The Tragic Case of Amy Mullis: Accidental Death or Murder?

Life on the Farm

Trysten Mullis fondly recalls growing up on a 400-acre Iowa farm. He and his siblings helped their parents, Todd and Amy, run the farm which raised soybeans, corn, and pigs.

Trysten shares, “It’s a whole family effort to run a farm this size.” Nostalgia fills him as he looks around the familiar surroundings.

The Day Amy Mullis Died

On a November morning in 2018, everything seemed normal. 13-year-old Trysten was with his parents, preparing for a shipment of baby pigs. He was tasked with carrying heaters into the pens, while Todd worked on water pipes and Amy cleaned lights in the hog barn.

Trysten demonstrates how his mother was cleaning glass light fixtures, noting she seemed dizzy and unsteady.

Just days earlier, Amy had undergone a minor medical procedure. Concerned, Todd and Trysten advised her to rest, but she agreed to retrieve a pet carrier from the red shed first to protect some kittens later around farm machinery.

Discovering Amy

Trysten saw his mom leave the barn and continued working. After an hour-and-a-half, he noticed the pet carrier was missing and went to retrieve it, discovering Amy on the ground with a corn rake in her back. Efforts to rush her to the hospital proved fruitless as Amy did not survive.

Amy’s mother, Peggy, and her brother, Jeff, recall her vibrant personality and care for others.

Todd Mullis: Accidental Death or Murder?

Initially, Trysten and Todd believed Amy’s death was an accident. However, the state medical examiner, Dr. Kelly Kruse, declared it a homicide, citing six puncture wounds on Amy’s body inconsistent with the corn rake’s four tines.

Prosecutors argued Todd had motive, as Amy was planning to leave him due to an affair. They claimed Todd ambushed Amy at the shed and murdered her.

Todd denied knowing of Amy’s affair or conducting the allegedly incriminating Google searches on killing unfaithful spouses. He insisted he was innocent.

Trysten’s Testimony

Trysten testified, initially saying he was with his father all morning, providing him an alibi. Later, he disclosed he lost sight of Todd briefly, possibly giving him time to commit the crime.

He claims pressure from his step-grandfather influenced his testimony at trial.

Defense Team and New Evidence

Todd’s new legal team, Dina and Daniel Nesheiwat, took over the case, arguing for accidental death. They hired experts Dr. Jennifer Hammers and Dr. Valentina Ngai who suggested Amy’s death was due to a fall, not murder.

The team reconstructed scenarios to show the rake’s tines caused multiple wounds as Amy struggled to free herself after an initial fall.

The Fight for Justice Continues

The Nesheiwats presented their findings to the court, seeking a new trial for Todd. They argued the defense counsel had been ineffective, failing to explore the accident theory.

Despite their assertions, Judge Laura Parrish denied Todd relief. She claimed the original trial was fair, and the jury believed Dr. Kruse’s findings of homicide.

Trysten Mullis’ Determination

The decision left Trysten disillusioned but unwavering. He aims to exonerate his father, believing him innocent.

“I love you,” Trysten would tell his dad. “I’m fighting every day for you. I’m fighting to get you home.”

The Nesheiwats and legal teams continue with appeals, highlighting scientific evidence of accident over murder.