AP News, April 17th, 2007
The nephew of a man convicted of raping and killing a photographer then burning her body "stood ready and willing to assist," a prosecutor said at the outset of the nephew's trial Monday.
A defense attorney for Brendan Dassey said his client knew nothing of the rape and murder of 25-year-old Teresa Halbach even though he helped his uncle Steven Avery clean up the garage where investigators believe the murder took place.
Dassey, 17, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and first-degree sexual assault in connection with Halbach's death. Avery, 44, was found guilty of her murder last month.
Halbach disappeared Oct. 31, 2005, after going to the yard in rural Manitowoc County to photograph a minivan that Avery's sister was selling through Auto Trader Magazine. Avery had called that morning to request the photo, testimony showed.
In statements to investigators that Dassey later recanted, he said he heard screams coming from Avery's trailer that Halloween and that Avery answered the door half naked and offered him to rape Halbach, who was shackled to the bed in Avery's bedroom, special prosecutor Ken Kratz said.
Dassey told investigators the two stabbed Halbach and took her body to the garage, where Avery shot her at least 10 times, killing her, Kratz said. Dassey said they then burned Halbach's body, camera and cell phone in a barrel and cleaned the garage with bleach, paint thinner and gasoline, Kratz said.
Kratz said evidence corroborated that account, including leg irons and handcuffs found in Avery's bedroom, Halbach's SUV found at the salvage lot, two bullets found in the garage _ one with Halbach's DNA on it _ and bleach spatters found on jeans Dassey wore that evening.
Dassey refused to testify at his uncle's trial.
Dassey's attorney Mark Fremgen said his client had a low IQ and was easily manipulated. He said Dassey helped Avery clean his garage and that his client's DNA was not found anywhere in Avery's trailer, proving he couldn't have taken part in her killing.
Avery's trial for Halbach's killing drew widespread attention because he had previously served 18 years in prison for a 1985 rape that DNA evidence later showed he didn't commit. He claimed he was being framed by the same sheriff's department that put him away in the 1985 case.
