Scientist’s Husband Charged in Her Fatal Stabbing at Their Home: 'They Seemed to be Such a Close and Loving Couple' By Charna Flam

An Iowa man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of his wife.

Coralville Police officers responded to a report of a stabbing early on Friday, Jan. 16, reports KWWL. The victim was found with stab wounds when police arrived. Authorities administered medical aid, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene, per Muddy River News.

The Coralville Police Department identified 41-year-old Amber Nicole Martin, a medical laboratory scientist supervisor of microbiology at the University of Iowa Health Care, as the victim on Monday, Jan. 19, in a press release, per The Gazette. Her husband, James Fuller Martin, 47, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

James allegedly admitted to stabbing Amber in the couple’s home in Coralville, Iowa, according to Muddy River News, citing a criminal complaint filed with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken into custody at the scene.

“In the hours leading up to the defendant killing the victim, the defendant formulated a plan to kill the victim,” the criminal complaint alleges, according to Muddy River News.

The complaint further alleges that Amber was stabbed at around 6:40 a.m., when James allegedly “retrieved a kitchen knife and surprised the victim as she exited another room.”

The victim was stabbed multiple times, the complaint alleges.

Amber’s supervisor at work, Connie Floerchinger, exclusively tells PEOPLE that Amber was “a very good leader,” who “fit into our team very quickly.”

“Our technologists all thought very highly of her,” Floerchinger says. According to Floerchinger, Amber expressed “on multiple occasions” how much she loved her job, the team and the lab.

“She and I were talking about succession planning, and I told her that I could see her taking my position when I retired,” Floerchinger recalls for PEOPLE of a moment the coworkers shared during the week of Amber’s death. “She walked to my doorway and I looked back at my computer. She turned around and said my name and when I looked up she gave me the hand heart sign. That was Amber in a nutshell.”

Amber previously worked at Quincy Medical Group as the Microbiology Coordinator. James also worked at Quincy Medical Group as the Hematology Coordinator. 

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Quincy Medical Group employee Ann Ostermiller told Muddy River News that the couple worked at the company.

“Amber was such a wonderful woman. She was vivacious, kind, and loved by all her coworkers,” Ostermiller said. “Jim was quieter and more reserved.”

“This murder is beyond the comprehension of those that knew them when the worked at QMG,” Ostermiller continued. “They seemed to be such a close and loving couple. I cannot imagine what transpired to change their relationship so much.”

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An investigation into Amber’s death is currently underway.

PEOPLE reached out to the Coralville Police Department, University of Iowa Health Care and Quincy Medical Group for comment.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.