Sentencing hearing continues for NC father and daughter accused of killing daughter’s husband
DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. (WXII) — Friday was the fifth day of a sentencing hearing in North Carolina for a father and daughter who admitted killing the daughter’s husband.
Thomas Martens pleaded ‘guilty’ on Monday to voluntary manslaughter in a Davidson County courtroom. His daughter, Molly Corbett, entered a no-contest plea for voluntary manslaughter.
Jason Corbett, an Irish businessman, was found beaten to death at his home in 2015. His wife and her father claimed self-defense — saying he attacked them.
The case went to trial in 2017 but a judge threw out their convictions in 2021, saying there were errors during the trial.
A second trial was set to begin next month but the pair pleaded guilty to manslaughter instead — in exchange for having the more serious charges of second-degree murder dropped.
In court Friday, several women who were friends of the family took the stand, all sharing stories of how they saw Jason Corbett being controlling and abusive toward his wife.
The state pointed out that investigators interviewed nearly 50 people in the case, and only five have mentioned anything about him being abusive.
The sentencing hearing could take up to eight days. It continues Monday morning.
