Coralville man charged with fatally stabbing wife briefly worked at UIHC

IOWA CITY — The Coralville man who investigators say was lying in wait to attack his wife, repeatedly stabbing her to death in their home on Jan. 16, was employed for about a week with University of Iowa Health Care before leaving the position four days before the slaying.

James Fuller Martin, 47, charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his wife, Amber Martin, 41, started working as an assistant lab manager at the University of Iowa Health Care North Liberty Pathology Department on Jan. 5, but only worked until Jan. 12, according to UIHC officials.

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Officials didn’t provide details as to why his employment ended after only six days.

Amber Martin also worked as a supervisor medical laboratory scientist in the university’s Pathology Department from Sept. 2, 2025 to Jan. 16, according to UIHC records.

The couple had relocated from Quincy, Illinois, in August, where they both were employed at Quincy Medical Group, according to reporting by the Muddy River News in Quincy. Amber, who was originally from Bowling Green, Mo., was a microbiology lead medical lab scientist and James was a hematology lead medical technologist.

Ann Ostermiller, Amber’s former supervisor in Quincy, didn’t respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

Ostermiller told a Muddy River News reporter on Monday that she trained Amber for her job, before she retired from the position.

“Amber was such a wonderful woman,” Ostermiller said in the interview. “She was vivacious, kind, and loved by all her co-workers. Jim was quieter and more reserved. They seemed to be such a close and loving couple. I cannot imagine what transpired to change their relationship so much.”

Connie Floerchinger, Amber’s supervisor at UIHC, told The Gazette she wasn’t allowed to comment on Thursday, but she previously told Muddy River News that the entire staff was “shocked and horrified” by the slaying.

“She was sweet, smart and had an amazing personality,” Floerchinger said in the interview on Monday. “She had only been with us since September but we all feel like we had known her forever.”

Deadly attack last week

According to a criminal complaint, James Martin, in the hours leading up to the incident at 6:40 a.m., “formulated” a plan to kill his wife in their home in the 2800 block of Spring Rose Circle. He armed himself with a kitchen knife and surprised her as she came out of another room, repeatedly stabbing her. Amber died at the scene.

After he was taken into custody, James confessed to stabbing her, the complaint stated.

“The evidence was consistent with statements made by the defendant and observations made by a witness,” Coralville Police Officer Tim Yoder said in the criminal complaint.

Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith told The Gazette Friday the witness was a “close family member” but declined to elaborate or provide a motive for the fatal attack.

James Martin remains in the Johnson County Jail under a $1 million cash only bail pending trial, which hasn’t been set at this time.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com