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Who Is Todd Mullis & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

Ryan Gill

Todd Michael Mullis was an Iowa hog farmer and father of three whose life changed following the death of his wife, Amy Mullis, on November 10, 2018. Amy was found with a corn rake embedded in her back inside a shed on the family farm near Earlville, Iowa. What Todd described as a possible farming accident became a homicide investigation, and in September 2019, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder.

Todd Mullis remains in prison, serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Court TV reported in June 2026 that he was incarcerated at the Iowa State Penitentiary. His attempt to overturn the conviction through post-conviction proceedings failed in June 2026, when an Iowa judge rejected more than 100 claims concerning his original trial and legal representation.

His case returns to national attention in the 48 Hours episode “The Corn Rake Witness,” airing Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 9/8c on CBS. Correspondent Erin Moriarty revisits the murder investigation through the perspective of Todd’s eldest son, Trysten Mullis, who discovered Amy’s body when he was 13 years old. Now 21, Trysten is speaking publicly for the first time about his belief that his father was wrongfully convicted.

Todd Mullis Was an Iowa Farmer and Father of Three

Before his arrest, Todd Mullis operated a substantial hog farming business near Earlville, a rural community in northeastern Iowa. He lived on the farm with his wife, Amy, and their three children, Trysten, Taylor and Wyatt.

Agriculture was central to Todd’s life. The family operation required extensive daily work, including caring for livestock, maintaining buildings and equipment, preparing barns for new animals and managing the financial responsibilities of a commercial farming business.

Todd was described during his trial as a hardworking farmer who devoted considerable time to the operation. His eldest son, Trysten, worked alongside him and testified about their shared interests, including hunting, fishing, riding four-wheelers and completing farm tasks.

Amy had previously worked as an emergency department nurse at a hospital in Manchester, Iowa. She later left that position and began helping with the farming operation, including bookkeeping responsibilities.

The couple had built substantial assets through their agricultural business. During the murder trial, prosecutors argued that the financial value of the farm was significant because Todd faced the possibility of losing part of it if Amy sought a divorce.

Todd’s identity as a farmer, husband and father became central to both sides of the case. Prosecutors argued that he had killed Amy to preserve the life he had built, while the defense maintained that he was a devoted family man who had been wrongly accused.

Todd and Amy Mullis Had a Troubled Marriage

Although Todd described his marriage as close, testimony from Amy’s friends revealed a relationship affected by mistrust and conflict.

Investigators learned that Amy had an affair approximately five years before her death. The couple remained married and attended counseling, but the incident changed their relationship.

Following the earlier affair, Amy left her nursing position and began working on the farm. Todd told investigators that the decision allowed her to spend more time with their family. Amy’s friend Terri Staner testified that leaving the hospital had been part of an agreement intended to repair the marriage.

Staner described restrictions that Amy said she experienced after the affair. According to her testimony, Amy felt that Todd monitored her activities, limited which friends she could spend time with and expected her to account for the time she spent away from home.

Another friend, Patricia Christopherson, testified that Amy had been unhappy in the marriage for years and was considering leaving.

Todd presented a different account when questioned by investigators. During an interview with Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Jon Turbett, he described himself as a loving husband and characterized his relationship with Amy as strong.

The conflicting descriptions became important during the murder trial. Prosecutors used the testimony from Amy’s friends to argue that the marriage had deteriorated, while the defense disputed the suggestion that marital problems established Todd’s guilt.

Todd Became Suspicious of Amy’s Relationship With Jerry Frasher

In May 2018, Amy began an affair with Jerry Frasher, a married father of two who managed the Mullis family’s hog operation.

Frasher’s position brought him into contact with Amy because she handled bookkeeping and other administrative responsibilities for the farm. Their professional relationship developed into a sexual relationship, and they met at locations including the farm, rural roads and motel rooms.

Todd became suspicious during the summer of 2018 after examining phone records. Investigators identified 128 text messages exchanged between Amy and Frasher.

Todd confronted Frasher about the communications. Frasher maintained that the messages concerned farm business and family activities. Todd also contacted Frasher’s wife, who did not express concerns about her husband’s conduct.

The affair continued, although Frasher testified that he became concerned about Todd discovering the relationship and asked Amy to reduce their contact.

Amy’s friends testified that she had developed strong feelings for Frasher and had discussed the possibility of leaving Todd. Patricia Christopherson said Amy had considered a future marriage to Frasher.

Prosecutors argued that Todd’s suspicions about infidelity, combined with the possibility of divorce, supplied a motive for murder. Todd maintained that he had not killed his wife and disputed the prosecution’s account of his knowledge of the affair.

Prosecutors Claimed Todd Feared Losing His Farm in a Divorce

The financial consequences of a possible divorce became a central part of the prosecution’s theory.

Todd and Amy had built a farming operation worth millions of dollars, according to evidence and arguments presented during the case. A divorce could have required the division of marital property and affected the ownership and operation of the business.

Prosecutors argued that Todd had devoted his life to the farm and feared losing a substantial portion of what he had built. They suggested that Amy’s desire to leave the marriage threatened his financial security and family life.

The prosecution also presented testimony from Amy’s friends concerning her fears about Todd’s reaction if he discovered the affair or learned that she wanted a divorce.

Patricia Christopherson testified that Amy believed Todd might kill her if he learned about her plans. Terri Staner recalled Amy suggesting that authorities should search a wooded area of the farm if she went missing.

These accounts were used to establish the prosecution’s theory of motive. They did not constitute eyewitness evidence that Todd had attacked Amy.

The defense maintained that financial concerns and marital difficulties were insufficient to prove murder. Todd’s attorneys argued that the state had to establish his responsibility for the killing beyond a reasonable doubt, regardless of the problems within the marriage.

What Happened on the Mullis Farm on November 10, 2018?

On the morning of November 10, 2018, Todd was working inside one of the family’s hog barns with Amy and their 13-year-old son, Trysten.

Amy had undergone an outpatient medical procedure four days earlier and was experiencing dizziness. According to Trysten’s testimony, she became unsteady while standing on a five-gallon bucket to clean light fixtures.

Todd and Trysten expressed concern about her condition. Todd suggested that Amy return to the house to rest but asked her to retrieve a pet carrier from a red storage shed before leaving.

Todd said he needed the carrier to move kittens before using heavy machinery on the property. Amy left the barn while Todd and Trysten continued working.

Approximately 90 minutes passed before Todd noticed that the carrier had not been placed where he expected it. He instructed Trysten to check the shed and look for his mother.

Trysten entered the shed and found Amy facing downward, with a corn rake protruding from her back. He checked for a pulse and called for Todd.

Todd arrived, removed the rake and carried Amy to the family truck. He later explained that the shed entrance was too narrow to move her with the implement embedded in her body.

Todd placed Amy across Trysten in the passenger seat and drove toward the hospital. He called 911 during the journey and stopped when directed by the dispatcher so emergency responders could intercept the vehicle.

Deputy Luke Thomsen found Amy unresponsive and without a pulse. He began chest compressions, but she was pronounced dead after being transported for medical treatment.

Why Investigators Believed Amy Had Been Murdered

Todd suggested that Amy might have fallen onto the corn rake after becoming dizzy inside the shed.

The explanation appeared possible given her recent medical procedure and the balance problems witnessed by Trysten. However, medical examination revealed injuries that raised questions about whether a single fall could account for her death.

Dr. Craig Thompson, an emergency physician who knew Amy from her nursing career, identified six puncture wounds across her back. The corn rake recovered from the farm had four steel tines.

The discrepancy prompted further examination by Dr. Kelly Kruse, a forensic pathologist with the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office.

Kruse identified two different directions among the wound tracks and concluded that Amy had been impaled at least twice and possibly three times. She also documented blunt force injuries to Amy’s face, hands and knees.

The medical examiner classified the death as a homicide. Investigators began examining whether someone had attacked Amy with the rake rather than whether she had suffered an accidental fall.

The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Detectives examined the shed, interviewed people connected to the family and investigated Todd’s relationship with Amy.

Todd became the principal suspect as investigators developed their theory that the killing had been motivated by marital conflict and the possibility of divorce.

Todd Mullis Was Arrested in February 2019

Approximately three months after Amy’s death, authorities arrested Todd Mullis and charged him with first-degree murder.

Investigators had examined the couple’s marriage, Amy’s affair with Frasher, Todd’s conduct on the day of her death and evidence recovered from electronic devices on the farm.

Among the evidence were internet searches found on a family iPad concerning infidelity and violence against unfaithful women. Prosecutors believed the searches supported their theory that Todd had considered harming Amy.

Todd denied conducting the searches and maintained that other family members had access to the device.

Investigators also examined the farm’s security camera system. One camera covered an area near the red shed, but recordings from the day Amy died were unavailable.

Todd said cats had knocked the camera antennas from their positions near a window, interrupting the system. The recordings had been absent for nearly two weeks before the killing, although footage was available from the following day.

The prosecution treated the missing footage as another suspicious circumstance. The defense argued that the camera problem did not establish that Todd had interfered with the system or committed the murder.

Todd denied responsibility for Amy’s death throughout the investigation and maintained his innocence after his arrest.

Todd’s Son Trysten Became a Crucial Witness

One of the most significant challenges for prosecutors was the account provided by Todd’s eldest son, Trysten.

Trysten initially told investigators that he had been with his father throughout the period when Amy was believed to have been attacked. His account appeared to provide Todd with an alibi.

The two had been working in a large hog barn, with Trysten preparing heaters and Todd attending to equipment. Trysten described his father as remaining in the barn while they completed their tasks.

Shortly before the September 2019 trial, investigators interviewed Trysten again. He acknowledged that there had been moments when he could not see Todd because he had gone to an office area to get water.

During that interview, Trysten estimated that the interruptions had lasted less than a minute each. At trial, however, he acknowledged that he could not establish the precise amount of time his father had been outside his sight.

Prosecutors argued that these gaps created an opportunity for Todd to leave the barn and attack Amy in the nearby shed.

The defense challenged whether there was sufficient time for Todd to travel to the shed, commit the attack and return without being noticed.

Trysten also testified that he had not seen blood on his father and had not noticed a change in Todd’s demeanor during their work.

The testimony became central to the jury’s assessment of opportunity. Trysten had not witnessed the killing, but his account helped determine whether Todd could have been absent from the barn during the relevant period.

Todd Mullis Testified in His Own Defense

Todd’s murder trial began in Dubuque County in September 2019. He was represented by attorney Gerald Feuerhelm, who argued that the state lacked evidence proving Todd had killed Amy.

During opening statements, Feuerhelm acknowledged that Amy had been murdered but maintained that Todd was not responsible. This decision would become a major issue in later legal proceedings.

The prosecution presented testimony from investigators, medical experts, Amy’s friends, Jerry Frasher and Trysten Mullis. Its case relied on circumstantial evidence, including the couple’s marital difficulties, internet searches and Todd’s opportunity to reach the shed.

Todd took the witness stand and denied killing his wife. He addressed questions about the events on the farm, his response to finding Amy and the reasons he had driven her toward the hospital.

He explained that he had been focused on obtaining medical assistance and had acted in response to an emergency. Prosecutors questioned why he had not called 911 before leaving the farm.

Todd also denied conducting the incriminating internet searches found on the family iPad. He maintained that the device was shared and that he did not know who had entered the queries.

He addressed the missing security camera footage and repeated his explanation that cats had displaced the equipment.

When questioned about whether he had attacked Amy in the shed, Todd denied doing so. He also stated that he did not know who had caused her injuries.

His testimony gave jurors an opportunity to assess his account against the evidence presented by the prosecution.

The Jury Found Todd Mullis Guilty of First-Degree Murder

After approximately one week of testimony, the jury began deliberations.

The prosecution argued that Todd had killed Amy because he feared the consequences of her affair and a possible divorce. It maintained that the medical findings established a deliberate attack and that the surrounding circumstances identified Todd as the killer.

The defense emphasized the absence of direct physical evidence connecting Todd to the crime scene. Feuerhelm argued that the prosecution had failed to establish how Todd could have committed the killing without being observed by Trysten.

According to a juror interviewed by 48 Hours, the panel was divided when deliberations began. Some jurors believed Todd was guilty, while others questioned whether the circumstantial evidence was sufficient.

The jury examined the internet searches, Todd’s actions after Amy was found and the competing explanations for the events on the farm.

After approximately seven hours of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict finding Todd guilty of first-degree murder.

The verdict established Todd’s criminal responsibility for Amy’s death. He continued to deny that he had committed the crime.

The conviction also brought a significant change to his family. His three children had lost their mother, and their father now faced the mandatory punishment for first-degree murder in Iowa.

Todd Mullis Was Sentenced to Life Without Parole

Following the verdict, Todd retained new attorneys and sought a new trial.

His legal team challenged aspects of the original defense, including Feuerhelm’s decision to concede that Amy had been murdered. Todd maintained that the possibility of an accidental death should have remained part of the case.

The trial judge rejected his motions for a new trial and in arrest of judgment.

Before sentencing, Todd addressed the court and maintained that he was innocent. He argued that the legal proceedings had placed an unfair burden on him to establish that he had not committed the murder.

The judge imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Todd was also ordered to pay $150,000 in victim restitution.

Under Iowa law, the sentence meant Todd would remain incarcerated for life unless his conviction or sentence was overturned through further legal proceedings or another lawful form of relief.

Following the conviction, Trysten, Taylor and Wyatt were placed in the care of Amy’s family, according to CBS News.

Todd’s imprisonment ended his role in the daily operation of the farm and separated him from the family life that had been central to the prosecution’s theory of motive.

Todd Mullis Continued Fighting His Conviction

Todd challenged his conviction through post-conviction relief proceedings, alleging that his original attorneys had provided ineffective assistance.

His legal team raised more than 100 claims concerning the preparation and presentation of his defense. The allegations included disputes over trial strategy, forensic evidence, the investigation of other possible suspects and the handling of electronic records.

A central complaint concerned Feuerhelm’s opening statement, in which he told jurors that Amy had been murdered by someone other than Todd.

Todd maintained that his preferred defense had been that Amy died in an accident. He argued that the decision to concede homicide had deprived jurors of an alternative explanation for the fatal injuries.

The post-conviction proceedings also examined whether additional forensic analysis should have been obtained before trial.

In March 2025, the case returned to court for a multi-day evidentiary hearing. Todd’s attorneys presented testimony from 11 witnesses, along with deposition evidence from another 28 people.

The hearing examined decisions made during the original trial and whether those decisions had deprived Todd of his constitutional right to effective legal representation.

A Forensic Pathologist Supported the Accidental-Death Theory

One of the most significant developments in Todd’s post-conviction case was testimony from forensic pathologist Dr. Jennifer Hammers.

Hammers reviewed the medical evidence and agreed that the corn rake had caused Amy’s fatal injuries. However, she reached a different conclusion from the original medical examiner about how those injuries could have occurred.

She proposed that Amy had fallen onto the rake, producing four puncture wounds, and then suffered two additional wounds while attempting to remove the implement and falling against it again.

Her opinion offered an alternative explanation for the six wounds caused by a rake with four tines.

The original medical examiner, Dr. Kelly Kruse, had concluded that the injuries reflected at least two and possibly three separate impalements, supporting the finding of homicide.

Todd’s attorneys argued that Hammers’ interpretation demonstrated why the possibility of an accident should have been investigated and presented during the 2019 trial.

The new testimony did not establish that Amy’s death was accidental. It represented a competing forensic opinion that the court considered as part of the challenge to Todd’s legal representation.

The question before the post-conviction court was whether the original defense had fallen below constitutional standards and whether any established deficiencies justified overturning the conviction.

Judge Laura Parrish Denied Todd Mullis a New Trial in June 2026

On June 2, 2026, Iowa Judge Laura Parrish issued a 53-page decision rejecting Todd Mullis’ request for post-conviction relief.

The ruling addressed more than 100 claims concerning his original legal representation. Parrish concluded that Todd had not established grounds requiring his conviction to be overturned.

A central issue was whether Feuerhelm had acted improperly by conceding that Amy had been murdered. Feuerhelm testified that he did not consider the accidental-death theory viable based on the evidence available at the time.

Parrish found that the trial record did not establish that Todd had made his disagreement with the defense strategy known to his attorneys. She also considered testimony that Todd had insisted on proceeding to trial without further delays.

The judge determined that his attorneys had made meaningful professional decisions in preparing and presenting the case.

She rejected the argument that Todd’s continued assertion of innocence was sufficient to overcome the conviction. The court concluded that he had not established the legal grounds required for relief.

On June 4, 2026, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird announced the decision and confirmed that Todd’s conviction would stand.

The Attorney General’s Office stated that it was prepared to defend the verdict if Todd pursued further appellate proceedings.

Where Is Todd Mullis Now in 2026?

Todd Mullis is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Iowa State Penitentiary, according to prison records cited by Court TV in June 2026.

The facility is located in Fort Madison, Iowa, and houses inmates serving serious criminal sentences. Todd remains incarcerated following his 2019 conviction for the first-degree murder of Amy Mullis.

The June 2026 ruling denied his request for a new trial and left the original sentence in effect. The court did not overturn the jury’s verdict or order another examination of guilt before a new jury.

Todd has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. His position remains that he did not kill Amy and that the evidence presented at trial did not establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

His sentence does not provide a conventional parole release date. Any change to his incarceration would require a successful legal challenge or another form of lawful relief.

The available June 2026 reporting establishes that Todd remained in prison following the post-conviction decision. It does not establish the outcome of any appeal that may have been filed after that ruling.

How Old Is Todd Mullis Now?

Todd Mullis was identified as 49 years old in Court TV’s June 2026 reporting about the denial of his post-conviction relief application.

That places him at approximately 49 years old in October 2026, depending on his date of birth.

He was in his early forties when Amy died in November 2018 and has spent years in custody following his arrest in February 2019.

His incarceration has covered a substantial period of his children’s lives. Trysten was 13 when Amy died and is now 21, while Taylor and Wyatt were younger children at the time of the murder.

Todd’s age and the mandatory life sentence mean that, unless the legal outcome changes, he faces spending the remainder of his life in prison.

Todd’s Son Trysten Now Believes His Father Was Wrongfully Convicted

The 48 Hours episode “The Corn Rake Witness” introduces a significant development in the public account of the case.

Trysten Mullis, who discovered his mother’s body and testified during Todd’s trial, is speaking publicly about the events for the first time.

Now 21, Trysten maintains that his father was wrongly convicted. His position is notable because his testimony became central to the prosecution’s argument that Todd had an opportunity to kill Amy.

During the original investigation, Trysten’s account appeared to provide Todd with an alibi. He initially described working alongside his father throughout the relevant period.

His later acknowledgment that he had lost sight of Todd during brief intervals weakened that alibi and became an important part of the trial.

Trysten also testified that he had not seen blood on his father and had not noticed a change in Todd’s behavior during their work.

His current belief in Todd’s innocence does not overturn the conviction, but it adds a personal perspective to a case that has divided opinions about the evidence and the fairness of the original proceedings.

What Does Todd Mullis’ Case Mean for His Family?

The death of Amy Mullis and the conviction of Todd Mullis transformed the lives of their three children.

Trysten, Taylor and Wyatt lost their mother in November 2018. Less than a year later, their father was convicted of killing her and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Following the trial, the children were placed with Amy’s family. Their circumstances reflected the consequences of a homicide case in which both parents were lost from their daily lives.

Trysten’s role was particularly difficult because he had discovered his mother and later became a witness in the criminal prosecution of his father.

The legal proceedings continued for years after the conviction, extending the family’s involvement in the case through appeals and post-conviction hearings.

Todd’s continued claims of innocence and Trysten’s public support for him demonstrate that the family’s experience did not end with the jury’s verdict.

At the same time, the courts have upheld Todd’s conviction, and Amy’s death remains legally established as a first-degree murder committed by her husband.

48 Hours Revisits Todd Mullis’ Conviction in The Corn Rake Witness

The October 17, 2026 episode of 48 Hours returns to the investigation through the perspective of Trysten Mullis.

Correspondent Erin Moriarty examines the circumstances of Amy’s death, the evidence that led to Todd’s conviction and the questions surrounding the testimony of the couple’s eldest son.

The program follows earlier 48 Hours coverage of the case, which explored the medical evidence, marital conflict, internet searches and absence of direct physical evidence linking Todd to the fatal attack.

The new episode arrives after the June 2026 post-conviction ruling, which rejected Todd’s effort to secure a new trial despite the presentation of an alternative forensic explanation for Amy’s injuries.

Trysten’s belief in his father’s innocence creates a contrast with the legal outcome. Todd remains convicted of first-degree murder, and his life sentence remains in force.

48 Hours: “The Corn Rake Witness” airs Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 9/8c on CBS, with streaming availability on Paramount+.

For Todd Mullis, the immediate outcome remains unchanged. He is serving life imprisonment without parole, his most recent reported challenge to the conviction has failed, and his son is bringing renewed public attention to the case that ended his life as an Iowa farmer and family man.

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