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Dateline: Unforgettable's new episode, titled Return to Manitowoc County, will chronicle the shocking 2005 murder case of Wisconsin photographer Teresa Halbach. The episode will not only provide a deeper insight into the events that led to the crime, but will also feature numerous emotional and insightful interviews with Halbach's family and friends.
The episode premieres on Oxygen on October 4, 2023, at 8 pm ET. The official synopsis, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:
"It's a mystery that defies easy answers, and "Dateline" has been following it for more than a decade; Steven Avery and his teenage nephew were convicted of killing Teresa Halbach; now, Andrea Canning shares her insight into the controversial case."
Upon discovering a chaotic crime scene with numerous bloodstains and fragments of burnt skin, the police filed an enormous amount of DNA evidence in the murder case and uncovered some shocking facts. While the alleged killers were finally apprehended, there remain numerous controversial and unexplained facts about the case today.
Disclaimer: This article contains details about a homicide. Readers' discretion is advised.
5 things to know about Teresa Halbach's murder case
1) Teresa Halbach disappeared on October 31, 2005
On October 31, 2005, Teresa Halbach seemingly vanished.
Her last stated appointment was a meeting at the Avery house, close to the premises of Avery's Auto Salvage, where she reportedly wanted to take pictures of a minivan that Avery's sister was selling on Autotrader.com.
She was officially reported missing on November 3, 2005, by her mother. As per Oxygen, Halbach's car was discovered in the salvage yard, partially hidden, and bloodstains were discovered inside.
2) Police uncovered a large amount of evidence in the case
DNA tests conducted on the bloodstains found in Halbach's car showed that there were actually two sets of blood that were present at the scene. While one belonged to the victim, the other allegedly belonged to Steven Avery.
Naturally, police conducted an extensive investigation into Avery's life, uncovering substantial evidence in the case.
The evidence used against Avery included charred bone fragments in a fire pit on his property, bits of electronic and camera equipment in a burn barrel, a bullet with Halbach's DNA in Avery's garage, and a key to Halbach's vehicle with Avery's DNA on it.
3) Stephen Avery disputed the claims made against him
On November 11, 2005, Avery was arrested for Halbach's murder, kidnapping, s*xual assault, and mutilation of a corpse. Despite the circumstantial evidence, he has persistently argued that he is innocent and that the murder accusation was fabricated in order to harm his ongoing civil lawsuit.
For context, the $36 million lawsuit in question was filed by Avery against the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office, which had wrongfully convicted him in a r*pe case in 1985, leading him to spend 18 years in prison before DNA testing finally prove that he was not guilty, as per Oxygen.
It is because of this lawsuit that the county claimed to have turned over the murder investigation to the sheriff's office in the nearby Calumet County. Manitowoc sheriff's deputies, however, took part in many searches of Avery's trailer, garage, and property under the supervision of Calumet County authorities, leading to Avery's supporters accusing them of planting evidence.
As per Oxygen, Avery's lawyers found that an evidence box containing a vial of his blood that had been gathered in connection with his 1985 case had been opened and included what they thought to be a fresh puncture hole in the cork. They hypothesized that the blood discovered in Halbach's automobile might have been smuggled out of the container and placed there to implicate Avery.
4) Brendan Dassey confesses to being an accessory to murder
Brendan Dassey, Avery's nephew, was charged as an accessory in March 2006 after admitting during questioning that he had assisted Avery in killing Teresa Halbach and disposing of the body.
Later, he reneged on his confession, alleging coercion, and declined to testify about his involvement at Avery's trial. During his testimony at his own trial, he made no indication of coercion.
In a separate trial, Dassey was found guilty of murder, r*pe, and desecration of the corpse.
5) Steven Avery was sentenced to life in prison
All charges of s*xual assault were dismissed at pretrial hearings in January 2007. In March 2007, Calumet County Circuit Court Judge Patrick Willis presided over Avery's trial, which was prosecuted by Calumet District Attorney Ken Kratz.
Avery was found not guilty of the allegation of body mutilation but was convicted of murder and illegal possession of a handgun on March 18. He received a concurrent five-year term for the weapons charge and a life sentence for the murder conviction, with no chance of parole.
He is currently serving his sentence at the Fox Lake Correctional Institution in Wisconsin.
Dateline: Unforgettable's new episode, Return to Manitowoc County, premieres on Oxygen on October 4, 2023 at 8 pm ET.
