KC Reporter

A Pineville, Missouri woman has been sentenced to consecutive life terms in federal prison without parole for the kidnapping and murder of a pregnant Arkansas woman and her unborn child. Amber Waterman, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough after pleading guilty on July 30, 2024, to charges including kidnapping resulting in death and causing the death of a child in utero.

Waterman admitted to abducting Ashley Bush with the intent to claim Bush's unborn child as her own. The abduction led to the deaths of both Bush and her unborn daughter, Valkyrie Willis.

Jamie Waterman, Amber’s husband, also pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush for being an accessory after the fact. He acknowledged that he was aware of his wife's actions and helped hinder law enforcement efforts against her.

Amber Waterman had contacted Bush under a false identity via Facebook, offering employment opportunities which led to their meeting on October 28, 2022. On October 31, 2022, she met Bush again at a convenience store in Maysville, Arkansas. Pretending to take Bush to meet a job supervisor, Amber Waterman drove her from Maysville to Pineville where she kidnapped and ultimately murdered her.

Court documents reveal that Jamie Waterman assisted in concealing Bush's body after being shown it by Amber Waterman. Later that day, first responders were called for an emergency involving a baby not breathing at Longview store in Pineville; Amber falsely claimed she gave birth en route to the hospital.

An autopsy determined Ashley Bush died from penetrating trauma classified as homicide. Jamie Waterman's sentencing could lead up to 15 years imprisonment following further court procedures based on federal guidelines.

The case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie L. Wan and James J. Kelleher with investigations conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies including the FBI and local sheriff departments across Arkansas and Missouri.