Video people are talking about 5.7x its usual comments

48 Hours revisits corn-rake conviction with an accident theory

Viewers focus on the coat evidence and defense strategy as Erin Moriarty examines competing explanations for Amy Mullis's death.

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48 Hours Story of October 25, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? The video drew 1,243 comments in its first day, 5.7 times a normal first day on this channel (218).

The Corn Rake Witness | Full Episode

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14:26The couple's adult son demonstrates why he disputes the prosecution's timeline for the killing.
18:51Archival notes show Todd wanted an accident defense; his attorney instead argued that someone else committed murder.
21:26Defense experts conclude that Amy's death could be explained by an accidental fall onto the corn rake.
26:26Experts question how the holes in Amy's coat correspond to her wounds.
33:23At the hearing, defense experts challenge the homicide finding, while the state medical examiner maintains her conclusion.
37:23The judge denies postconviction relief, finding Todd's original counsel competent and the state medical examiner credible.

The holes in Amy Mullis's coat have become a focus of discussion under "The Corn Rake Witness | Full Episode." Viewers are asking how that physical evidence fits the prosecution's account of her death on an Iowa farm, and why an accident defense was not presented at the original trial.

Erin Moriarty's 48 Hours report drew nearly six times the channel's usual first-day comments, even though its viewing audience was ordinary for a full episode. The discussion centers on the forensic evidence and the legal question of whether Todd Mullis, convicted of murdering his wife, received an adequate defense.

The episode returns to the farm with the couple's adult son, who maintains his father is innocent. He demonstrates how briefly he was away getting water, challenging the prosecution's account of the time available for the killing.

The defense's alternative explanation is specific. A forensic pathologist and a biomechanical engineer argue that Amy fell onto the corn rake and caused additional wounds while trying to free herself. They also question how the holes in her coat correspond to her injuries. The state medical examiner maintains that the injuries resulted from multiple strikes and that the death was a homicide.

Moriarty also examines the original defense strategy: Todd wanted his attorney to argue that Amy's death was accidental, but the attorney conceded murder while arguing someone else was responsible.

The episode follows that dispute into a postconviction hearing. Judge Laura Parrish denied relief, finding the original counsel competent and the state medical examiner credible. Todd's attorneys and family say they intend to appeal.

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