Who was Jason Corbett and what happened to him? Deadly American Marriage

Jason Corbett, an Irish man, was tragically killed by his wife Molly Martens and her father in a case that shocked both Ireland and the United States. The events surrounding his death are now the focus of a new Netflix documentary titled A Deadly American Marriage, which is releasing on May 9.

A Quick Love Story That Turned Dark

Jason lived in Limerick, Ireland, with his wife Margaret “Mags” and their two children, Jack and Sarah. Sadly, Mags passed away in 2006 after a sudden asthma attack.

Two years later, Jason hired Molly Martens, a 31-year-old from the U.S., as a nanny for his children. They quickly began a romantic relationship and got married in 2011. Soon after, they moved to Lexington, North Carolina, in the United States.

However, problems started when Molly wanted to adopt Jack and Sarah so they could get U.S. citizenship. Jason had already applied for green cards instead. This caused arguments between the couple.

Jason’s family grew worried. His sister, Tracey Lynch, found out that Molly had stayed in a psychiatric clinic in Georgia before she met Jason. Molly had hidden this from Jason until after they were married. She also falsely told a Bible group that Sarah was her real daughter.

Jason’s Mysterious Death

On August 2, 2015, Molly’s father, Thomas Martens, called 911 and said Jason was badly hurt. Both he and Molly claimed Jason had died during a “domestic fight.”

Police found the house had been deep cleaned just hours after Molly was released from custody, making it hard to collect evidence.

Despite Jason naming Tracey Lynch as the children’s guardian in his will, Molly tried to get custody of Jack and Sarah.

Thomas claimed he saw Jason choking Molly and stepped in to stop it. He said Molly hit Jason with a paving stone, and he also hit Jason with a baseball bat.

The children first told social workers that Jason had anger problems. But later, Jack said Molly had told him what to say.

Authorities also found out that Jason had plans to move back to Ireland on August 21, 2015. There was no proof of a fight between Jason and Thomas.

A Long Legal Battle

Molly and her father were arrested and charged with second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter. In court, they were found guilty of murder and sentenced to 20–25 years in prison.

In 2021, the court granted a new trial because the defense wasn’t allowed to use the children’s statements.

In 2023, Molly and Thomas took a plea deal, admitting to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. They were sentenced to 51–74 months in prison.

On June 6, 2024, both were released after completing their sentences.

A New Documentary on Netflix

The new Netflix documentary A Deadly American Marriage will dive deep into this case. It features interviews with police officers, Jason’s family, and others involved. It tells both sides of the story — and reveals many new details.

True crime fans can watch the gripping documentary when it premieres on May 9.