Sister of tragic Jason Corbett marks his 48th birthday with poignant tribute: 'All we have are memories'

The heartbroken sister of Jason Corbett marked what would have been his 48th birthday today and said all she has are “memories now”.

Tracey Corbett-Lynch posted an old photograph of her sibling with his arm around her. She shared the snap on X and wrote: “All we have are memories now. Missing you on your birthday J.”

A page called Jason’s Journey, which is run by members of the community and supporters of Jason Corbett’s family, also marked the Limerick’s man’s birthday.

They said: “Today should have been Jason’s 48th birthday. We cannot think of Jason’s birth without remembering how he died. But there was so much more to Jason then how his life was brutally taken.

“Never, ever let the Martens violent actions and despicable, evil lies be his legacy….. So today, remember his sunshine smile.

“Fondly recall the happy times, for there were so many. Talk about him not because you are stuck or haven’t moved on, but because he is yours and you are his and no passage of time will ever change that.”

Molly Martens enters the Davidson County Courthouse in Lexington, North Carolina, on November 8, 2023 during the trial of the killing of Jason Corbett.

The post continued: “The greatest gift you can give Jason for his birthday and always, is to speak his name. Tell his stories and tales of the past.

“The times you laughed together, the times you cried together. Your shared experiences are the invisible thread that binds you all together.

“Tell the truth of Jason’s heart. This is how you will ensure his memories live on. Jason is part of everything you do and everywhere you go.

Thomas Martens enters the Davidson County Courthouse in Lexington, North Carolina, on November 8, 2023

“And when the emptiness feels vast and overwhelming, remind yourself you carry Jason safely within your hearts forever, where he can never be hurt again.”

Jason was killed after he was struck with a baseball bat and a concrete paving brick by Tom and Molly Martens on August 2, 2015. His autopsy showed he died from blunt force trauma to his head.

The Martens were both initially found guilty in 2017 of the second-degree murder of Jason on August 2, 2015. Both were sentenced to a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 25 years.

But in 2020, an appeal court quashed the convictions and ordered a retrial, stating that some evidence excluded from the original trial should have been presented to the jury.

In November, the pair were sent back to prison by Judge David Hall in North Carolina after they accepted a plea deal of voluntary manslaughter in October.

Judge Hall sentenced both defendants to prison time of 51 to 74 months and took into account the 44 months already served. But US prison records show they will now be released in June.

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