Sarah Corbett Lynch, the daughter of Jason Corbett, has opened up about the traumatic events surrounding her father’s death and her upbringing with her stepmother, Molly Martens, through her new book, "A Time for Truth: My Father Jason and my Search for Justice and Healing." With the shadow of her father’s murder looming over her childhood, Lynch believes she and her brother Jack were drugged by Martens on the night Jason was killed, and her claims are as gut-wrenching as they are shocking.
Jason Corbett, who had emigrated from Ireland to the United States, was beaten to death in August 2015 by his wife, Molly Martens, and her father, Tom Martens. Initially convicted of second-degree murder, the pair was sentenced to 20 and 25 years respectively. A significant reversal occurred when their convictions were overturned by the courts two years later, leading them to accept manslaughter charges instead. They now maintain their actions on the night of Jason's death were motivated by self-defense and have since been released.
On March 4, 2025, Sarah Corbett Lynch appeared on 'The Pat Kenny Show,' where she expressed the importance of sharing her story after years of silence due to a gag order. “We weren’t allowed to give evidence,” Lynch shared. “We were under a gag order, so we couldn’t even speak to the media.” This silence, she adds, stemmed from being unable to articulate the impact of her father's death and her life with the Martens.
Lynch recalls her childhood memories filled with distress, starting from the age of five when Martens began to plant emotional turmoil by claiming, “my Dad killed my birth mom.” With no sense of clarity about her mother who died when she was young, Lynch accepted Martens's narrative as truth at the time. “That’s not okay and it’s not true—but I didn’t know any different,” Lynch stated, summing up the mental manipulation she faced. Punishments were harsh for perceived inadequacies, including being deprived of food during swimming competitions.
The tragic night Jason was killed, Lynch recounts feeling inexplicably disoriented and uneasy. “I remembered being handed tablets by Molly and some sort of cranberry juice,” she said. “When I woke up later on… there were spiders and lizards crawling all over my bed. It was like I was on a moving boat.” Adding to her distress, she later found out her brother Jack had also taken tablets on the same night.
After her father’s death, Lynch and Jack were taken care of by the Martens family, which she describes not as mourning, but rather as if nothing significant had transpired. She remembered ominous contrasts of lifeless surroundings with the Martens engaging with life: “Molly acted like she had a new lease on life.” While she grappled with the unimaginable loss of her father, Martens was seen conducting normal family activities, teaching swimming lessons and hosting barbecues—events pregnant with meaning for Lynch and her brother.
Eventually, custody of the siblings was granted to their aunt, Tracey Corbett-Lynch, leading them back to Ireland and away from the traumatic environment. Lynch's emotional scars and the search for answers continued even years later. Recently, she joined the media to advocate for justice, providing victim impact statements during resentencing proceedings for Molly and Tom Martens. During the hearings, Lynch and Jack urged the judge to impose the maximum possible sentence of 17 years, highlighting their continued suffering from the tragedy. Instead, the Martens were sentenced to significantly lesser terms of four years and three months—an outcome Lynch finds difficult to accept.
Today, the story of Jason Corbett remains etched not just in judicial records but deeply ingrained within the hearts and minds of his children, who now strive to reclaim their narrative. The emotional weight of their history and sorrow colors Lynch's words as she underlines the need for awareness of the struggles faced by victims of violence, especially those involving domestic settings.
Through her storytelling, directed not just at conveying past horrors but also confronting the justice system, Sarah strives to convey resilience. It is about more than just her father's story; it's about demanding change for all victims of domestic violence who feel voiceless. “It’s important for all of us to know what victims endure,” Lynch asserted, highlighting the need for societal empathy and engagement as part of her healing process.
While Sarah Corbett Lynch continues the uphill battle for justice for her father and herself, she remains hopeful. “I wanted to tell my story; I wanted people to understand what happened inside of our home,” she said. Lynch’s narrative not only sheds light on the past but also calls on society to engage more deeply with issues of domestic violence and the consequences left behind.
With "A Time for Truth" hitting shelves, Lynch encourages readers to carry forward conversations about victim support and justice reform reshaping their worlds.
Main image: Split of Sarah Corbett Lynch and Molly Martens.