Amber Waterman, already serving two federal life sentences for killing a pregnant woman and stealing her unborn child, now faces the death penalty in Arkansas after the state’s Supreme Court rejected her double jeopardy appeal. Waterman has received two federal life sentences without parole for kidnapping resulting in death but is now facing capital murder charges in Arkansas. The Arkansas Supreme Court dismissed Waterman’s double jeopardy challenge, allowing state prosecutors to seek the death penalty.
A Horrific Crime of Deception and Murder
Court records reveal that Amber Waterman, 44, of Pineville, Missouri, meticulously planned the abduction and murder of 33-year-old Ashley Bush in October 2022. Using the fake name “Lucy” on Facebook, Waterman contacted Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant and seeking employment. After establishing contact, Waterman offered to help the expectant mother find work, arranging to meet at a convenience store in Maysville, Arkansas. Instead of providing job assistance, Waterman transported Bush across state lines to her Missouri home, where she carried out the brutal crime.
After murdering Bush through what medical examiners described as “penetrating trauma to the torso,” Waterman removed the unborn baby girl from Bush’s womb. In a disturbing attempt to cover up her crime, Waterman called 911, claiming she had unexpectedly given birth to a stillborn baby in her truck. The infant, whom Bush had already named Valkyrie Willis, died in utero during or shortly after the attack on her mother. Investigators later found Bush’s body near Waterman’s property, while the baby was discovered separately.
Amber Waterman's attorneys say she has an abnormal growth in her brain | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/LeWdNua1Jb
— 4029news (@4029news) May 12, 2025
Federal Convictions and State Death Penalty Cases
In federal court, Waterman pleaded guilty to kidnapping resulting in death and causing the death of a child in utero, receiving two life sentences without the possibility of parole. Her husband, Jamie Waterman, also pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact for helping dispose of Bush’s body and faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Despite the severity of these federal penalties, Arkansas prosecutors are determined to hold Waterman accountable under state law.
“This horrific crime resulted in the tragic deaths of two innocent victims,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore.
The Arkansas Supreme Court recently rejected Waterman’s appeal against facing capital murder charges at the state level. Her defense team had argued that a state trial would constitute double jeopardy since she was already convicted of federal crimes related to the same incident. With this legal hurdle cleared, Benton County prosecutors are actively pursuing the death penalty, partly at the request of Bush’s grieving family.
Amber Waterman has been sentenced to life for the murder of Ashley Bush and her unborn child. Waterman pleaded guilty in Federal Court. Authorities say Waterman kidnapped and killed Bush then cut Bush’s unborn child out of Bush’s womb, with plans to pass the child off as hers. pic.twitter.com/dQiSy5Npcs
— Parker Padgett (@ByParkerPadgett) October 16, 2024
Unprecedented Brutality Shocks Community and Court
During Waterman’s federal sentencing, the presiding judge described the crime as a “new level of graphic,” highlighting the exceptional cruelty involved. Family members of Ashley Bush were given the opportunity to express their anguish at the hearing, with one relative referring to Waterman as the “face of Satan” and another promising that her “suffering comes back tenfold.” The emotional statements underscored the generational trauma inflicted by these murders.
“The worst crimes need to carry the worst punishment, whatever that happens to be,” stated Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Joshua Robinson, explaining the decision to seek the death penalty.
As the case progresses toward a pretrial hearing scheduled for July 7, Waterman’s defense team has filed motions requesting a mental competency evaluation and seeking to prevent references to her federal convictions during the state trial. Her attorney, Jeff Rosenzweig, expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court’s rejection of their double jeopardy argument but continues to prepare for the upcoming capital murder proceedings.