The family of a murdered Irish father-of-two is expecting an outcome on an appeal by his murderers to their convictions shortly.
Limerick man Jason Corbett, 39, was found with fatal head injuries at the home he shared in the US with his second wife, Molly Martens Corbett in Walburg, North Carolina on August 2, 2015.
Molly Martens Corbett, aged 35, and her father Tom, aged 68, a retired FBI agent with 30 years experience, were convicted of his second-degree murder of the business executive by a US court in August 2017.
The Martens pair pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed self-defence was the reason behind their deadly actions.
Mr Corbett, the father of two young children Jack and Sarah, was bludgeoned to death by an aluminium baseball bat and paving stone while he slept.
The American woman first met Mr Corbett when she moved to Limerick as his children’s nanny following the death of his first wife, Mags Fitzpatrick, due to an asthma attack in 2006.
She subsequently married Mr Corbett in 2011 in the US, following the businessman’s relocation there.
The father and daughter are now serving 20 to 25 years in separate jails, and they are now awaiting the outcome of their appeals, which were heard by the North Carolina Court of Appeals last January.
If the father and daughter fail to win a retrial with the Court of Appeal, their only option is the North Carolina Supreme Court.
In a post on the Facebook page, Jason’s Journey, a statement answers numerous questions by the public when the outcome of the appeal will be known.
“A lot of people have enquired about an update regards the decision on the appeal. On the first and third Tuesday of each month decisions are provided from the Court of Appeals to the office of the Attorney Generals.
We have and continue to await for the response to the appeal every first and third Tuesday, of every month. After the hearing in January 2019, they said there should be a decision in three to six months. This means their decision should be imminent.
"While we wait we should remember that living and loving will not stop bad things from happening, but living and loving will give you strength, dignity and resilience. Then you can face whatever comes.
“To have faith in yourself and in your community, is to be able to say: ‘What’s coming will come and we will meet it when it does. We have been blessed with the best community here at Jason’s Journey. Thank you again for the continued love and support you have shown to Jason’s family and especially Jack & Sarah……’”
Supporters of the family’s update with one saying, “Forever in our thoughts. May justice prevail for Jason, his family and friends. Never stop thinking of you all and especially when l see Limerick playing hurling on TV. My God he was a proud Limerick man. Continued strength to you all.”
A hour-long CBS documentary, aired last month in the US, on Mr Corbett’s killing entitled, In the Name of Jason, revealed that key evidence was allegedly not put before the jury which convicted them resulting in the potential for a new murder trial.
Mr Corbett’s two children, Jack now aged 14 and 12-year-old Sarah now live in Limerick with their aunt and Jason’s sister Tracey Lynch, who is also their legal guardian.
