GUILTY IA - Amy Mullis , 39, Earlville, killed with corn rake, 10 Nov 2018 *Arrest*

[SeesSeas]

Mullis found guilty for killing wife with corn rake
September 23, 2019
Sentencing is not yet determined and will be held at a future date. Under Iowa Law, Mullis faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the eligibility of parole.

 

[Gypsy Road]

Wonder if he and his attorneys will appeal? Or if there are any issues that could have it overturned and retried. Maybe I’ve watched too many crime shows, but I thought they would have more forensic evidence other than the google searches and what friends said (Amy being afraid of Todd). I’m still bothered that the finger nail clippings weren’t tested.

 

[YESorNO]

Wonder if he and his attorneys will appeal? Or if there are any issues that could have it overturned and retried. Maybe I’ve watched too many crime shows, but I thought they would have more forensic evidence other than the google searches and what friends said (Amy being afraid of Todd). I’m still bothered that the finger nail clippings weren’t tested.

"...Defense attorney Gerald “Jake” Feuerhelm said he was disappointed with the verdict and that his client would appeal.

“We’ll sort things out and talk to Todd about that and go from there,” Feuerhelm said.

Feuerhelm said it was too early to assess the defense’s prospects with that appeal.

“Obviously, you go through your notes and look at all the witnesses and make a determination about court rulings and the whole gamut of how the trial rolled out,” he said...."

UPDATE: Dubuque County jury finds man guilty of killing wife with corn rake

 

[MsArk]

Todd might want to consider a new attorney for his appeal. Just saying...

 

[SeesSeas]

I wonder if all, or some, of the jurors were as confused about UTC time as many people are, including the detective who testified about the times of the google searches.
Jury question about UTC time was answered by judge with "can’t provide any additional evidence".
This question was presented late in the deliberations. About an hour later, jury verdict is guilty.
During deliberation, some jurors may have convinced other jurors that the google searches were done in the middle of the night / wee hours of morning.
I wonder how much that particular point mattered in the decision of some of the jurors. Clearly it mattered enough to send the question to the judge.
The google search time could have been the tipping point for some jurors. But what if they were wrong about their understanding/knowledge of UTC time. . . and they discover their error when they get home and research UTC time. Hmmmm......

Julia Jenaé‏ @JuliaCourtTV 3m3 minutes ago
After 6.5 hours of total deliberations, the #MullisTrial jury has a question. “What is the definition of UTC time? How is it impacted by daylight savings time in Iowa? Is the time in the google record Iowa time?” The court responds, it can’t provide any additional evidence.

3 am UTC time would be 6 am CST (IA)
Still when he would most likely be on it

3AM UTC is 10 PM CST the day before.

No, 3am UTC (google records) would be 10Pm CST (Iowa) time.

In fact because of DST it would have been 9PM CST (Iowa) time. The time change was about a week before the murder.

It depends on what time of the year each search was done. It's either UTC -6 or -5 hours

-6 hours from early November until mid March.

-5 hours from March until November.

A search done on Dec 25, 2017 at 03:04:13 UTC would be 12-24-2017 at 9:04 PM Iowa time. UTC -6

A search done on May 10, 2017 at 01:59:57 UTC would be 5-09-2017 at 8:59 PM Iowa time. UTC -5

A search done on Jan 8th 2018 at 02:31:59 UTC would be 1-07-2018 at 8:31 PM Iowa time. UTC -6

 

[morty4185]

I think the unexplained Google searches did him in

 

[MsFacetious]

I have no doubt he will appeal.
I also have no doubt that testing the nails will come up.

Todd might want to consider a new attorney for his appeal. Just saying...

Generally you do. As ineffective assistance of counsel is a huge appellate issue. Also you want an appellate attorney for an appeal.

I actually now work with two attorneys - one criminal and one criminal appellate - because I didn’t like not finishing out a case I started.

 

[MsFacetious]

I think the unexplained Google searches did him in

Which is why we Sleuthers just hope and pray we are never under investigation for anything. Man we’d all be screwed!

 

[morty4185]

Which is why we Sleuthers just hope and pray we are never under investigation for anything. Man we’d all be screwed!

Too funny....and verrrrrry true

 

[Gypsy Road]

Which is why we Sleuthers just hope and pray we are never under investigation for anything. Man we’d all be screwed!

I thought about this today!

 

[Gypsy Road]

The finger clippings should have been tested. At least to see if there was any foreign dna under there. Todd had no scratches or defensive wounds right?

 

[alexwood]

Too funny....and verrrrrry true

Myself, I worry about what would be found on the notepad that I keep at my computer to jot down info and questions on various cases, etc. Looks like the disjointed ruminations of a crazed lunatic!

 

[BeckyF]

Which is why we Sleuthers just hope and pray we are never under investigation for anything. Man we’d all be screwed!

Yes we would!

 

[teedie2]

Wonder if he and his attorneys will appeal? Or if there are any issues that could have it overturned and retried. Maybe I’ve watched too many crime shows, but I thought they would have more forensic evidence other than the google searches and what friends said (Amy being afraid of Todd). I’m still bothered that the finger nail clippings weren’t tested.

I thought that was part of every homicide crime investigation. Bag those hands! Maybe she was wearing gloves.

 

[MsFacetious]

I thought that was part of every homicide crime investigation. Bag those hands! Maybe she was wearing gloves.

Oh they HAD the nails, they just didn’t TEST the nails for DNA because they weren’t looking at an unknown killer.

So they only test when they have no suspect, rather than to confirm or clear a suspect.

 

[teedie2]

Oh they HAD the nails, they just didn’t TEST the nails for DNA because they weren’t looking at an unknown killer.

So they only test when they have no suspect, rather than to confirm or clear a suspect.

Guess a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

 

[gitana1]

It is strange that there was no reported violence or physical abuse prior to the murder. Or was there? Did I miss something? Sure, Todd was controlling and kept a watch on Amy due to her infidelity- but at any time did he previously threatened her life, hit her? Amy seemed very open with her friends when discussing Todd’s controlling ways, did she ever mention physical abuse or violence?

She mentioned that she was scared of him, was desperate to hide her affair and told various people he would make disappear or kill her.

I have no problems with this verdict. There's enough circumstantial evidence for me.

I didn't hear him say anything on the call. I think he's a sociopath and fooled people into thinking he's just a simple and forgiving good ol' boy.

No one will convince me those are the kinds of searches a young teen would do.

His reaction during the playing of the 911 call was very telling and cemented it for me.

Anyone normal would react when hearing the moment of horror once again. Also, his demeanor during the call itself was way too matter of fact.

He's a liar. He knew all about the affair. And it rankled him.

The quiet ones are often the most dangerous. I expect Amy knew the real him. And she was scared of him.

 

[gitana1]

In the grand scheme of things not sure this matters but I wonder if Amy's ablation procedure was really a cover for an abortion.

Im not convinced of Frashers alibi.

Remember amy telling her friend she's in trouble?

Lucky dude that the cameras just happened to be off and Amy got dizzy and the husband was close but not close enough and the son came in right after it happened. But not before.

Then there's also motive.

So Amy's a liar when she tells several people he will make her disappear or kill her if he finds out about her affair and Todd couldn't have done it because there's never been any evidence of domestic violence, but Frasher?

We know nothing about a violent history for him. No motive. No chance he snuck on the farm and used their iPad to search those things. But he's a good candidate?

 

[gitana1]

Agree 100%, no indication of domestic abuse calls and not a single witness stated Todd was known to be physically abusive.

I suppose he could have snapped but I agree with you this is odd

No evidence he snapped. Sounds like this was coldly planned.

I can list dozens of murderers who never showed signs of violence before they murdered. Chris Watts is a recent one. Martin MacNeill. And so many men who kill when their wives are leaving them.

Happens all the time.

 

[gitana1]

I'm stunned. There was far more than reasonable doubt.
I presume the calm family are hers and the upset ones are his.

Not for me.