'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Netflix’s new documentary A Deadly American Marriage premieres on May 9, 2025. It tells the true story of Jason Corbett, an Irish widower who moved to North Carolina with his two kids after marrying Molly Martens in 2011.
However, in 2015, Corbett unfortunately died following a reported scuffle with his wife, Molly Martens, and her father, Thomas Martens. A Deadly American Marriage explores in depth the details surrounding the crime and what followed.
Featuring exclusive interviews with Molly, Thomas, Jack, and Sarah, A Deadly American Marriage brings to us a look into the conflicting perspectives related to the case.
What is the true story behind Netflix's A Deadly American Marriage?
Trending
On August 2, 2015, the seemingly idyllic, blissful married life of Jason and Molly took a dark turn when Jason was killed in a violent altercation at home. A scuffle broke out between Jason, Molly, and her father, Thomas Martens, who is a former FBI agent.
The circumstances of Jason Corbett's death attracted a lot of media coverage in Ireland. Two years later, Molly Martens and Thomas Martens were found guilty of murdering Corbett, and they were charged with second-degree murder.
Following the incident, when authorities arrived, Molly and Thomas claimed the incident was an accident and that they were acting in self-defense. However, in 2023, Molly pleaded no contest, and her father pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter to avoid a trial.
The two of them were released from prison in June 2024 when their convictions were reversed by the North Carolina Supreme Court, which ruled that the undisputed evidence does not support that anyone but Jason was the sole aggressor in the incident.
This once again reignited public interest in the case and raised questions over the incident’s true nature. People started questioning whether it was truly a case of self-defense or whether it was a calculated killing.
How did Jason Corbett die?
When the police arrived at the couple's North Carolina home following the tragic incident in August 2015, they found Jason Corbett beaten to death and his blood on his wife, Molly. Molly's father was also present at the site. According to Tom, he had been spending the night at his daughter's home when he was awakened by a commotion upstairs. Before that, Jason had come home drunk.
In a police interview reported by CBS, Tom said that his fatherly instincts kicked in and he grabbed an aluminum Little League baseball bat he brought as a gift for Jason's kids and ran to Molly's room. Tom stated that Jason had Molly in a chokehold, and he asked him to let his daughter go. But Jason did not do so, and he grabbed a bat and took Tom down.
Molly told the Davidson County Sheriff that she saw Jason try to hit her father and miss, and fearing that he would kill her father, she hit him on the head with a paving stone that was on her nightstand.
A Deadly American Marriage has been produced and directed by Jessica Burgess and Jenny Popplewell. It premieres on May 9 on Netflix.
