THE FAMILY of Jason Corbett's first wife have rejected suggestions that her death was related to anything other than asthma.
The suggestion arose at the sentencing hearing for Mr Corbett's killers — his second wife, Molly Martens Corbett and her father, Tom Martens, a former FBI agent.
After a doctor rejected the findings of an autopsy into the 2006 death of Mr Corbett's first wife, Mags Fitzpatrick, her family issued a statement slamming 'wildly inaccurate and untrue' claims.
"It has been difficult for everyone who knew Mags and Jason to hear the lies that the people who killed Jason are saying about him as a person," read the statement.
Plea deal
Limerick native Mr Corbett was found beaten to death at his North Carolina home in 2015, with his second wife and her father later found guilty of second-degree murder.
The pair maintained they acted in self-defence and following an appeal, the convictions were quashed in 2020 and a retrial was ordered.
However, earlier this week, Martens pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with his daughter pleading no contest to the same charge.
Defence lawyers accept that the pair killed Mr Corbett but have argued at their sentencing hearing at Davidson County Superior Court that there were mitigating factors.
Molly Martens Corbett and her father Thomas MartensOn Thursday, a former Kentucky Medical Examiner criticised an autopsy report into the death of Mr Corbett's first wife, saying: "There is no determined cause of death."
According to the Irish Times, Dr George Nichols said Ms Fitzpatrick's death was due to an acute cardio respiratory attack and agreed there were no signs of external injury.
However, he criticised the two-page autopsy report and examination, agreeing it was possible, but not probable, that the death was due to homicide.
'Wildly inaccurate and untrue'
As the hearing continued, Ms Fitzpatrick's family issued a statement on social media defending Mr Corbett and expressing their upset over suggestions about their loved one's death.
"It has been difficult for everyone who knew Mags and Jason to hear the lies that the people who killed Jason are saying about him as a person," it read.
"They are wildly inaccurate and untrue. Especially the lies about how our Mags died.
"Mags suffered with asthma all her life. She would always have to keep her inhalers close by. She also had a nebuliser in her home and had to use it when feeling unwell.
Jason Corbett was killed at his home in North Carolina in August 2015"On the night she died she used both her inhalers and the nebuliser but they weren't helping.
"Mags' sister Catherine was living with Jason and Mags at the time of her death and was present the night she passed.
"Jason woke Catherine and he also rang an ambulance. Jason put Mags in the car and rushed to meet the ambulance on the way. Jason revived Mags before he met the ambulance.
"He did everything he could to save the person he absolutely adored and our family have always been grateful for how he tried to save her."
'Loved and adored'
The statement added: "Jason was a warm and kind person who loved Mags more than anything else in his life.
"All we have ever wanted is real Justice for Jason as well as peace and closure for [Jason and Mags' two children].
"No matter the sentencing, we want to set the record straight and let the world know what the truth is.
"We know how much Jason loved and adored our Mags.
"We hope the facts and truth will speak for themselves, and no amount of lies will tarnish the love Jason and Mags had for one another."
Martens Corbett and her father face Class D charges of manslaughter, which carries a sentence ranging from probation in the case of strong mitigating factors up to a maximum of 17 years.
