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Left: James Martin (Johnson County Jail). Right: Amber Martin (Amber Martin/Facebook).
New revelations have surfaced regarding the chilling case of an Iowa man accused of plotting and subsequently executing the murder of his wife.
James Martin, aged 47, faces charges of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his 41-year-old wife, Amber Martin. He has been detained at the Johnson County Jail since January, with his bail set at $1 million.
On January 16, on Spring Rose Circle in Coralville, Iowa, James Martin allegedly orchestrated the murder of his spouse.
“In the hours preceding the victim’s death, the defendant devised a plan to kill her,” detectives stated in a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime. “He armed himself with a kitchen knife and ambushed her as she emerged from another room, repeatedly stabbing her,” the report detailed.
Authorities arrived at the Coralville apartment, located in the eastern part of Iowa, around 6:40 a.m. following reports of a stabbing incident. Upon entry, officers discovered Amber Martin with multiple stab wounds. She was declared dead at the scene.
This week, authorities released additional details in the case — namely that James Martin”s mother was reportedly a witness to the harrowing attack.
According to Cedar Rapids-based ABC affiliate KCRG, the mother told officers that she arrived at the apartment around 1:00 a.m. that morning due to her son’s mental health “spiraling.” She said she fell asleep on the couch but woke up to noises from the laundry room.
She reportedly thought it was the couple’s cat, but then heard the words, “help, help me.” She approached, and though there was no light on, she allegedly could see her son stabbing her daughter-in-law.
The mother is said to have rushed into the room and “begged” James Martin to stop. When he did, she could not find her phone and asked him to call the police.
Officers said that when they entered the home, they found a a bloody knife in the kitchen sink as well as smears of blood and bloody clothing in the home. James Martin admitted to killing his wife, the complaint stated.
The suspect was arrested, and investigators sought to uncover a motive.
They say James Martin told them he stabbed his wife to “put her out of her misery,” per KCRG. He reportedly believed they were in financial trouble that they could not come back from.
Amber Martin worked as a medical laboratory scientist supervisor for the University of Iowa Health Care system. Her boss, Connie Floerchinger, told Muddy River News that they were “shocked and horrified” by her death, adding that she was “sweet, smart and had an amazing personality.”