When the County Attorney asks Mr. Hale to describe the events that transpired when he arrived at the Wright farm the previous day, Mr. Hale mentions that Mrs. Wright was casually sitting in her rocker, folding an apron. According to Mr. Hale, Mrs. Wright was kind of "pleating" the apron and had a "queer" look on her face, as if she did not know what she was going to do next. Mr. Hale proceeds to tell the County Attorney that Mrs. Wright did not seem to mind his presence and acted aloof and distant during their brief interaction. Mr. Hale also says that Mrs. Wright laughed when he asked to see her husband and calmly mentioned that he was dead. When Mr. Hale asked her how Mr. Wright died, she casually said, "He died of a rope round his neck."

Mr. Hale also mentions that Mrs. Wright seemed rather dismissive and unconcerned about her husband's death and admitted that she did not wake up while her husband was being strangled. When Henry left the house to inform the authorities, Mr. Hale noticed that Mrs. Wright seemed afraid. According to Mr. Hale's testimony, Mrs. Wright's aloof, abnormal behavior is suspicious. Given the seriousness of the situation, one would expect her to be astonished, concerned, and attentive. The fact that she never reported her husband's death and seems indifferent about the entire situation is unsettling and suspicious.

Mrs. Wright was aware of her husband's death and her calm, unconcerned demeanor does not suggest that she was ever in shock. Although Mr. Wright was a strong, capable farmer, it would be difficult for him to defend himself while he was asleep in bed. Mrs. Wright could have carefully slipped the rope around his neck while he was sleeping before he had a chance to react or fight back. Mrs. Wright could have strangled her unsuspecting husband with relative ease simply by pulling hard on the rope and asphyxiating him. Overall, Mrs. Wright's initial reaction to Mr. Hale is suspicious, and she could have easily killed her husband in his sleep.