Jason Corbett's sister says release of Molly and Tom Martens 'an insult' to her family

Sarah Slater

Tracey Corbett Lynch, the sister of the Limerick father of two Jason Corbett who was killed by his second wife and father-in-law has said their early release from prison is “an insult” to her brother and family.

Molly Martens (40) and her father, Tom Martens (73), have been sentenced to between seven and 30 months by Judge David Hall last month for the manslaughter of Mr Corbett to the time they already spent in prison was taken into consideration.

Molly Martens' late husband was found dead in his home in North Carolina in the US in August 2015 - he was aged 39.

The pair being released this week will mean they will have spent just three weeks in prison in the US.

The Martens were originally convicted of second-degree murder, but their convictions were quashed following an appeal in 2021.

The pair subsequently agreed a plea deal, accepting the charges of voluntary manslaughter in relation to Mr Corbett's death.

However, prison records from North Carolina Department of Adult Correction in the US have confirmed that Mr Martens could be freed on Monday and Martens Corbett on Wednesday as they list projected release dates of December 5th and 6th.

The online support group Jason’s Journey have issued a statement on the family’s behalf.

Ms Corbett Lynch explained that the release of Tom and Molly Martens after spending just one month extra behind bars is “an insult to Jason's memory and our family.

The statement continues: “We are devastated by this outcome and feel very badly let down by the North Carolina justice system. As a family, we were appalled to have to learn about the early release of Tom and Molly Martens, killers of our beloved Jason, via the Irish media.

“We were left completely in the dark by all North Carolina justice agencies in whom we had put our faith and trust in for the past eight years.”

The Limerick woman said that she and the Corbett family “cannot disagree with people” who have described this decision as making a mockery of justice - and “wonder why our family was put through the ordeal of a harrowing two-week sentencing hearing for this outcome - to see Jason's killers behind bars for just an extra four weeks?”

She continued that the family have also been given “no explanation for why this decision to sanction such an early release was made despite repeated attempts to secure detailed answers.”

However, Ms Corbett Lynch added that they want to put on record their “gratitude to all the ordinary people of North Carolina who have shown us such kindness and solidarity since Jason was cruelly taken from us in August 2015.”

The support group earlier said: "writing this with such anger and sadness and hoping with all my heart that this is a huge clerical error. According to the public prison records from North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, it shows a projected release date of this Wednesday, December 6th for Molly Martens and a projected release date of Tuesday, December 5th for Thomas Martens.

“That is three weeks in prison. I didn’t think it was possible for Jason’s family to be subjected to anymore torment from the Martens.”

The court previously heard Mr Corbett sustained extreme injuries, having been beaten with a brick and a baseball bat. The father and daughter had been taken to separate correctional centres.

Molly and Tom Martens were convicted of the second-degree murder of Mr Corbett at his North Carolina home at Panther Creek on August 2nd 2015.

The pair had pleaded they acted in self-defence. They served three-and-a-half years of 20 and 25-year sentences after their convictions were over-turned following court appeals.

The widower’s two children were in the house at the time of their father’s death. They currently live with their legal guardians, Tracey Lynch, Mr Corbett’s sister and her husband David in Limerick.

His children, Jack, now 19, and Sarah (17) read out statements to the court on how the death of their father and living in the US affected them. Their mother Mags, Mr Corbett’s first wife died of an asthma attack in 2006.

Mr Corbett and Ms Martens met when she became the children’s nanny after his first wife died.

The Corbett family have continuously fought for justice since Mr Corbett's death more than eight years ago.