Amber Waterman’s impending state murder trial brings her face-to-face with potential capital punishment, amid mounting legal challenges regarding the tragic death of Ashley Bush and her unborn child.
Quick Takes
- Amber Waterman is charged with state capital murder in the deaths of Ashley Bush and unborn baby Valkyrie Willis.
- The Arkansas Supreme Court allowed state charges despite previous federal convictions.
- Waterman used a false identity to lure Bush into a fatal trap.
- State prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty at Bush’s family’s behest.
Background of the Case
Amber Waterman, a 44-year-old resident of Pineville, Missouri, faces intensified legal ramifications for her actions in the untimely deaths of Ashley Bush and her unborn child. Following a conviction resulting in two life sentences for federal charges of kidnapping resulting in death, the state now seeks justice with capital murder charges. The Arkansas Supreme Court has moved forward in conjunction with the Bush family’s call for the death penalty.
Waterman initially engaged Ashley Bush by adopting a fraudulent identity on a social media platform. On October 31, 2022, Waterman came into contact with Bush after misleading her with a fabricated job offer. Bush’s family last witnessed her in Waterman’s company before she was tragically reported missing.
Amber Waterman, 44, of #Missouri, has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms without parole for the brutal murder of Ashley Bush, 33, and her unborn child in October 2022
Waterman lured the pregnant Bush using a fake Facebook identity, promising a job opportunity
After… pic.twitter.com/c6DehVRGCt
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) October 18, 2024
Details of the Crime
Authorities discovered an unsettling scene upon finding Ashley Bush’s body near Waterman’s residence. Bush, 31 weeks pregnant, suffered lethal penetrating trauma, while her unborn child, Valkyrie Willis, was found deceased separately. Prosecutors revealed how Waterman kidnapped Bush under the guise of helping and eventually attempted to claim Bush’s baby as her own.
The ploy unraveled when Waterman admitted that she claimed to medical responders she had birthed the child in a truck while en route to the hospital. Later revelations confirmed the baby was Bush’s, who tragically died due to Waterman’s actions.
Amber Waterman, 44, of #Missouri, has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms without parole for the brutal murder of Ashley Bush, 33, and her unborn child in October 2022
Waterman lured the pregnant Bush using a fake Facebook identity, promising a job opportunity
After… pic.twitter.com/c6DehVRGCt
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) October 18, 2024
Legal Proceedings and The Path Ahead
Despite previous life sentences, Waterman confronts a state trial set for July 7, where Arkansas prosecutors are pushing for the death penalty. The proceedings seek accountability and justice for the brutal acts perpetrated, with the legal focus on capital punishment due to the egregious nature of the crime.
Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Joshua Robinson said that “the worst crimes need to carry the worst punishment, whatever that happens to be.”
Waterman’s defense team has sought mental health evaluations to counter the state’s intense legal approach and to suppress federal case references in the upcoming trial. However, with public sentiment and family appeals placing pressure on the judicial system, a resounding insistence on severe punishment looms over the legal proceedings.
Sources:
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amber-waterman-sentenced-killing-pregnant-ashley-bush-claim-baby-hers/
- https://www.crimeonline.com/2025/05/13/convicted-killer-who-kidnapped-pregnant-mother-cut-baby-from-womb-faces-death-penalty-after-appeal-fails/
- https://people.com/she-pretended-to-help-a-pregnant-woman-what-she-did-next-was-unspeakable-and-now-she-may-face-death-penalty-11733770
