A Brief History of Steven Avery

This is an attempt to give some order to the sequence of events regarding Steven Avery. This will be updated from time to time.

09 July 1962 – Date of Birth

1981- Conviction for two counts of felony burglary and sentenced to two years in prison. The sentence is stayed. Instead, Avery is placed on probation for five years, sentenced to ten months in the Manitowoc County Jail, and ordered to pay restitution.

The charges were a result of Avery breaking into a bar. He stole two cases of beer, two sandwiches, and change.

1982 – Charged with and convicted of cruelty to animals for pouring oil on a cat and throwing the cat into a bonfire. The two-year prison sentence from 1981 is imposed. Avery receives ninth months in jail for the cruelty conviction.

January 1985 – Charged with endangering safety and felon in possession of a firearm for forcing a female driver off the road and pointing a rifle at her. He ordered the woman into his car but relented when she pointed out an infant in her car, and he verified. The woman was the wife of a part-time Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Deputy. He readily confessed. The reason he gave police for the behavior was his belief that the woman had stated that Avery had appeared naked in his yard.

1985 – Charged with the sexual assault and beating of a jogger which occurred on 29 July, 1985.

14 December 1985 – Convicted of attempted homicide, sexual assault, and false imprisonment for the July 29, 1985 rape.

10 March 1986 – Sentenced to thirty-two years in prison for the attempted homicide, sexual assault and imprisonment. Six years imprisonment for the January 1985 charge was ordered concurrent with this sentence.

1987 – Cards to children contained threats to their mother. Letters to wife threatening death.⁽¹⁾

16 June 1993 – Wife Lori files for divorce.⁽¹⁾

11 September 2003 – Released from prison after DNA test results tied the 1985 rape to another man, Gregory Allen.

12 October 2004 – Files Federal lawsuit against Manitowoc County for thirty-six million dollars.

17 February 2005 – Convicted of disorderly conduct.

31 October 2006 – Teresa Halbach missing after photographing Avery’s van.

9 November 2005 – Avery arrested for felon in possession of a firearm for possession of a black powder weapon.

November 14, 2005 – Arraignment hearing charging Avery with the murder of Teresa Halbach.

February 2006 – Settlement of lawsuit against Manitowoc County for $400,000.00.

2 March 2006 – Brendan Dassey (Steven Avery’s nephew) confession of being an accomplice in the Teresa Halbach murder announced by Kratz at a press conference. Kratz gives very specific details in a lengthy session. Evidence had yet to be gathered to corroborate the confession.

3 March 2006 – Brendan Dassey Arraignment.

8 March 2006 – Documents filed by prosecutor claim that while in prison, Avery diagramed a torture chamber. And Avery discussed plans for torture and murder (of young women) with fellow inmates. This information is based upon inmate statements. Kratz did not disclosed specific dates for the allegation.

Kratz also claimed that “Steven Avery has a long history of acts of violence, mostly perpetrated against female victims, which acts include physical and sexual violence,” without giving a factual detail.

1 April 2006 – Dateline NBC coverage of two Avery cases; the 1985 conviction and the Teresa Halbach murder. The primary focus was on the victim of the 1985 rape.

(1) News reports attribute the 1987 threatening letters to divorce. The CCAP gives a filing date of 1993 for a divorce. It is unclear how this filing date relates to the earlier date of 1987 for the divorce.