Left: James Martin (Johnson County Jail). Right: Amber Martin (Amber Martin/Facebook).
A 47-year-old man from Iowa is facing allegations of plotting to murder his wife, whom he reportedly stabbed multiple times in their home, as per local authorities.
James Martin is charged with first-degree murder following the death of his 41-year-old wife, Amber Martin, in Coralville, near Iowa City. Police were called to an apartment on the 2800 block of Spring Rose Circle at approximately 6:40 a.m. on Friday. Upon entering the residence, officers discovered Amber Martin with multiple stab wounds.
Emergency responders declared her dead on the scene.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime, James Martin has confessed to the killing of his wife.
“In the hours prior to the murder, the defendant devised a plan to kill the victim,” detectives stated. “He armed himself with a kitchen knife and ambushed the victim as she left another room, stabbing her repeatedly.”
The police arrested Martin after finding evidence that matched his confession and aligned with a witness’s account. Investigators have not released any potential motives for the attack.
The victim worked as a medical laboratory scientist supervisor for the University of Iowa Health Care system.
“My entire staff and I are shocked and horrified by Amber’s death,” her boss Connie Floerchinger told Muddy River News. “She was sweet, smart and had an amazing personality. She had only been with us since September but we all feel like we had known her forever! Our community and the field of clinical microbiology will not be the same without her.”
Before that, both the victim and her husband reportedly worked for the Quincy Medical Group as medical researchers. Ann Ostermiller told Muddy River News she trained Amber Martin in her position.
“Amber was such a wonderful woman,” she told the outlet. “She was vivacious, kind, and loved by all her coworkers. Jim was quieter and more reserved. This murder is beyond the comprehension of those that knew them when she worked at QMG. They seemed to be such a close and loving couple. I cannot imagine what transpired to change their relationship so much.”
James Martin is at the Johnson County Jail on a $1 million bond.
