BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — Amber Waterman, a Missouri woman accused of kidnapping and murdering a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, has officially pleaded not guilty to the charges in Arkansas and is requesting that the charges be dismissed.
State Case
Due to the ongoing federal case, Benton County prosecutors have been unable to secure Waterman's appearance in local court, and her arraignment has been pushed back numerous times.
However, on Aug. 1, Waterman's attorneys filed a plea on her behalf, pleading not guilty to one count of kidnapping and two counts of capital murder.
The plea wasn't filed alone, as on the same day Waterman's legal counsel filed a motion to dismiss the charges in the State of Arkansas.
The motion says that because the federal and state cases are for the same conduct, and the federal case is over, there's no reason to move forward with the state case.
Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Josh Robinson tells 5NEWS that he is seeking the death penalty against Waterman. We reached out after the plea was entered Robinson said this:
“What I can say is that I expected the Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss. Double Jeopardy is a legal issue that we’ll have to deal with as a result of the federal government’s decision to plead the case. However, I am confident that the law allows us to move forward and seek justice for the family in the State of Arkansas. I will be filing a response in the coming weeks.”
More about the federal case can be found here.
Federal Case
On July 30, Waterman pleaded guilty in federal court to kidnapping and killing Ashley Bush, a 31-week pregnant Arkansas woman, and her unborn baby back in 2022.
Waterman changed her plea from not guilty during a hearing in Springfield. She was set to go to trial alongside her husband, who at this time is still expected to stand trial in October for allegedly assisting Amber in the crimes.
Waterman pleaded guilty to kidnapping resulting in death and causing the death of an unborn child.
"This horrific crime resulted in the tragic deaths of two innocent victims," U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said after the plea. "Today’s guilty plea holds this defendant accountable for her actions and ensures that justice will be served. She is now subject to a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison without parole."
More about the federal case can be found here.
What's Next
In Benton County court on July 15, Judge Robin Green ruled that Waterman must appear on Oct. 28, where the prosecuting and defense attorneys should be prepared to argue the double-jeopardy statute.
As for the federal case, Waterman's sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 15, although prosecutors say that the plea will only result in one kind of sentence, life without parole.
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