MAKING A MURDERER’S Steven Avery has moved on from his two failed prison engagements and has a new mystery girlfriend, his ex-fiancee has revealed.
It’s been eight years since the documentary became a Netflix sensation and catapulted Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey, who were convicted of the murder of photographer Teresa Halbech, to international stardom.
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Avery, now 61, who has always claimed he is innocent of Teresa’s murder and was framed, has made the most of his fame, which includes adulation from plenty of female admirers.
Former fiancee and close pal Sandra Greenman told The U.S. Sun that Avery, remains in “good spirits” as he waits to see if the appeals court will grant him a new hearing – and has even embarked on yet another romance from behind bars.
Sandra had an on-again-off-again relationship with Avery and she once revealed he was receiving over 40 letters and pictures of near-naked women a day after the hit show first aired in 2015 – and thought he was a “Hollywood star”.
In 2016, Avery ditched Sandra for a short-lived relationship with blonde penpal Lynn Hartman, a former paralegal from Las Vegas who later turned on him and accused him of calling her crude nicknames such as “my vagina” and said he demanded “four-hour sex sessions”.
But despite all their ups and downs, Sandra and Avery are still close friends and she remains one of his staunchest supporters.
“Steven and I are just friends but I will always stand by him,” Sandra said.
“I have had many people on support groups assume we are back together. I am still in contact with him, and visit as much as I can. He’s doing pretty good under the circumstances.
“He has a girlfriend. She doesn’t want it made public though. Strange, but her and I are friends.
“She lives in another state, but is here often. I think she is good for him. I hope so anyway!”
Avery was sentenced to life without parole for killing 25-year-old Teresa on 31 October 2005 alongside his nephew Dassey, then 16, who has a mental age of nine.
Teresa’s charred bone remains were found close to Avery’s home in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and her blood-stained car was partially concealed in the family’s salvage yard.
At the time of his arrest, Avery was suing Manitowoc County for $36 million over being wrongfully imprisoned for 18 years for sexually assaulting Penny Bernstein.
‘MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE’
Since the show, hotshot criminal lawyer Kathleen Zellner has taken on the case proclaiming a miscarriage of justice and arguing that his conviction was based on planted evidence and false testimony – but has had repeated appeal attempts rebuffed by the courts.
Avery’s team is currently waiting for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals to make a decision on his latest request for a new evidentiary hearing, filed last month.
Despite all the legal knockbacks so far, Sandra says Avery is confident he will one day be free.
“He does still believe [he’ll get justice]..that’s what keeps him going. I just got off the phone with him, and he sounds very upbeat,” Sandra said.
“His wish would be to have them open prison doors and set him free. But…he wants to prove his innocence.”
Sandra Greenman, Steven Avery’s friend
“He manages to stay very optimistic …I don’t know how he does it. I’m praying the appellate court judges will make the right decision, and he will get the chance to prove he is innocent.
“His wish would be to have them open prison doors and set him free. But…he wants to prove his innocence. That would mean a new trial.
“But yes, it would be the next best thing to have a hearing and let KZ [Kathleen Zellner] do her magic. There are a few people that I would love to hear their answers to KZ.”
PRISON LIFE
Sandra also opened up on Steven’s day-to-day life in prison.
“Steve doesn’t have a job [in prison] right now,” she said.
“He spends time going through case stuff. It’s always on his mind.
“And also thinking about where he wants to live when he is out. What kind of property he wants, and where.
“He spends time going through case stuff. It’s always on his mind. And also thinking about where he wants to live when he is out.”
Sandra Greenman
“He plays cards with other inmates, and spends a lot of time on the phone.”
Avery’s appeal centers on claims surrounding Bobby Dassey, Avery’s other nephew, who was the star witness for the prosecution.
‘POTENTIAL THIRD SUSPECT’
In a brief filed last month, Avery’s lawyers allege that Bobby planted Teresa’s car at the Avery Salvage Yard – citing evidence from a new witness Thomas Sowinski, who came forward after Avery’s trial and said he saw Bobby pushing the vehicle into the property.
They argue that Bobby should be considered a “potential third party suspect”, stating: “At a bare minimum, the Sowinski evidence connects Bobby to Ms. Halbach’s murder…
“It establishes that Bobby lied to investigators about his whereabouts during times relevant to determining Ms. Halbach’s murder (noting, of course, that the exact time of Ms. Halbach’s murder is not known).
“…Bobby was seen with the victim’s vehicle after Ms. Halbach’s murder…and the evidence certainly put Bobby in close proximity to the location where the homicide is alleged to have occurred.”
WAITING GAME
Bobby has never been charged with any crime related to Teresa’s death and has always denied any involvement.
Sandra said she and Avery are now praying that a new hearing or trial is granted but that it is a “waiting game”.
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“The appeals process is very slow. I believe the State has until March 20th to respond to KZs brief (barring any extensions ) and then the three-judge panel will take a look and make a decision…
“For sure, it will be a waiting game. It always is. We need to get them to grant an evidentiary hearing at the very least. KZ needs to get people involved under oath, and questioned.”
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