Waterman’s murder case involving pregnant woman remains in limbo as Benton County prosecutors await access to her

BENTONVILLE -- Local prosecutors still have not obtained access to a Missouri woman accused of killing a pregnant woman and her baby three months ago.

Amber Waterman, 42, of Pineville, Mo., is charged with two counts of capital murder and kidnapping in connection with the deaths of Ashley Bush and her baby.

Benton County prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty against Waterman.

Waterman was first arrested on a federal charge of kidnapping. She's being held without bond in federal custody in the Greene County Jail in Springfield, Mo.

A hearing had been scheduled Monday for Waterman in Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green's court.

Federal prosecutors, however, have not granted access to Waterman for her to appear in a Benton County courtroom. Green rescheduled Waterman's arraignment for June 13.

Waterman and her husband, Jamie, 42, are charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.

Amber Waterman is charged with one count of kidnapping resulting in death. The indictment alleges between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, she kidnapped Bush in order to claim Bush's unborn child as her own, according to the release.

She's accused of taking Bush from Maysville to Pineville, and the indictment alleged the kidnapping resulted in Bush's death.

Jamie Waterman is charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to kidnapping resulting in death. He is also being held without bond in the Greene County Jail. The indictment accused him of assisting his wife in order to hinder and prevent her apprehension, trial and punishment, knowing she committed the offense of kidnapping resulting in death, according to the release.

He is not facing any charges in Benton County.

Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant and lived in Maysville, was last seen in the passenger seat of an older, tan pickup on Oct. 31 at the intersection of Arkansas 72 and Arkansas 43 in Maysville, according to a Nov. 1 post on the Benton County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

A person who called herself "Lucy" picked Bush up on Oct. 31 in Maysville, according to court documents. Authorities said they suspect Amber Waterman was "Lucy."

Bush's body was found three days later in Missouri. The body of her baby -- Valkyrie Grace -- was found elsewhere in Missouri, according to court documents.

Jamie Waterman told authorities his wife showed him Bush's body, which was near their home, according to court documents. He said they burned the body and took the charred remains to another location.

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