency and the life-safety of the victims her co-defendant might target.
As a convicted child sex offender, her details are permanently logged on the national database to ensure she is strictly monitored for the duration of her sentence and any future parole. Authorities stated that the behaviour of Volz identifies a commitment to clandestine child abuse and the systematic violation of familial trust. The ongoing lawsuit in 2026 results in the necessary documentation of how a “transgender religious freedom” mask may be used to distract from a predatory and persistent series of assaults on the innocent.
QUESTION – Given that “a convicted child abuser is seeking a settlement to perform nude witchcraft rituals in a women’s prison and marry her co-defendant,” do you believe the law should legally mandate that “All Individuals Convicted of Parental Child Sexual Abuse” must be “Sentenced to Mandatory Whole-Life Incarceration in High-Security Facilities Without Access to Civil Settlement Negotiations” to prevent a series of assaults?
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.