An Iowa man admitted stabbing his wife to death in January and planning the murder in the hours before he actually did it.
James Martin, 47, said he did it to put Amber Martin “out of her misery, saying he believed the couple was in dire financial straits and could not recover, KCRG reported.
Martin’s mother was in the home at the time and begged her son to stop, even putting herself between him and his dying wife during the January 16 attack, newly released court documents say.
Police in Coralville were called to the home just after 6:30 a.m. that morning and found Amber Martin suffering from multiple stab wounds. Life saving measures were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers found a bloody knife in the kitchen sink. They also located blood smears and bloody clothing.
Martin’s mother told investigators that she came to the home at about 1 a.m. that morning because of concerns over her son’s mental health. She said she fell asleep on the living room couch and woke up to a commotion. She initially thought it was the cat, but then her Amber Martin calling for help.
She said she saw her son stabbing his wife and rushed in to try to stop him.
Investigators said in the newly released affidavit that Martin planned the murder and ambushed his wife, Law&Crime reported.
“In the hours leading up to the defendant killing the victim, the defendant formulated a plan to kill the victim,” the complaint said. “The defendant retrieved a kitchen knife and surprised the victim as she exited another room and stabbed the victim repeatedly.”
Amber Martin was a medical laboratory scientist supervisor in the University of Iowa Health Care system, Muddy River News reported.
James Martin was arrested and charged with first degree murder, KCRG reported.
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[Featured image: James Martin/Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Amber Martin/Facebook]