Teresa Halbach’s Family: What They Think About MAM

Manitowoc Courts Teresa Halbach's family has had to watch the man convicted of killing their daughter rise to fame with the release of Making a Murderer. So how do they feel about the show?

Teresa Halbach’s family has been the forced to watch the success of Making a Murderer lead thousands of people across the globe to support Steven Avery and his quest to get his conviction overturned for the murder of their daughter in 2005. Fans of the show have taken it upon themselves to create support groups for Avery all while continuing to advocate his innocence and tear apart the prosecution that helped convict Avery and his nephew, Brendan Dassey, of Halbach’s murder.

The second season once again follows the cases of Avery and Dassey, who are both serving life-sentences for Halbach’s murder. Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos take viewers back to Manitowoc County, Wisconsin to continue digging deeper into the mystery surrounding Halbach’s death, and to keep questioning whether or not Avery and Dassey were wrongfully convicted.

So what does the Halbach family think about the show that’s made a star of the man convicted of her murder? With season two’s recent release, Halbach’s slaying has come under renewed debate, especially since part two of the series follows Avery’s attempt to have his conviction overturned with the help of his fiery new defense attorney, Kathleen Zellner. Considering the fact that the case is centered around the brutal rape and murder of their daughter, the Halbachs are understandably unhappy with the show.

The Halbach Family Released a Statement Saying They Were Saddened to Hear That Certain Individuals Were Trying to “Profit From Their Loss” By Creating The Show

(Netflix)

Back when the first season was being filmed, the Halbach family declined to speak to Ricciardi and Demos, the filmmakers behind Making a Murderer, for both Part 1 and Part 2. In an interview with Vulture while discussing Part 1, Ricciardi stated, “We invited the Halbach family to participate in the film, and we had coffee with Mike Halbach, the official spokesperson for the family, to discuss the idea, but they decided not to participate. So we filmed Mike at all the press conferences that he held, but that was the extent of our interaction with him.”

Despite the fact that the Halbachs declined to participate with the show, they have made their feelings on the docu-series known to the press. Before Part One aired, the Halbach family released this statement:

“Having just passed the 10-year anniversary of the death of our daughter and sister, Teresa, we are saddened to learn that individuals and corporations continue to create entertainment and to seek profit from our loss. We continue to hope that the story of Teresa’s life brings goodness to the world.”

Halbach’s Aunt Believes That The Show is Giving Avery a Chance to Give His Side of The Story, But Continues to Believe He is Guilty

Two of Halbach’s aunts also spoke with various media outlets, insisting that Avery is guilty. In an interview with People, Halbach’s aunt Kay Giordana said, “I can’t believe this came out. It is really unfortunate.” She added, “I was very upset, but I know the right people know the truth. It is not even close to what really happened. Everybody has their own side of a story. That is the Avery family’s side of the story. I wouldn’t expect it to be different. They think he is innocent. I am not surprised. I am surprised that someone would put that together in that way and have it [be] one-sided.”

Giordana added that she believes he is “100 percent guilty. No doubt about it.”

“If people want to think he is innocent there is nothing I can do about it, but I know that God knows what happened and that is what really matters to me, as long as he never gets an opportunity to hurt anybody else,” Giordana told People.

Manitowoc CourtsTeresa Halbach

Another aunt, Carol Stumpf, told People she agrees he’s guilty. “If you really are innocent, why didn’t you take the stand and tell your story?” she asked of Avery.

Halbach’s cousin, Jeremy Fournier, said that he understands why viewers think Avery and Dassey and innocent, but claims the series is seriously biased. “It is so very one-sided,” he told People. “I can see where people are getting their opinion, but they are only getting one side of the story.”

Not only has the family had to deal with a very public reminder of their daughter’s death when the show first debuted in 2015, and again last month, they may be forced to have the wound reopened once again if Ricciardi and Demos decide to make a third part of the series, which they say they are open to. During an interview with Cosmopolitan UK, Ricciardi and Demos said: “Maybe [there could be a third season]… I heard that documentaries come in tens!”