BREAKING: Sister of murdered Limerick man confident 'jury will once again find Martens guilty of heinous crime'

THE SISTER of murdered Limerick man Jason Corbett says she is “so disappointed and distraught” that the Supreme Court of North Carolina has decided to grant a retrial to Tom and Molly Martens who admitted killing her beloved brother.

But despite her disappointment at today’s news that a retrial has been granted, Tracey Corbett Lynch remains confident “that a jury will once again find the Martens guilty of this heinous crime”. 

In a statement issued this Friday evening Tracey Corbett Lynch and her husband David Lynch, who are the legal guardians of Jason’s two children Jack and Sarah, say Tom and Molly Martens put Jason’s orphaned children, then aged 8 and 10, and his parents, siblings and friends “through the horrific ordeal of the first trial, all the while waging a vicious and unrelenting smear campaign in the media and in the courtroom”.

Their statement was issued after news broke that Tom and Molly Martens have won a full retrial over their conviction for the murder of Irish businessman.

“Neither of the convicted defendants has ever expressed remorse for Jason’s killing,” the statement continues.

Mr Corbett, 39, was found beaten to death at his home in North Carolina in August 2015. His wife Molly and her father Thomas, a former FBI agent, were convicted of second-degree murder following a trial in 2017. They appealed their convictions arguing that they did not get a fair trial and that the judge had excluded critical evidence in their case, which would have supported their claims that they acted in self-defence.

“The jury unanimously found them guilty of second-degree murder, concurring with the detectives and EMT workers who found the crime scene to be wholly inconsistent with the defence claims concocted by Tom Martens, a former FBI agent, and his daughter, Molly, who drugged Jason prior to the attack,” continues the statement by Ms Corbett Lynch and David Lynch.

The couple say they can only “put our faith in God to guide us through the torment of a second trial”.

“We place our trust in the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department and in the District Attorney for North Carolina both of whom recognised from the outset that Jason was the victim of a cold and calculated murder, designed to give Molly custody of Jason’s children, and the financial benefit of an insurance policy.”

They say that despite their disappointment at this decision, by a four-three majority, to grant the Martens a retrial, they retain faith in the US Criminal Justice system “and our confidence that a jury will once again find the Martens guilty of this heinous crime”. 

“Our priority is to continue providing love, care, support and protection to Jason’s two wonderful children whom we are blessed to have as part of our family,” reads the statement.

“The family will not be issuing any further statements at this time.”