Steven Avery was found guilty today of first-degree homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon for his role in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach.


Manitowoc County Judge Patrick Willis, who presided over the six-week trial, announced the verdict to a packed courtroom.

The jury acquitted Avery of mutilation of a corpse.

Avery, 44, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison, plus 28 ½ years if convicted, but the judge has the option of setting a parole eligibility date.

He is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, false imprisonment, mutilation of a corpse and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the Oct. 31, 2005, disappearance of Halbach, a 25-year-old freelance photographer from St. John in Calumet County.

She was last seen at Avery’s home west of Mishicot photographing a van Avery was selling.

Her vehicle was found Nov. 3, 2005, in the 40-acre Avery's Auto Salvage by volunteer searchers.

Avery’s nephew, 17-year-old Brendan Dassey, also is charged in connection with Halbach’s death, and his trial is scheduled to begin April 16 before Manitowoc County Judge Jerome Fox.

Avery and his defense attorneys, Dean Strang of Madison and Jerome Buting of Brookfield, contend Avery’s blood had been planted on Halbach’s sport utility vehicle in retaliation for a $36 million federal civil lawsuit he had filed against Manitowoc County and several former officials.

That lawsuit was in response to Avery’s arrest and conviction for a 1985 rape, for which he was freed by DNA evidence after serving 18 years in prison.

Avery is the first of nearly 1,000 prisoners freed from prison by Project Innocence cases across the country to be convicted of homicide.
Bastard lived a few miles down the road from me, killed a sweet young woman. Played the conspiracy card and lost. I wish nothing but misery for this sorry **ck.