The Corn Rake Killer’s Final Gamble: Inside Todd Mullis’s Desperate Fight to Overturn a Life Sentence for the Pig Farm Murder

The “Corn Rake Killer” is back in the spotlight, and the evidence being presented is nothing short of explosive. For years, the world believed Todd Mullis ambushed his wife Amy in a fit of jealous fury.

But what if the jury was shown a “truth” that didn’t exist? From disputed 911 audio where prosecutors claim he whispered “cheater” during CPR, to medical records that were never fully explored, this case is a labyrinth of doubt.

Mullis is now betting everything on a 10-day hearing to prove his trial was a sham. The emotional testimony from his son and the scientific breakdown of those six mysterious wounds will make you question everything you thought you knew about this “open and shut” case.

Don’t miss this deep dive into one of the most haunting farm murders in American history. See the full story and the evidence that could set him free in the comments below.

The quiet, rolling landscapes of Delaware County, Iowa, are usually synonymous with the steady rhythm of agricultural life—the hum of tractors, the tending of livestock, and the tight-knit bonds of farming families. But in November 2018, that peace was shattered by a 911 call that would introduce the world to one of the most bizarre and gruesome murder weapons in modern legal history: a four-pronged corn rake.

Today, Todd Mullis, the man the world knows as the “Corn Rake Killer,” sits in a prison cell serving a life sentence for the first-degree murder of his wife, Amy Mullis. Yet, in a high-stakes civil courtroom, the battle for his freedom has been reignited.

This is not just a story of a crime; it is a complex tapestry of alleged infidelity, digital footprints of digital “justice,” and a legal defense that may have collapsed under its own weight. As Todd Mullis enters a critical 10-day hearing for post-conviction relief, the central question remains: Was Amy’s death a tragic farming accident, or was it the final, violent act of a husband who could not forgive?

The Day the Music Stopped on the Farm

The horror began on a chilly November morning in 2018. Todd Mullis told investigators that he, Amy, and their then-13-year-old son, Tristan, were working together on their family pig farm. Amy, who was recovering from a recent surgery and reportedly experiencing bouts of dizziness, was tasked with minor chores. According to Todd, he had encouraged her to go rest in the house. A short time later, Tristan made a discovery that would haunt him forever: his mother was slumped over in a shed, a heavy corn rake—a tool used to move grain—protruding from her back.

The 911 call placed by Todd is a harrowing piece of audio. In it, he sounds breathless, panicked, and desperate. He told dispatchers he had loaded Amy into his truck and was racing toward the hospital. At the direction of the dispatcher, he pulled over to perform CPR. It was during these frantic moments that the prosecution would later claim a smoking gun existed—not in the form of a weapon, but in a whispered word. They alleged that between chest compressions, Todd could be heard calling Amy a “cheater.”

Six Holes, Four Prongs: The Forensic Puzzle

While Todd maintained from the beginning that Amy must have fallen onto the rake in a freak accident, the medical examiner’s report told a different story. The corn rake in question had four metal prongs. However, Amy’s back bore the marks of six distinct puncture wounds. This physical discrepancy became the cornerstone of the state’s case. Prosecutors argued that for six holes to exist, the rake had to have been thrust into her body at least twice. This, they claimed, was not the result of a fall; it was a deliberate, manual attack.

The trial in 2019 painted a picture of a marriage pushed to the brink. Evidence surfaced that Amy had been involved in an affair years prior, which the couple had attempted to move past through counseling. However, Todd had recently discovered that Amy was involved in another affair with a farm manager. The prosecution argued that Todd’s “quiet, hardworking farmer” persona was a mask for a man consumed by a cold, calculating rage.

The Digital Trail of a “Cheating” Obsession

Perhaps the most damaging evidence presented to the jury was Todd’s internet search history. In the months leading up to Amy’s death, the family computer was used to search for phrases that seemed to foreshadow the tragedy. Searches included “what happens to cheaters in history,” “killing unfaithful women,” and even specific inquiries into the “punishment for killing a cheating wife.” One particularly chilling search looked into the “historic Aztec tribe” and their methods for dealing with infidelity.

Todd took the stand in his own defense, denying he ever made those searches. He suggested that in a house with pre-teens and multiple people with computer access, the searches could have come from anyone. However, the timing and specific nature of the queries created a narrative of premeditation that the jury found impossible to ignore. After just seven hours of deliberation, Todd Mullis was found guilty of first-degree murder.

A Defense Divided: The Post-Conviction Battle

Now, years into his life sentence, Todd Mullis is launching a “last-ditch” effort for a new trial. This isn’t a standard appeal; it is an application for post-conviction relief in civil court. His new legal team is taking a scorched-earth approach, essentially arguing that Todd’s original trial lawyers were “ineffective” and failed him in fundamental ways.

The most startling claim in this new hearing is that Todd’s original attorneys admitted Amy was murdered without his consent. During the 2019 trial, his defense team argued to the jury that while Amy was undoubtedly murdered, Todd wasn’t the one who did it. Mullis now insists he never gave them permission to abandon the “accident” theory. “I did not do this,” he stated emphatically. “I was a faithful and loving husband.”

His new attorney, seeking to overturn the conviction, argues that the original defense failed to call expert witnesses who could have scientifically backed up the possibility of an accident. They claim that knowledgeable professionals, had they been consulted, could have explained how a fall and subsequent movement could result in the six puncture wounds, or how Amy’s medical condition contributed to a fatal mishap.

40 Witnesses and a Quest for “Scientific Truth”

The current 10-day hearing is a rare and significant event. Most post-conviction relief requests are dismissed in hours; the fact that a judge has granted a nearly two-week hearing with 40 witnesses suggests the court sees something worth investigating. The defense plans to dive deep into Amy Mullis’s private medical history, her surgery recovery, and the physical mechanics of the corn rake.

Criminal defense experts watching the case, such as Andrew Baldwin, note that the cooperation of the original trial lawyers is a major factor. If the original attorneys “fall on their sword” and admit they dropped the ball by not pursuing expert testimony or filing the correct pre-trial motions to suppress the “cheater” 911 audio, the judge may find that Todd did not receive a fair trial.

The Human Cost of a Rural Tragedy

Beyond the legal jargon and forensic analysis lies a family torn apart. Tristan Mullis, who was just 13 when he found his mother, has had to testify in court multiple times, his recollections of that day shifting under the weight of trauma and time. The community remains divided, with some seeing Todd as a monster who used a farm tool to execute his wife, while others—supported by the website “FreeToddMullis.com”—believe he is a victim of a “guilty until proven innocent” system.

As the 10-day hearing unfolds, the state of Iowa stands firm. Prosecutors argue that the evidence—the affairs, the searches, the six wounds—is overwhelming and has already been upheld on appeal. They view this civil trial as a “shrapnel shot” approach by a desperate man trying to escape justice.

The story of Todd and Amy Mullis is a grim reminder of how quickly a life built on the land can turn into a landscape of tragedy. Whether science will provide a new path to freedom or simply confirm the original verdict remains to be seen. But for now, the “Corn Rake Killer” remains the center of a legal firestorm that refuses to burn out.