Posted on 11/09/2005 2:32:54 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
A man who served 18 years in prison for a rape he did not commit said Tuesday night he is afraid he is being framed for the disappearance of a Calumet County woman whose car was found at a junkyard run by his family.
"It's a headache. Everybody's worried about it. They can't sleep, they're so worried," Steve Avery said of himself and his large family, who live in Manitowoc County, mostly in the Two Rivers area.
Calumet County authorities are searching for 25-year-old Teresa Marie Halbach of Hilbert. Halbach, a freelance photographer for Auto Trader Magazine, was last seen Oct. 31, when she had three scheduled appointments for the publication. One of the appointments was at the salvage yard run by Avery's brother.
Investigators on Tuesday discovered evidence that makes them fear for the safety of Halbach, the Calumet County sheriff said.
Investigators still were searching Avery's property Tuesday, Sheriff Jerry Pagel said. He refused to provide any details except to say the search included excavations on or near the Avery property.
Avery's parents, Delores and Allen Avery, live on the property, and Steve Avery said Tuesday he's been living rent-free in "a house trailer close to the junkyard."
Avery was convicted of a 1985 sexual assault and exonerated by DNA evidence 18 years later. He was released from prison Sept. 11, 2003. Since then, the high school dropout has "been helping out at the yard, eight hours a day," he said. His work is unpaid, but "they help me out with food and gas. I work for my older brother. It gives me something to do until the lawsuit is settled," he said.
Avery sued Manitowoc County and its former sheriff and district attorney for $36 million over his wrongful conviction, and he has said he fears someone is trying to set him up as a suspect in Halbach's disappearance. Avery said he has nothing to hide.
"Everybody's taking it pretty rough," Avery said. "My mother breaks down. My brother broke down."
Rumors are flying, Avery said.
"I'm afraid. I heard tonight that a cop put her car in the (Avery salvage) yard."
The junkyard, his parents' adjacent home and his trailer remain under control of the authorities, and his parents have not been able to get inside their home for his mother to retrieve her medications, Avery said.
"I can't go home. Nobody can go home. They got it all blocked off," he said.
"I had to borrow a car. They took my car. Where I'm going to stay tonight, I don't know. I might stay in the back of the car."
Avery's attorney, Walter Kelly, has said he's confident Avery had nothing to do with Halbach's disappearance.
Is Avery afraid they'll arrest him in connection with the missing woman?
"That's always in my mind," he said.
Manitowoc County Sheriff Ken Petersen couldn't be reached for comment on Avery's suspicions Tuesday night. A call to him was referred to Calumet County Sheriff Gerald Pagel, who also was unreachable.
"Calumet County is handling the investigation," a Manitowoc County sheriff's dispatcher said.
Manitowoc County District Attorney Mark Rohrer has appointed the Calumet County district attorney, Ken Kratz, special prosecutor in the Halbach case because he wants to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
Kratz said investigators executed search warrants on the Avery property as well as in other counties, including in Marinette County, where the Avery family has a cabin.
Halbach's vehicle was found at the Avery salvage yard Saturday, when Avery was at his father's vacation property near Crivitz. Officers searched the cabin Saturday and impounded Avery's car and a flatbed truck.
In my drinking days - more than 25 years ago I spent a few short periods in jail but I have a brother-in-law who did 23 years in prison. He tells me that he would rather be anywhere on earth rather than locked up. He has gone straight now for about 15 years. I'm inclined to agree with him on that prison thing.
We have a brother of a friend who spent quite a while in prison, too. He's straight as an arrow, now. Just youthful stupidity and of course, alcohol and drugs. And my lovely Ex-SIL is FINALLY in a women's prison for three years after her SIXTH drunk driving conviction. But, I think she's a lost cause. She's never straightened up, and I don't think she's long for this world most likely by her own hand.
It's not lookin' like Mr. Avery is going to be a Poster Child for suing the State for wrongful imprisonment, either. It's a sad situation all the way around. I hope this woman is found, but I don't think it's going to be good news when they find her. :(
So many people have been freed after DNA testing that many states have set limits on compensation that wrongfully convicted may receive. I don't know if Wisconsin is one of them.
Hey I remember that thread but I never did hear how you got it out. Please tell me!
Heck of a motive for local LE and an injustice system that has already proven themselves to be corrupt.
It's explained by looking at the two links on post # 463
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1122129/posts?page=463#463
Mr. Avery is not a choir boy who was framed. He has done time twice for felony burglary, once for cruelty to animals, and once for reckless endangerment. He was well known by the local LE community, and corruption was not a part of his misfortune.
OK ....so where are the pictures LOL
IOW...he threw them away!!!
Human remains leftover from incendiary action which were not completely successful were found on the Avery property.
Her teeth and bones were found. hang em high
Manitowoc County
Sheriff to Halbachs: Search No Longer Needed
Nov 10, 2005, 11:20 AM CST
Action 2 News
Sheriff to Halbachs: Search No Longer Needed
Steven Avery Arrested; Family to Submit DNA, Fingerprints
Avery's Lawyer Responds
Following the Evidence
Homeless Students Helped by Late Principal's Memory
Laurie Depies's Mother Feels for Halbach Family
State's High Court Hears John Maloney's Appeal
Unanswered Questions in Suicidal Teen's Standoffs
Standoffs Were Learning Experiences for De Pere Schools
Bradley Williams's Death Restores a Man's Sight
Action 2 News has learned Calumet County Sheriff Jerry Pagel told Teresa Halbach's family a search for her is not needed today. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced Highway 147 -- which had been closed for the search effort -- will reopen after 3 p.m.
Halbach, 25, from Calumet County, has been missing for ten days.
The corner of county highways Y and Q remained blocked off Thursday. Overnight, police blocked off even more of Highway 147 as they continued to search for clues in the disappearance.
Investigators refocused their efforts on the Avery Auto Salvage property Thusrday. That's where Halbach was last seen on October 31, and where her sport utility vehicle was found last Saturday.
An affidavit filed in Calumet County court Thursday morning shows investigators believe someone was trying to conceal Halbach's vehicle. It says investigators found tree branches covering her vehicle and some vehicle parts placed alongside the SUV.
The affidavit also says Halbach is the victim of a crime including but not limited to homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and theft.
Wednesday Sheriff Pagel said they found evidence "human in nature."
We expect to get more information about the evidence and an update on the investigation during a news conference at 1:30 p.m. Action 2 News will carry that news conference live on WBAY-TV 2.
I know, I know, no one here would.
I would as fast as I could if I were innocent.
Leni
Latest word is that blood, bones and teeth have been found on/in his property and her car key was found in his bedroom. This makes me physically sick. I hope the Project Innocence people sleep well knowing they unleashed a monster on the community.
Yes, I saw parts of the news conference. It certainly sounds like a very gruesome crime scene. It also appears his family members (at least some) had knowledge, at least after the fact.
"I hope the Project Innocence people sleep well knowing they unleashed a monster on the community."
I agree. And they've been all over our local talk radio today backpedaling and giving us the "He was found innocent! Just because he didn't do the FIRST crime, doesn't mean he's guilty of THIS crime."
Yeesh. I hate it when this happens. You know, I used to be totally against the Death Penalty because I was sure that our legal system was corrupt and too many innocent people were being put to death, but with this guys track record, why the h#ll would they (The Innocence Project) even consider him as a case to work on?!?!?
The project innocence people have a different sense of things than you, I or most Freepers....they abhor the idea that people would be incarcerated for preventative reasons....at worst, only incarcerate for a limited time as some sort of punishment, because of course it wasn't the defendants fault they committed the crime.
Sometimes in society there just are some bad, bad dudes that society is better off having behind bars. The Madison libs can't admit that fact, because it proves too much re: conservatism. But, after Avery, its staring them right in the face.
No, Lifetime is not interested in movies where the man is innocent or a sympathetic character.
They should change the name of that channel to "Death-Time" or "Rape-Time".
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