Mullis’ Murder Conviction Upheld by Iowa Judge

An Earlville man convicted of killing his wife in 2018 will not get a new trial.

Todd Mullis’s 2019 conviction for the first-degree murder of his wife, Amy Mullis, will stand as an Iowa judge has denied his request for post-conviction relief. The decision comes more than a year after his multi-day post-conviction relief hearing in March 2025.

Attorney General Brenna Bird made the announcement on Thursday. Bird says in a 53-page decision, an Iowa judge firmly rejected over 100 legal claims made by Mullis in an attempt to overturn his conviction. The judge concluded that Mullis received a fair trial and his constitutional rights were fully protected. He will continue serving a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.   

Mullis was convicted of fatally stabbing his wife with a corn rake on their farm near Earlville in November 2018. A jury found him guilty of First Degree Murder. 

“Our office is focused on securing justice for victims and ensuring that those who commit such horrific acts remain behind bars where they belong,” said Attorney General Bird. “We hope this decision provides continued justice and a sense of closure for the family, friends, and community of Amy Mullis.”

Should Mullis appeal this latest ruling, Bird says the Attorney General’s Office stands ready to defend the jury’s guilty verdict once again.

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