Father and daughter accept plea deal of voluntary manslaughter in Irish man's death

MOLLY and Tom Martens have accepted a plea deal of voluntary manslaughter in relation to the death of Limerick man Jason Corbett. 

The Martens appeared before Judge David Hall at Davidson County Superior Court in North Carolina this Monday charged with second-degree murder. 

Mr Martens has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter of Mr Corbett while Molly Martens entered a "no contest" plea to the same charge. 

Writing for the Irish Independent, Ralph Riegel reported that the pleas were ratified by Judge Hall after he quizzed the defendants on their understandings of the proceedings. 

Judge Hall noted that Ms Martens' "no contest" plea was a form of guilty plea. 

The state have now dropped the murder charges against the pair in return for their plea. A sentencing hearing will begin later today and is expected to last a number of days.

Due to the plea bargain, the father and daughter could now walk free due to time already served in prison.

The 39 year-old businessman was killed in his home in North Carolina in 2015.

The father and daughter were convicted of second-degree murder in 2017 and they served three-and-a-half years of their sentences before their convictions were overturned in 2021 following a court challenge. 

Mr Corbett's two children, Jack and Sarah, as well as his sister Tracey Corbett-Lynch were in attendance at the court today. 

The first trial heard how Tom and Molly Martens beat the father-of-two to death as he lay asleep and helpless in bed. 

Tom Martens, a retired FBI agent, claimed he acted in self-defence and alleged Mr Corbett had attacked them.

However, the Corbett family maintained that the businessman was planning to bring his children back to his native Limerick amid increasing concerns over his wife's mental health problems.