Limerick man’s father-in-law questioned in US
Thomas Martens, 65, was visiting his son-in-law Jason Corbett, 39, and his daughter Molly Martens, 31, at the time of Jason’s death and was in the house when police were called to the home in North Carolina in the early hours of August 3.
According to newspaper reports, both Mr Martens and Molly Martens, Jason’s second wife, went of their own free will to the local sheriff’s office following his death.
Davidson County Sheriff David Grice told the Irish Daily Mail that that they were taken away and interviewed on tape.
“We have to interview on audio video tape for court. We collected evidence from them and from the crime scene,” the sheriff said.
According to the Mail, the incident report into Jason’s death reveals that he was attacked with a baseball bat.
The paper reports that the names Molly Paige Martens, 31, and Thomas Michael Martens, 65, as “others involved” in the death.
The clothes of Mr Martens and his daughter were taken away for examination. Two weapons were also removed from the scene by detectives.
Mr Corbett, originally from Limerick, lived in Panther Creek Court, North Carolina with Ms Martens and his two children Jack, 10, and Sarah, 8, from his first marriage to Mags Fitzpatrick, who died suddenly in 2006 from an asthma attack. Ms Martens was subsequently engaged as a nanny, and a relationship developed with Mr Corbett.
Mr Corbett married Ms Martens after he moved to the US, four years ago, with his two children.
The custody hearing involving Mr Corbett’s children commenced yesterday at Davidson County court house in North Carolina.
The judge ordered all media present to leave the court house and put a ban on all reporting of the case while it is still at hearing.
Ms Martens is seeking guardianship of the two children.
Jason’s sister Tracey Lynch and her husband David have been campaigning for custody of the children since the incident.
Ms Lynch said he left written instructions requesting his children return to Ireland in the event of his death. She is named as the children’s guardian in his will.
However, since Jason’s death, Ms Martens has taken the children to another residence and is seeking a court order to keep custody of them in the US.
Mr Corbett’s remains were brought back to Ireland on Thursday with the help of a foundation.
