Documentary explores Irish man’s killing by American wife and ex-FBI father
A new documentary titled “A Deadly American Marriage” has sparked renewed interest and raised questions about the 2015 murder of Irish-born man, Jason Corbett, in his North Carolina home. The case involves Corbett’s American wife, Molly Martens, and her father, former FBI agent Thomas Martens, who confessed to beating Corbett to death on August 2, 2015. However, they claimed that they were acting in self-defense after Corbett allegedly tried to choke his wife.
The Martens were initially convicted of Corbett’s murder in 2017, but their convictions were overturned on appeal. In 2023, Thomas Martens pleaded guilty to beating Corbett to death with a bat, while Molly Martens pleaded no contest. This led to their release from prison in 2024.
The Netflix documentary features interviews with both sides of the family, including Molly and Thomas Martens, as well as Corbett’s two children, Jack and Sarah. Sarah, who eventually gained custody of her brother’s children, expressed her belief that justice has not been served in her father’s murder.
Sarah, the author of the memoir “A Time for Truth,” believes that Molly and Thomas Martens were responsible for her father’s death, despite the official convictions. She feels that her book provides more detailed evidence that points to their guilt.
In the documentary, Molly Martens claimed that her husband was choking her when her father intervened, leading to the fatal confrontation. A medical examiner determined that Corbett died from blunt force trauma and sustained at least 10 hits to the head.
Corbett and Molly Martens had met in 2008 after the death of Corbett’s first wife, and they eventually married in 2011. Thomas Martens, a former FBI agent, was described as a talented agent with a good reputation by those who knew him professionally.
The case remains shrouded in mystery, with only Thomas Martens and his daughter knowing the full truth. Despite the overturned convictions, the question of what truly happened to Jason Corbett continues to linger.
In conclusion, the documentary sheds light on a complex and tragic case that has left many unanswered questions. The story of Jason Corbett’s murder at the hands of his wife and her father is a chilling reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence.
