Halbach's Guilty: The Steven Avery Murder Trial

“My job as a prosecutor is to do justice. And justice is served when a guilty man is convicted and an innocent man is not.” This quote is from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She is well known for extremely controversial court decisions in court cases, much like the controversy surrounding the Steven Avery murder trial. In 2005, Steven Avery was accused and charged with the murder of Teresa Halbach when Halbach was on Avery’s property to take pictures of his vehicle for Autotrader. This murder was just like any other murder, other than the fact that many believe he is innocent. This belief of innocence is sparked by “Making a Murderer,” a television series that brought public attention to the involvement of the Manitowoc County Police

Department. In the extremely controversial court case of Steven Avery, the guilty verdict correctly prosecuted Avery because he committed violent acts before, displayed a clear obsession with Teresa Halbach, and possessed evidence at the scene.
Avery’s past proved his capability of extreme violence. First, Avery burned his family cat alive. When Steven was younger, he doused his family cat with gasoline, threw it into a bonfire, and watched it suffer. He was later accused and charged with animal cruelty where he spent nine months in jail (Verhoeven). This cruel act was an example of how unsympathetic Steven Avery was while hurting others. His actions displayed in this incident would be repeated. Avery would continue to act out against others in the form of violence. Second, Avery threatened his cousin at gunpoint. According to Source Documents from the Steven Avery Trial, “Avery ran Sandra Morris, his cousin and a deputy’s wife, of of the road with his car. He had a rifle, and tried to force Morris into his car at gunpoint, but let her go when she told him her infant daughter was with her. Avery admitted to the crime…” Avery admitting to this heinous act not only shows his guilt, but it also shows that he knows what he did was wrong. Although Avery did show some sympathy by letting her go, he didn't do so until he heard that her infant daughter was with her. This brings up the question of what would he have done had Morris’s daughter not been with her. The aggression that he showed in his actions would earn him time in prison. Third, Avery assaulted his ex-wife Jodi Stachowski. In Sep 2004, Avery was taken into custody for domestic assault charges where his then fiancee told police that Avery beat her, strangled her, told her he was going to kill her, knocked her unconscious, and then dragged her to his car before she woke up (Jeltsen). This third act of violence showed that Avery has no sense of mercy. Stachowski told police that she was scared to be reporting the abuse, even when she was under protection from them. The fact that Stachowski was scared to report this incident also shows that this type of abuse most likely happened before in their relationship. Avery’s past exhibitions of violence help prove his guilt in the case.
Avery displayed a clear obsession with Teresa Halbach prior to the murder. To begin with, Avery used a pseudonym to lure Halbach. Steven Avery called Autotrader on Oct 31 under the fake name, Barb Janda, in order to trick Halbach into coming back to his house (Willett). The only reason Avery would need a fake name would be to get Halbach to come back to his house. Avery’s extent of using a fake name also shows that he obsessed over Halbach. This was an example of Avery using any way that he can to get to Halbach. Secondly, Avery’s obsession was proven in a second call to Autotrader. Avery called Autotrader again on Oct 31 where he asked for “the same girl that was here last time.” Halbach did not want to go back to Avery’s house because the last time she was there he answered the door only wearing a towel (Willett). Anyone would feel uncomfortable if they were greeted at the door with someone only wearing a towel. This fact likely contributed to why Halbach did not want to go back to Avery’s. On top of this, Avery would have no need to ask for the same girl as last time unless he had an obsession for her. Finally, Steven Avery attempted to call Halbach multiple times before the murder. In the article from Willett, “‘Phone records show three calls from Avery to Teresa’s telephone on October 31 [2005],’ Kratz said in the email. ‘One at 2:24 p.m., and one at 2:35 p.m. — both calls Avery uses the *67 feature so Teresa doesn’t know it him [sic]...both placed before she arrives. Then one last call at 4:35 p.m., without the *67 feature” (Willett). The call at 4:35 p.m. was after the concluded time of the murder. This third and final call led prosecutors to claim that he called her this time to be able to set up the alibi that he did not know she was dead. There is no reason for Avery to have to conceal his identity unless there was something he was trying to hide, such as an obsession. This obsession that Steven Avery has with Teresa Halbach is not only disturbing, it proves his guilt.
Evidence at the scene points towards Steven Avery’s guilt.

First, Halbach’s remains in the fire pit were discovered on Avery’s property. In an email from Ken Krats (The District Attorney of Calumet County) during the investigation, he states that there was a tooth which was ID’d through Halbach’s dental records in the fire pit. Along with the tooth, a rivet from her jeans was also found (Willett). A counter claim in the case is that it might not have been Halbach’s remains. The remains, however, were identified through dental records, so there was no doubt that it was indeed the remains of Halbach on his property. These remains were where they were also aligned with the statements given in Brenden Dassey’s confession. Second, The bullet found in the garage had her evidence on it, and was fired from Avery’s gun. According to Willett, “In Avery’s garage, police found a bullet that had Halbach’s DNA on it. Katz said in the email that the ballistics proved the bullet was shot from Avery’s rifle that police had confiscated back when they first searched the property” (Willett). The bullet is difficult evidence to ignore. Not only was it found in his garage, but it was deduced that it was fired out of Avery’s gun that he keeps in his room. For the bullet to have been planted, someone would have had to fire a bullet out of Avery’s rifle, place Halbach’s DNA on it, and then plant it in his garage. Third, Avery’s DNA was found in various places on the scene. Avery’s sweat was found under the hood of Halbach’s car, and on Halbach’s car keys (Watt). Avery’s sweat being where it was matched perfectly with Brenden Dassey’s confession, because Dassey described a specific event where Avery had to open the hood to reset the odometer. The police only had access to his blood, so there is not anyway that they could have planted his sweat. The only way for Avery’s sweat to have gotten there would be from him touching it. The evidence found in the fire pit, the garage, and Halbach’s

car convicts Avery.
In the extremely controversial court case of Steven Avery, the guilty verdict correctly prosecuted Avery because he had committed violent acts before, had a clear obsession with Teresa Halbach, and evidence at the scene confirms Avery’s guilt. With all of this in mind, some still may say Steven Avery was innocent; however, the evidence is greatly skewed against him, and the question still remains: Was justice served or not in the case of Steven Avery?