Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” is one of the most bizarre, jaw dropping true crime documentaries ever made. Steven Avery, a man from Manitowoc, Wisconsin was exonerated through new DNA evidence after spending 18 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
Just two years later in 2005, Avery landed himself behind bars again for the murder of 25-year-old Teresa Halbach. Although he maintained his innocence once again, Avery was convicted of murder in the first degree and is still serving out his sentence.
But things just took a dramatic turn once again after a Wisconsin inmate just confessed to Teresa Halbach’s killing from Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” documentary, which Avery was convicted for.
Either Steven Avery is the world’s unluckiest guy to be wrongly convicted twice or the mechanic from Manitowoc, Wisconsin is guilty. But the details surrounding Teresa Halbach’s murder are astounding and that’s why Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” is one of the most exhilarating true crime documentaries ever made.
The motive for Halbach’s murder remains a mystery. In fact, you could argue the Manitowoc Police Department, with the county in general, had more of a motive to make it look like Avery committed the murder than if he actually did it.
Avery had no clear motive, but the city and state had 36 million reasons, which was due to be owed to exonerated man in the coming months when Halbach was murdered.
The evidence presented during Avery’s trial had some very peculiar and suspicious things about it.
— The Manitowoc Police Department were not supposed to get involved beyond lending equipment, but were there at every critical juncture.
— One of the local officers was left alone by the vehicle for several hours after the car was discovered in Avery’s junkyard BEFORE blood had been discovered inside.
— When the key to Halbach’s car was conveniently discovered inside the home of Avery, it was discovered in plain view even though they had turned the place upside down for nearly a week.
— A fragment of a bullet was found in Avery’s garage after it had been searched many times.
— A vial of Avery’s blood from the 1985 wrongful conviction had clearly been tampered with by a punctured hole on the rubber top.
— Brendan Dassey, Avery’s dimwitted nephew—also convicted of Halbach’s murder—was clearly taken advantage of during interrogation by the detectives who were obviously leading him into answers. Dassey’s IQ level was valued around 75 which is 25 points below the national average.
The second season of “Making a Murderer” focused largely around Avery’s new lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, who has been fighting for an appeal in the state and federal courts.
Now, an unnamed Wisconsin inmate, a multiple murderer, has officially confessed to Halbach’s murder, which will be featured in “Convicting a Murderer,” Netflix’s third installment season. They have yet to release the alleged criminal’s identity because law enforcement has not confirmed the confession’s legitimacy.
And therein lies the problem.
Director of “Convicting a Murderer,” Shawn Rech, told Newsweek on Monday, “We haven’t confirmed the legitimacy of the confession but seeing as it was given by a notable convicted murderer from Wisconsin, we feel responsible to deliver any and all possible evidence to law enforcement and legal teams.”
Avery’s lawyer, Zellner, is being practical about the confession too.
We received the handwritten confession on Saturday. It is worthless unless it is corroborated.#MakingAMurderer2 #WorkingOnIt #NotsoFast
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) September 24, 2019
However, Rech claims that the confession, if it falls through, isn’t the only evidence that would help exonerate Avery.
He said, “Having been in production for 20 months, we’ve uncovered an unfathomable amount of information and evidence that is leading us to the truth. Our investigation does not end here.”
Now, is it possible that this unnamed, alleged serial killer is lying about the confession? Of course. It happens all the time. Maybe it’s one last hope for notoriety or call it clinical insanity, but innocent people confess to crimes they didn’t do all the time.
Zellner will probably either corroborate it or call it a big fat lie in the coming weeks.