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Sharon Martens, a retired math teacher from Knoxville, Tennessee, has found herself at the center of renewed public scrutiny following the release of Netflix’s A Deadly American Marriage. The documentary examines the 2015 killing of Irish national Jason Corbett, who was fatally attacked inside his North Carolina residence by his wife, Molly Martens, and her father, Thomas Martens.
While Sharon Martens was never charged in connection with the crime, her actions and statements surrounding the incident have drawn attention from investigators and the public alike.
According to multiple sources, including The Irish Times and CBS News, Sharon Martens said she was asleep during the fatal altercation but admitted to hearing her daughter scream and dogs bark before falling back asleep. Prosecutors later questioned the credibility of her account.
Over the years, Sharon Martens visited her husband and daughter in separate prisons while also battling cancer. She now lives in Knoxville and remains close to her family. Her account of events was first formally presented during court proceedings in 2023, nearly eight years after Corbett’s death.
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The Martens family, including Sharon Martens, faced financial strain during Molly and Thomas' legal battle, leading them to sell a $600,000 vacation property
When former FBI agent Thomas Martens and his daughter Molly were charged with Jason Corbett’s 2015 death, the ensuing legal battle deeply impacted their family, especially Sharon Martens, wife and mother to the accused. As the case dragged on for nearly a decade, the Martens family, including Sharon, reportedly experienced significant financial difficulties.
According to The Irish Times report dated October 31, 2023, the cost of defending Molly and Thomas eventually forced the Martens to sell their $600,000 holiday home to fund the legal expenses.
Sharon Martens' role and her contested statements
Sharon Martens, a retired math teacher from Knoxville, Tennessee, was not charged in connection with Jason Corbett's death. However, her presence in the house at the time of the killing and her subsequent statements to authorities came under scrutiny during court proceedings.
On the night of August 2, 2015, Jason Corbett was found bludgeoned to death at his North Carolina home. Molly and Thomas Martens claimed they acted in self-defense after Jason allegedly attacked Molly.
Sharon told investigators she was asleep in the basement but admitted hearing dogs barking, loud thumps, and Molly screaming. She stated that her husband went upstairs with a baseball bat, and everything then calmed down. As per the Irish Times report dated October 31, 2023, Sharon told Detective Nathan Riggs,
“I heard Molly scream. Tom got up and went up...They calmed down and I fell asleep,”
Prosecutors later questioned the credibility of this statement, arguing that her behaviour was not consistent with someone fearing for their child’s life. As cited in The Irish Times, Assistant District Attorney Marissa Parker told the court,
“It’s not reasonable behaviour. It’s not credible and I urge you, judge, not to give her statement substantial weight”
Family dynamics, custody concerns, and aftermath
Sharon Martens was reportedly involved in setting up a coded alert system with Jason’s children, Sarah and Jack, in case they witnessed physical abuse. Sharon wrote a phone number on the bottom of a wooden Russian doll and assigned the children secret words to use over the phone if they felt unsafe.
After Molly and Thomas were convicted in 2017 of second-degree murder, Sharon spent years visiting them in separate prisons while also undergoing cancer treatment. Their convictions were later overturned, and in 2023, both entered plea deals for voluntary manslaughter. They received credit for time already spent in prison and were released in June 2024.
Where is Sharon Martens now?
Now in her mid-70s, Sharon lives in Knoxville. Following the release of Molly and Thomas, she has reunited with her family and kept away from public discourse. While A Deadly American Marriage, released on Netflix on May 9, 2025, focuses primarily on Molly, Thomas, and Jason, Sharon remains a central but largely silent figure in the case’s broader narrative.
Stay tuned for more updates.
