SPRINGFIELD, Missouri — A Missouri woman has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection to the alleged kidnapping and murder of Ashley Bush.
On Dec. 2, Amber Waterman pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the death of Bush, who was pregnant at the time.
On Nov. 16, Amber and her husband Jamie Waterman were indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of Bush.
The Watermans were charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Missouri. The indictment replaces separate criminal complaints that charged the Watermans with the same crimes on Nov. 3, 2022.
The two will remain in federal custody.
Amber Waterman is charged with one count of kidnapping resulting in death. The indictment alleges that, between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, 2022, she kidnapped Bush in order to claim her unborn child as her own.
According to court records, Amber allegedly took Bush from Maysville, Arkansas, to Pineville, Missouri. The indictment alleges the kidnapping resulted in her death.
Jamie Waterman is charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to kidnapping resulting in death. The indictment alleges that he assisted Amber, in order to "hinder and prevent her apprehension, trial, and punishment," knowing she had committed the kidnapping resulting in the death of Bush.
The two will remain innocent until proven guilty by a federal grand jury.
On Nov. 28, Jamie Waterman pleaded not guilty to one count of being an accessory after the fact to kidnapping resulting in death.
Days later, Amber Waterman pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the death of Bush.
A pretrial conference for Amber and Jamie Waterman was originally set for Dec. 14 and the federal jury trial was set for January 9, 2023, in Springfield, Missouri. On Dec. 12, the pretrial conference was vacated and the jury trial was pushed to June 5, 2023.
Click here for the full timeline of the kidnapping and alleged murder of Ashley Bush.
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