‘A Deadly American Marriage’ Netflix’s True Crime Documentary Re-examines Jason Corbett’s Case

What began as a tale of second chances ended in a brutal killing that crossed oceans, tore families apart, and exposed deep cracks in the justice system. Jason Corbett, a widower from Limerick, Ireland, was still grieving the loss of his first wife when Molly Martens entered his life. In 2008, he hired her, a 24-year-old former beauty queen from Tennessee, as a live-in nanny for his two small children. Their relationship turned romantic quickly, and they married in 2011. By then, they had moved to North Carolina—Molly’s home turf—for a fresh start.

But the picture-perfect life didn’t last. In the early hours of August 2, 2015, Jason was found dead in his bedroom. His skull had been crushed, police later discovered he’d been struck with a baseball bat and a concrete paving stone. Molly and her father, retired FBI agent Thomas Martens, claimed it was self-defense. They said Jason was strangling Molly, and Thomas, who happened to be staying overnight, acted to protect his daughter.

The prosecution painted a different picture: one of a strained marriage, power struggles over the children, and a plan to eliminate a man who stood in the way. The courtroom battle that followed was messy, emotional, and highly publicized. Jason’s family testified that he was loving and devoted, while Molly accused him of controlling and abusive behavior. A jury ultimately convicted both Molly and her father of second-degree murder in 2017. Each received a sentence of 20–25 years behind bars.

Then came the twist. In 2020, a North Carolina appeals court threw out the convictions, citing errors during the trial that had denied the defendants a fair hearing. A retrial was ordered. But instead of facing a new courtroom showdown, Molly and Thomas struck a deal with prosecutors. In October 2023, Thomas pleaded guilty and Molly pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter. They were credited for time served and released from prison in June 2024.

To Jason’s family, the plea deal felt like a gut punch. They saw it as justice undone. In a pointed social media statement, they called Molly and Thomas “convicted felons” and “murderers,” regardless of legal semantics. “We have no room for closure or peace,” they wrote.

A Netflix documentary, A Deadly American Marriage, now reexamines the case. Featuring interviews with Molly, Thomas, Jason’s children, and family members from both sides, the film peels back the layers of a deeply polarizing tragedy. It asks the question still haunting everyone involved: Was this an act of protection—or a premeditated killing disguised as self-defense?

What’s not up for debate is that Jason Corbett’s life was violently cut short. The documentary explores the fault lines in Jason and Molly’s marriage, including bitter clashes over whether Molly could adopt his children. Jason had previously named his sister, Tracey Corbett Lynch, as the children’s legal guardian in his will. Molly, reportedly frustrated by Jason’s refusal to allow her a legal role as their mother, had expressed dissatisfaction with their life in Ireland, a factor that allegedly contributed to their move to North Carolina.

Molly and her father say Jason was physically abusive. Jason’s children, Jack and Sarah, initially echoed some of those claims to social workers but later said they had been manipulated into making false statements. Both now live with their aunt and uncle in Ireland. Sarah, who was just eight at the time of her father’s death, released a memoir earlier this year titled A Time for Truth, in which she reflects on her father’s love, the trauma of his death, and the chaotic years that followed. “I always feel like my dad died for us,” she told VIP magazine.

As for Molly and Thomas, their release has reignited outrage. To some, they are victims of a flawed justice system. To others, they got away with murder. One thing is certain: the scars left by Jason Corbett’s death will not fade quietly. For his family, his children, and the public, the search for truth—and justice—is far from over.

A Deadly American Marriage is now streaming on Netflix.

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