'It's a case I won't forget': State Prosecutor on release of Molly and Tom Martens following murder of Jason Corbett

Molly Martens leaves the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh. 

“It is a case I won’t forget," said the state prosecutor in the Molly and Tom Martens trial for the death of Jason Corbett as they got their first taste of freedom.

The father and daughter were freed on Thursday in the US after serving four years and three months in jail.

Mr Corbett, a 39-year-old father of two from Limerick, had been battered to death with a brick and baseball bat by his American wife Molly, now 40, and her former FBI agent father Tom, now 73.

They originally were jailed for murder but struck a plea deal admitting to voluntary manslaughter.

Alan Martin is the assistant district attorney in Davidson County, North Carolina, and worked on the case for six years — including the Martens’ previous murder trial in 2017.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner on the day of their release, Mr Martin said it’s a case he won’t forget.

“It really is, I was very involved in the case, and it had a lot of moving parts," he said.

Tom Martens was released from a minimum security prison near Lenoir, 185 miles away in Caldwell County. He hugged a man who stood waiting. Picture: WGHP - North Carolina

Former nanny Molly Martens left North Carolina Correctional Institution outside Raleigh around 1.30pm Irish time, while her father left Caldwell Correctional Centre at around 3pm Irish time separately.

They are now subject to a supervision order for 13 months, and that includes not living together.

“It’s a standard requirement that co-defendants who are under a supervision order not reside with each other” said Mr Martin.

“It’s not a legal requirement to live in separate states". 

Tom Martens was released from a minimum security prison near Lenoir, 185 miles away in Caldwell County. He hugged a man who stood waiting.

Mr Martin said his office will no longer any involvement in the Jason Corbett case, “unless the Martens violate their supervision order, which is like parole".

“I doubt they will breach the order,” he said.

“But if they do things like committing a new crime, move house without permission, or fail to stay in touch with their parole officer, they could go back to prison.

The Corbett family said they are “deeply disappointed” by the release of Tom and Molly Martens.

In a statement a spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction told the Irish Examiner: “Having completed their court-imposed sentences, Thomas Martens and Molly Corbett were released this morning from Caldwell Correctional Center in Lenoir, NC, and NC Correctional Center for Women in Raleigh.

“State law mandates that, due to the nature of their crime, they serve 13 months of post-release supervision (parole).

“Both will serve their supervision in Tennessee under an interstate compact, which is a fairly common arrangement.

“They will have to comply with NC provisions for their post-release supervision, but it will be carried out by Tennessee’s state correctional agency.

“The NC Department of Adult Correction cannot disclose details of their post-release supervision terms. State law (General Statute 132) holds that an offender’s post-release records are not a public document.

“In general, parolees in North Carolina are required to stay off drugs and are subject to random drug screens, they may not possess weapons, they must meet with a supervision officer as directed and submit to warrantless searches.”