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Steven Avery: On ‘Dateline’ NBC Again, Investigator Speaks Out: ‘He Did It!’

By Traciy Reyes
Published on: 05:36 PST, Feb 16, 2017

Dateline will be reviewing the infamous Steven Avery “Making A Murderer” case once again. Dateline featured the controversial Netflix-bingeing story in a previous episode titled “The State Of Wisconsin Vs. Avery.” However, this Friday, an up close and personal interview with the lead investigator and former prosecutor will be aired in a new Dateline episode titled “Return To Manitowoc County: The State Of Wisconsin Vs Steven A. Avery.”

Steven Avery is still in prison for the murder of Teresa Halbach. His conviction of Halbach’s murder sparked concern because many believed that Avery had not committed the murder but was framed by police in retaliation for his wrongful conviction release and his impending law suit against Mantitowoc County. In the 1980s, Steven Avery was wrongfully convicted of the rape of another woman.

With the release of Netflix’s Making A Murderer, questions and conspiracies began to abound regarding whether Steven Avery was actually guilty of Halbach’s murder or if he was indeed framed by police.

Dateline NBC will begin its story with a review of the case.

According to friends and family, Steven Avery was a happy-go-lucky person who seemed fun to be around. Without much money or education, he had many hardships in life. But in the minds of some–that doesn’t make him a killer.

According to the Innocence Project, Steven Avery spent 18 years in prison for the rape of Penny Ann Beernsten. Although DNA eventually proved that he didn’t do it, for those who love Steven Avery, his wrongful conviction was a grave injustice.

Law enforcement was heavily criticized for the way they handled the case. Steven Avery and his attorneys were so incensed that they had prepared to launch at $36 million law suit against Manitowoc County, which would have made the prosecutor and the police department accountable for the actions that led to Avery’s unjust imprisonment for almost 20 years.

But in a weird turn of events, Steven Avery found himself being accused of murder just two years after he was freed in the first case.

In 2005, 25-year-old Teresa Halbach, a photographer, disappeared. She was reportedly last at the home of Steven Avery. Halbach’s car was later found by a family member, according to JSOnline.

“Pamela Sturm, a second cousin, and her daughter, Nikole, searched Avery Auto Salvage on Nov. 5, 2005 and said she found the Toyota less than 30 minutes after beginning a search of the salvage yard, which is nearly 40 acres in size and contained as many as 4,000 vehicles.. Authorities later determined that the Toyota was Halbach’s SUV and, eventually, that Halbach’s blood and Avery’s blood were found inside it. Sturm said she had no contact with law enforcement officers before she joined a volunteer-led search for Halbach. It was organized by Halbach’s friend and former boyfriend, Ryan Hillegas. More than 100 people participated in that search, but none had volunteered to search the salvage yard until Sturm arrived. Sturm testified that she offered to search the salvage yard because she heard news reports that Halbach was last seen with Avery, who lives near the salvage yard, five days earlier.”

Police zeroed in on Steven Avery as the prime suspect. In shock, many around Steven Avery believed that this could not be true but was a frame-up constructed by police.

Since the release of Netflix’s Making A Murderer, Avery’s supporters have been left angry while rooting for his release. Others are sure that prison is where he needs to be because he is a dangerous menace to society.

Steven Avery has always maintained his innocence.

On Dateline this Friday, listen in as the lead investigator speaks out in his own defense and find out why the former prosecutor thinks that Steven Avery made himself a murderer.

Also, get an update on what Avery’s attorneys are working on next to free him from prison a second time. Brendan Dassey, the nephew of Steven Avery, had his conviction overturned last year. Brendan Dassey was also convicted in the death of Teresa Halbach after he confessed to the murder and implicated his uncle. The following statement was released, according to People.

“Two state courts carefully examined the evidence and properly concluded that Brendan Dassey’s confession to sexually assaulting and murdering Teresa Halbach with his uncle, Steven Avery, was voluntary, and the investigators did not use constitutionally impermissible tactics.”

Dateline airs this Friday, February 17, at 10/9 p.m. Central on NBC. In another episode of Dateline, the Mollie Olgin lesbian teen case was featured.

[Featured Image by Dwight Nale/AP Images]

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