Candace Owens’ DailyWire+ docuseries “Convicting a Murderer” released its finale on Thursday, the most shocking episode in the 10-part true crime series.
Viewers of “Convicting a Murderer” have expressed astonishment at how far filmmakers of Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” went to portray convicted murderer Steven Avery as an innocent victim of corrupt law enforcement in the murder of Teresa Halbach.
The Netflix series sparked a worldwide fascination in the case, attracting around 19 million viewers, but “Convicting a Murderer” pulls back the curtain on what viewers missed in “Making a Murderer.” The 10-episode series contains evidence omitted from the Netflix series and exclusive interviews with subjects not included in “Making a Murderer.”
Shortly after the release of Owens’ docuseries, Avery appeared to be directing his supporters to tank the Rotten Tomatoes’ audience review score of “Convicting a Murderer.” Avery’s apparent move from behind bars, however, didn’t stop the docuseries from hitting the #1 spot on Rotten Tomatoes’ “Best Documentary TV Shows” shortly after its debut, where it sat above FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham” and Apple TV’s “The Super Models” for over a week. And despite Avery supporters writing bad reviews for “Convicting a Murderer,” the DailyWire+ series continues to boast an impressive Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 77%.
Here’s what “Convicting a Murderer” has unveiled so far:
Episode 1: “An Unraveling Narrative”
Owens comes out swinging right from the start in “Convicting a Murderer.” In the first episode, she compares the Avery case and his subsequent support to how the Black Lives Matter movement exploded after the death of Michael Brown in 2014.
“Did white people just kinda want their Michael Brown moment?” she asks in the documentary. “Was this maybe the beginning of white lives matter?”
In episode one, police reports from Avery’s younger years unveil a significantly more alarming criminal history than previously disclosed, and the intentions of the “Making a Murderer” filmmakers begin to come to light.
“So, when you look a little closer at Steven Avery’s history, you see a very different side to the man that we’ve seen portrayed in ‘Making a Murderer,’” Owens says in the episode.
WATCH “AN UNRAVELING NARRATIVE”
Episode 2: “Sharing Wives”
The second episode reveals shocking evidence left out of “Making a Murderer,” such as Avery’s past animal cruelty, alleged abduction attempt, and accusations of a violent sexual history. Avery’s letters to his ex-wife while he was in prison from 1985 to 2003 are also revealed in the episode.
“When I saw these letters, my jaw just hit the floor,” Owens says.
The episode also goes into detail about some of Avery’s family relationships that were left out in “Making a Murderer,” such as his estranged children, alleged violence toward his sister, and alleged abuse of his daughter.
Episode 3: “Avery’s Niece”
*Warning: This episode contains graphic details*
In this episode, some of Avery’s relatives come forward with horrific new allegations, such as an alleged illicit relationship with his underage niece. Avery is also accused of a pattern of violence against his fiancee. The accusations against Avery for having an inappropriate relationship with his minor niece were not disclosed in “Making a Murderer,” as “Convicting a Murderer” gives viewers a deeper look into allegations made against Avery by his own family members, and Steven’s brother Earl is asked if he thinks Steven is guilty.
The episode details a past encounter between Avery and Teresa Halbach that was left out of “Making a Murderer.” “Convicting a Murderer” also reveals some strange purchases Avery made in the weeks leading up to Halbach’s murder.
Episode 4: “Shifting Timelines”
In this episode, viewers will hear 15-second audio from a dispatch call that sheds light on the Steven Avery case. “Shifting Timelines” also highlights some of the disturbing behavior Avery showcased before murdering 25-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach.
“If the filmmakers were honestly trying to tell a complete story of what happened that day, why would they omit so many different things?” Owens asks in the episode.
The episode details important facts from the case that were omitted from “Making a Murderer,” such as a revealing answering machine message from Halbach, a strange decision made by Avery before he placed a call, and important context on a call between a police officer and dispatch that “Making a Murderer” filmmakers left out.
Episode 5: “Manitowoc’s Involvement”
In episode 5, Owens looks into allegations that Manitowoc County Sheriff Deputy Andy Colborn and investigator James Lenk planted evidence on Avery after he sued the county for $36 million. The episode shows that while the filmmakers of “Making a Murderer” asked a lot of questions about Manitowoc’s involvement in the investigation of Teresa Halbach’s murder, they didn’t tell the full story.
“I don’t think anyone can argue with the fact that ‘Making a Murderer’ left us with a lot of questions and very few answers,” Owens says in the episode. “And actually I think that’s one of the reasons it was so successful. Because it didn’t just end when the final credits rolled. People wanted to find the answers to those questions.”
“Manitowoc’s Involvement” answers key questions, such as why Manitowoc County officers were involved in investigating the Avery case, whether Colborn and Lenk had a reason to hold a grudge against Avery, and how the infamous RAV4 key was found on the final search of Avery’s home.
WATCH “MANITOWOC’S INVOLVEMENT”
Episode 6: “The Key & the License Plate Call”
Episode 6 features more details surrounding the key to Teresa Halbach’s vehicle being found by Manitowoc County law enforcement officers that many people allege was planted in Avery’s bedroom by police. In the episode, Owens also looks into editing choices made by the filmmakers of the hit Netflix docuseries “Making a Murderer.”
“After ‘Making a Murderer,’ the filmmakers were questioned about some of their editing choices by several news outlets,” Owens says in the episode. “They responded typically the same way: That those questioning them simply misunderstood their intentions or thought that they knew more than they really did. But that still doesn’t explain why they omitted some of the most important evidence.”
In episode 6, viewers will find answers to key questions raised by “Making a Murderer,” such as how the RAV4 key was found in Avery’s trailer and why Halbach’s DNA wasn’t found on the RAV4 key.
WATCH “THE KEY & THE LICENSE PLATE CALL”
Episode 7: “The Vial of Blood”
The seventh installment of “Convicting a Murderer” features key pieces from Dassey’s confession to interrogators, including describing the murder of Teresa Halbach and his uncle’s actions after they killed her. Episode 7 also delves into one of the biggest bombshells in “Making a Murderer”: the blood vial.
“It is so important to stress that prior to this date of February 27th, the police did not have Brendan Dassey on their radar at all. … Now they’re talking to him and he’s saying things about a golf cart, he’s talking about a bonfire that he had with his uncle Steven. He’s talking about seeing Teresa Halbach’s toes and belly and forehead in the fire,” Owens says. “I mean, this was a major breakthrough in the case.”
Episode 7 also reveals more information about a bullet found in Avery’s garage that had Halbach’s DNA on it and how “Making a Murderer” filmmakers edited court testimony on the discussion of the bullet. Viewers will discover the importance of Dassey’s confession in the case’s timeline and why there was a hole in the top of a vial containing Avery’s blood, which his supporters point to as proof that blood was planted to frame him for Halbach’s murder.
The revelations in the episode are devastating for those defending Avery, according to Owens.
“For Steven Avery supporters, it really, at this point, is a faith and not a science,” she says.
Episode 8: “Bones”
This episode shows that the filmmakers of the Netflix series “Making a Murderer” left out a key detail of the investigation — that a cadaver dog used by investigators found Halbach’s jean rivets in Avery’s burn pit.
“It’s worth reminding that Brendan Dassey had confessed to burning Teresa Halbach’s clothing, but you don’t see anything about her clothing or the jean rivets in ‘Making a Murderer,’” Owens says. “And it’s not the only detail that they left out.”
The episode also dives into how Avery changed his story about the burn pit multiple times when being questioned by police. The convicted murderer initially told investigators that he didn’t have a fire on October 31, 2005, the day Halbach went missing. He later changed his story and admitted he did have a fire on the 31st but added that his nephew Brendan Dassey was with him.
“Why didn’t Steven tell investigators about Brendan being with him that night originally?” Owens asks in the episode. “Because Brendan should have been his alibi. Wouldn’t Steven want them to go talk to Brendan so he could confirm everything that Steven said happened that night? If nothing happened, that is, why not say that right away?”
The episode then goes into detail about the bone and tooth fragments found in Avery’s burn pit and a nearby burn barrel.
Episode 9: “Manipulating Brendan”
In episode 9, viewers are shown how Dassey was compelled by his own family to make critical decisions that prioritized Avery’s interests over his own. The episode also goes into detail about Dassey’s disturbing confession about why he joined his uncle in the rape and murder of Teresa Halbach.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget him describing his uncle wanting him to ‘get some’ and him admitting that he did this,” Owens says. “What was the motive of a 16- year-old kid? It was motive that he wanted to know what it felt like.”
“Manipulating Brendan” also sheds light on how the filmmakers of Netflix’s “Making a Murderer” skipped over important details of Dassey telling family members that Avery allegedly abused him.
“I think it’s very apparent in ‘Making a Murderer’ why they made the decision to leave out some things. And I think it’s because those things couldn’t have been explained away,” says Owens.
Season Finale Sneak Peek
Episode 10, titled “The Real Villain,” rounds out the series, uncovering questionable guidelines and editing practices that create catastrophic repercussions in the personal lives of those depicted in “Making a Murderer.” Plus, viewers will see how those responsible for the collateral damage of the series have evaded responsibility by muddying the waters between journalism and storytelling.
“I think what these documentary makers participated in was death by a thousand edits … small little edits that led people in a certain direction that wasn’t honest and it wasn’t truthful, in my opinion,” Owens says.
Watch the first nine episodes of “Convicting a Murderer” and tune in for the series finale on Thursday by becoming a DailyWire+ member.