The federal criminal complaint alleges that between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, 2022, Amber kidnapped Bush, who was 31 weeks pregnant, in order to claim her unborn child as her own. She allegedly took Bush from Maysville, Arkansas, to Pineville, resulting in her death.
Jamie Waterman has been charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to kidnapping resulting in death. The federal criminal complaint alleges that he helped Amber Waterman after the kidnapping and murder.
Amber Waterman is accused of creating a fake Facebook account under the name of "Lucy Barrows" on Oct. 25, 2022, to lure Bush into meeting her so she could steal her unborn child.
Bush was reported missing on Monday, Oct. 31. Her fiancé, Josh Willis, told law enforcement that he saw her being driven as a passenger in a tan pickup truck by a woman he knew as “Lucy.” They had originally met “Lucy” at the Gravette public library a few days earlier, at which time “Lucy” was driving the same pickup truck. During this meeting at the library, “Lucy” and Bush had discussed employment opportunities, and later that day, “Lucy” offered to drive her to meet her supervisor at a Bentonville company, Bush's fiance said.
"Lucy" was supposed to take Bush to Bentonville for an interview on Oct. 31, but when Bush’s fiancé showed up to pick her up at the Handi-Stop in Maysville he said he saw "Lucy" make eye contact with him and drive away.
According to an arrest affidavit, Amber told detectives that she had been home all day on Oct. 31 with her son and another child, and she "went into labor" that afternoon.
After calling 911, Amber traveled to meet an ambulance at a store in McDonald County. Amber told detectives that she had delivered a stillborn child that evening.
According to KOAM, our CBS affiliate, McDonald County Sheriff Evenson said they responded to reports of a newborn baby not breathing on Monday night. EMS intercepted the couple near Longview, Mo. as they were on the way to a hospital.
EMS could not revive the baby, and the baby died.
On Nov. 1, detectives met with the Watermans who let them search the home and the tan-colored truck, matching the description of the one Bush was last seen in, according to prosecutors.
When detectives asked for Amber's phone, she told them that she had lost it. She also told investigators that she was the only person who had access to the tan-colored truck that was at the home.
When asked if she had known about Bush, Amber told detectives that she did not know her. When asked about "Lucy Barrows," Amber said that she previously had worked with her at Walmart but they were not close, according to court records.
The vehicle was seized by law enforcement and search warrants were obtained on Thursday, Nov. 3, for the vehicle and home. During the search, detectives found what they believed to be blood stains on the inside of the vehicle.
Detectives questioned Jamie again on Thursday, Nov. 3. According to the affidavit, he told detectives that, after they had questioned them and left their home, Amber told him she had killed Bush and then quickly changed her story and said “Lucy” had killed her.
Court records state that Amber led Jamie to the body of Bush, who was lying face down next to a boat near their house, covered in a blue tarp. Amber removed a ring from Ashley Bush’s finger and rolled her body onto the blue tarp, the affidavit says, which Jamie then dragged to a fire pit behind the home. The Watermans allegedly burned the body, moved it onto the bed of Jamie's blue GMC pickup, and drove a short distance from their home to hide the body.
In court on Nov. 4, the Watermans were assigned a public defender. The federal prosecutor asked the court to hold them without bond until their trial. A hearing will be held in Springfield on Nov. 9 for the court to rule on that issue. Until then, they will be in federal custody.
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