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The claim came a week after a $100,000 reward was posted for information on the killer.
By Elizabeth Ward — Written on Sep 29, 2019
A Wisconsin prisoner serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife has recently claimed himself as also being the murderer of Teresa Halbach in a handwritten confession letter, shortly after a large reward was posted for anyone who had information regarding Halbach’s killer. Kathleen Zellner, the defense attorney representing Making a Murderer subject Steven Avery, took to Twitter to share a handwritten letter written to her from Joseph Evans Jr., taking responsibility for the murder of Halbach in 2005. Evans Jr. explains in detail how he also framed Steven Avery by altering the crime scene.
In the letter, Evans Jr. explains that he accidentally hit Halbach with his car which caused her to fall and hit her head on a large rock, killing her. Not knowing what to do, he wrote that he took her inside her home where he shot her three times with a gun he found in the home.
According to Crimeonline, “Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey were convicted of Halbach’s murder and are serving life sentences, though both maintain their innocence. Avery had previously been wrongly convicted of rape and later released; his case was the subject of the popular Netflix series ‘Making a Murderer.’”
Although the legitimacy of this confession remains in question, the details Evans Jr. gave do match the description of the murder described in Making a Murder; however, Evans Jr. made contradicting claims merely three years prior claiming he had information regarding details connecting Avery as the murderer.
Who Is Joseph Evans Jr?
1. Evans Jr. is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife.
According to Newsweek, “Evans Jr. is currently serving a life sentence for first-degree intentional homicide in Wisconsin for the murder of his wife, Dina Evans. He was convicted in December 2009 and sentenced to life without parole. He is currently in a prison in Boscobel, Wisconsin.”
2. Evans Jr’s details match the murderer’s.
"We haven't confirmed the legitimacy of the confession but seeing as it was given by a notable convicted murderer from Wisconsin, we feel responsible to deliver any and all possible evidence to law enforcement and legal teams," director Shawn Rech said.
According to Newsweek, “The filmmakers of the documentary did not identify the person who confessed, but details align with Evans Jr.'s purported confession — both are convicted murderers serving in Wisconsin.”
3. Zellner dismissed Evans Jr.'s confession as a "publicity stunt."
“On Tuesday, Zellner did not seem phased by Evans Jr.'s confession… she spoke to Avery in a phone call on Monday and he laughed as she read the letter to him. In a tweet Tuesday, Zellner dismissed Evans Jr.'s confession as a ‘publicity stunt,’” according to Newsweek.
4. Evans Jr. claimed Avery was, in fact, the murderer three years ago.
Three years prior to his confession, “Evans Jr. circulated a nine-page letter to various media outlets in Wisconsin claiming that Avery confessed the Halbach murder to him while they were cellmates at the Boscobel prison together,” according to Newsweek.
5. The reward money is likely the culprit for Evans Jr.’s confession.
“Evans Jr. says the reward money has prompted him to confess, but he will not sign a deposition to that effect unless Zellner helps him. Evans Jr. tells Zellner in the letter that he wants $250,000, in addition to the $100,000 reward, if his confession is able to exonerate Avery,” according to Newsweek. “Further, he attached a deposit slip to his letter, requesting Zellner put $2,000 in his Wisconsin Department of Corrections commissary account in order to begin their partnership.”
6. Zellner said this “confession” has only discredited Evans Jr.
Speaking to Newsweek Wednesday, Zellner said: "The only credible thing Evans has done is discredit his 2016 statement that Avery confessed the murder to him. His recent publicity stunt is pathetic."
Elizabeth Ward is a writing student finishing her bachelor’s at the University of Louisville. She covers news, entertainment, relationships and everything in between.