The latest episodes of 48 Hours bring together five disturbing true-crime investigations, each with its own mystery, shocking evidence, and courtroom outcome. From a murder involving a corn rake to a cold-case investigation solved through chewing gum DNA, the stories reveal how small details can change the direction of an entire investigation.
Unlike a scripted crime series, 48 Hours does not have one central mystery that gets solved in a season finale. Instead, each episode examines a different real-life case, following investigators, witnesses, forensic experts, and families searching for answers.
The five featured stories are The Corn Rake Witness, The Detective and the Chewing Gum Sting, What the Cameras Saw, The Mansion Above Dale Hollow Lake, and Jade Benning’s Final Call.
Some investigations end with murder convictions and life sentences, while others leave important questions unanswered. Here is what happened in all five cases and how each story ends.
1. The Corn Rake Witness: Did Todd Mullis Really Kill His Wife?
The first episode, The Corn Rake Witness, revisits the murder of Amy Mullis, who was found dead on her family’s Iowa farm in November 2018. A corn rake was discovered embedded in her back, and what initially appeared to be a possible farming accident soon became a murder investigation.
Amy was working on the farm with her husband, Todd Mullis, and their 13-year-old son, Trysten, on November 10, 2018. When Amy failed to return after going to collect a pet carrier, Trysten went looking for her and discovered her body.
Investigators became suspicious after examining the injuries. The corn rake had four tines, but the medical examiner identified six puncture wounds on Amy’s back. Prosecutors argued that she had been attacked multiple times.
The investigation also uncovered problems in the couple’s marriage. Amy had been involved in another relationship, and prosecutors believed Todd was worried that she might leave him. They presented this as a possible motive for the murder.
Todd denied killing his wife, but the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in 2019. He received a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
What happens at the end?
The biggest development in this episode comes from Todd and Amy’s son, Trysten. Years after the conviction, he began publicly supporting his father and questioning whether the original investigation had reached the correct conclusion.
Todd’s new legal team also presented expert opinions suggesting that Amy’s injuries could have resulted from an accidental fall onto the corn rake. They challenged parts of the forensic evidence used during the original trial.
However, these arguments did not change the outcome.
In June 2026, Judge Laura Parrish rejected Todd’s request for post-conviction relief and a new trial. The court concluded that he had received a fair trial and that the legal arguments did not justify overturning the conviction.
The ending explained: Todd Mullis is not released or cleared of the murder. His conviction remains in place, and he continues serving his life sentence. Trysten still believes his father is innocent, but the court has rejected the latest attempt to overturn the verdict.
The case remains controversial because the family continues to disagree about what happened on the farm. However, the legal outcome is clear: Todd’s conviction stands.
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2. The Detective and the Chewing Gum Sting: How Did DNA Solve Two Cold Cases?
The second episode follows one of the more unusual investigations in the season. The Detective and the Chewing Gum Sting focuses on two murders that remained unsolved for decades.
The victims were Susan Vesey, murdered in 1980, and Judith “Judy” Weaver, murdered in 1984. Both women were killed in Everett, Washington, and their cases remained open for years.
Cold-case detective Susan Logothetti began examining the investigations again. As she reviewed the available evidence, similarities between the murders raised questions about whether the same person was responsible.
The investigation eventually focused on Mitchell Gaff.
How did the chewing gum reveal the killer?
The biggest breakthrough came through an unusual undercover operation.
Investigators needed a fresh DNA sample from Gaff to compare with evidence collected during the original murder investigations. Instead of directly asking him for a sample, detectives used a research-company cover story.
In January 2024, investigators arranged a fake product or flavour study that allowed them to collect discarded chewing gum from participants. Gaff’s chewed gum provided the DNA sample they needed.
The forensic comparison helped connect him to the murders.
It was a remarkable development because the two crimes had remained unsolved for more than 40 years. Evidence that could not be fully examined with the technology available at the time became useful again through modern DNA testing.
Gaff was arrested in 2024 in connection with Judy Weaver’s murder. Authorities later charged him with Susan Vesey’s murder as well.
What happens at the end?
Instead of going through a full trial, Mitchell Gaff pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder on April 16, 2026. He also admitted his crimes in court.
On May 13, 2026, a judge sentenced him to a minimum of 50 years and a maximum of life in prison.
The ending explained: The chewing gum sting successfully helped investigators connect Mitchell Gaff to two decades-old murder cases. His guilty pleas finally gave the victims’ families an answer after years of uncertainty.
The episode shows how modern forensic technology can bring an old investigation back to life. A discarded piece of chewing gum became an important part of solving two murders that had remained mysteries for generations.
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3. What the Cameras Saw: Who Killed Savannah Tolbert?
What the Cameras Saw investigates the suspicious death of Savannah Tolbert, a 37-year-old woman who was found shot inside a red Tesla in Huntsville, Alabama, on November 15, 2022.
Her husband, David Tolbert, initially presented the incident as a possible suicide. However, investigators noticed several details that did not fit that explanation.
When police arrived, Savannah was sitting in the passenger seat with a gun in her right hand. Although the scene initially raised the possibility of suicide, the position of the gun and the location of the wound created serious questions.
The medical examination also revealed important evidence. Savannah had been shot in the back of her head, and investigators found no gunshot residue on her hands. The medical examiner concluded that the gun had been fired from a distance of approximately three to four feet.
These findings supported a homicide investigation rather than the initial suicide explanation.
How did the security cameras help solve the case?
The investigation became more complicated when detectives began reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses.
Several cameras recorded activity around the Tesla. Although none captured the actual shooting, the recordings helped investigators reconstruct the timeline and examine who approached the vehicle.
Prosecutors argued that David had killed Savannah and attempted to make the scene look like a suicide. They also presented evidence about problems in the marriage and his alleged interest in another relationship.
David denied the accusations. His defence team questioned the prosecution’s interpretation of the evidence and pointed to Savannah’s mental health struggles as part of its argument.
What happens at the end?
The trial took place in May 2025. After hearing the evidence, the jury found David Tolbert guilty of capital murder following approximately three hours of deliberation.
He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His conviction was subsequently upheld by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in January 2026.
The ending explained: David Tolbert was found guilty of Savannah’s murder. The security footage did not directly show the shooting, but it helped investigators establish a timeline when combined with forensic evidence and witness testimony.
The case demonstrates how several pieces of evidence can work together to reveal what happened, even when there is no recording of the actual crime.
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4. The Mansion Above Dale Hollow Lake: Who Killed Mike Harding?
The fourth episode, The Mansion Above Dale Hollow Lake, investigates the murder of Mike Harding and the mysterious death of his wife, Julie Harding.
Their retirement property became associated with a local story about a cursed house. However, investigators were more interested in the troubled relationship between the couple and a possible murder-for-hire arrangement.
Mike disappeared in September 2022 after travelling to a vacant property in Kentucky. He had reportedly received a message from someone claiming to be a real estate agent named James Fraser. The message was connected to an HVAC-related job.
His body was eventually discovered inside the garage. He had been shot four times.
As detectives investigated the murder, they discovered that Mike and Julie were going through a difficult divorce. Their relationship had deteriorated, and financial disagreements had become a major source of conflict.
Investigators also discovered repeated phone contact between Julie and Thomas O’Donnell, a former car salesman from Texas who had moved to California.
Phone records showed 194 calls between Julie and O’Donnell. Detectives also found evidence connecting O’Donnell to the burner phone used to contact Mike. DNA recovered from Mike’s truck was consistent with O’Donnell’s DNA.
Police later found one of Mike’s missing guns in O’Donnell’s truck, along with ammunition matching the type used in the murder.
What happened to Julie Harding?
Another disturbing development occurred after O’Donnell’s arrest.
On December 10, 2022, Julie was found dead outside the mansion. Investigators concluded that she had died by suicide.
Although prosecutors later argued that Julie had helped arrange Mike’s murder, she was never charged with his killing. Her alleged involvement remained a disputed part of the investigation rather than a criminal conviction.
What happens at the end?
Thomas O’Donnell’s trial took place in April 2026. Prosecutors argued that he had helped lure Mike to the vacant property and killed him as part of a murder-for-hire plan.
The defence challenged the prosecution’s account and argued that someone else had actually fired the shots.
After hearing the evidence, the jury found O’Donnell guilty of murdering Mike Harding. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.
The ending explained: Thomas O’Donnell was convicted of Mike Harding’s murder. However, the complete story surrounding Julie’s alleged involvement remains unresolved in court.
The episode provides a legal answer about who was convicted of killing Mike, but it does not resolve every question surrounding the couple’s relationship, financial disagreements, and the events leading to their deaths.
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| Episode | Main Case | Final Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| The Corn Rake Witness | Amy Mullis’s murder | Todd Mullis’s conviction remains in place. His request for a new trial was rejected. |
| The Detective and the Chewing Gum Sting | Two cold-case murders | Mitchell Gaff pleaded guilty to both murders and received a sentence of at least 50 years. |
| What the Cameras Saw | Savannah Tolbert’s murder | David Tolbert was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole. |
| The Mansion Above Dale Hollow Lake | Mike Harding’s murder | Thomas O’Donnell was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. |
| Jade Benning’s Final Call | Jade Benning and her unborn daughter’s deaths | Blaise Taylor was convicted and received two consecutive life sentences. |
5. Jade Benning’s Final Call: Was Blaise Taylor Guilty?
The final episode, Jade Benning’s Final Call, follows the tragic death of Jade Benning, a 24-year-old Nashville chef who was five months pregnant when she became critically ill.
The investigation focused on her boyfriend, Blaise Taylor, a former college football player who had worked as a scout for the Tennessee Titans.
On February 25, 2023, Jade spent the evening with Taylor at her apartment. Prosecutors later alleged that he deliberately put a lethal amount of cocaine into her drink because he did not want to become a father.
Jade became seriously ill and was taken to the hospital. During this period, she called her friend Nijaiha Jackson and said she believed Taylor had put something in her drink.
That conversation became one of the most important parts of the investigation.
Taylor had contacted emergency services and described Jade’s condition as an allergic reaction. However, prosecutors argued that the circumstances pointed to deliberate poisoning.
Jade died on March 6, 2023, her 25th birthday. Her unborn daughter, Ivy, also died.
Why was Jade’s final phone call important?
The phone call helped investigators understand what Jade believed was happening before she died.
During the trial, prosecutors relied on the conversation as part of their argument that Jade had been poisoned without her knowledge.
The prosecution also presented medical evidence and argued that Taylor had deliberately given her cocaine.
The defence challenged the allegations and questioned whether the evidence was sufficient to prove that Taylor had intentionally poisoned her.
What happens at the end?
The jury found Blaise Taylor guilty on July 1, 2026.
He was convicted of second-degree murder in Jade’s death, first-degree premeditated murder in the death of her unborn child, and two counts of felony murder.
The case reached its sentencing stage on September 9, 2026. Taylor received two consecutive life sentences for the deaths of Jade and her unborn daughter.
His defence team announced plans to appeal the conviction.
The ending explained: Blaise Taylor was convicted of murdering Jade Benning and her unborn daughter, Ivy. The prosecution’s case included Jade’s final phone call, medical evidence, and the events surrounding the night she became ill.
The title refers to the conversation Jade had with her friend when she believed something was seriously wrong. That call became a crucial part of the case and helped explain the final hours of her life.
Todd Mullis was convicted of murdering his wife, Amy Mullis, in 2019. He received life imprisonment without parole. His request for a new trial was rejected in June 2026, and his conviction remains in place.
Detectives used an undercover operation to obtain discarded chewing gum from Mitchell Gaff. Investigators extracted DNA from the gum and compared it with evidence from the murders of Susan Vesey and Judy Weaver. Gaff later pleaded guilty to both murders.
Mitchell Gaff was sentenced on May 13, 2026, to a minimum of 50 years and a maximum of life in prison for the two murders.
Savannah Tolbert’s husband, David Tolbert, was convicted of her murder. Prosecutors presented forensic evidence and surveillance footage during the trial. He received life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.