VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu WRITTEN BY: Nathan Sharp
Script written by Nathan Sharp

Yeah, there's a little more to this story. From incriminating evidence, to ignored facts, to details that were strangely left out, these little known facts about Netflix's Making a Murderer case were nowhere to be found. WatchMojo counts down the Top 10 Details Making a Murderer Left Out.

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Top 10 Details Making a Murderer Left Out

Yeah, there’s a little more to this story. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top Ten Details Making a Murderer Left Out.

For this list, we’ll be looking at ten crucial and important details that “Making a Murderer” excluded from its story of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey. Please note, we’re not saying that Avery and Dassey are definitely guilty. We’re just presenting key pieces of evidence that the documentary curiously omitted. You may make use of this information as you please.

#10: Avery and Halbach Knew Each Other

One little detail that the documentary felt the need to omit was that Halbach had met Steven Avery on numerous occasions prior to her disappearance. Halbach, a local freelance photographer, had been to Avery’s property several times to take photos of his vehicles for Auto Trader magazine. And that’s not all: Halbach was apparently quite creeped out by Avery, who at one point answered the door in nothing but a towel. It certainly doesn’t point to murder, but it’s an interesting piece of information nevertheless.

#9: Avery Called Halbach Three Times on the Day of Her Disappearance

Further signifying that Avery and Halbach were acquainted, Avery allegedly called Halbach three times on the day of her disappearance. Former state prosecutor Ken Kratz has revealed that Avery called Halbach at 2:24 and 2:35 pm. On both occasions he blocked his number so Halbach wouldn’t know it was him. He later called at 4:35 without blocking his number, which Kratz believes was placed as an attempted alibi. While their business arrangement doesn’t seem too suspicious, this key piece of evidence is certainly a little odd.

#8: The Cat Fire

Before we start, yes, this piece of evidence is exactly what it sounds like. While the documentary covers Avery’s animal cruelty charge, Ken Kratz states that the events were very different from what Avery and the documentary describe. According to Kratz, Avery deliberately soaked a cat in a flammable material and then threw it on a bonfire and watched it burn solely for his own entertainment. Animal cruelty is often an indicator of future human murder, and it’s difficult not to draw parallels between the burning of both the cat and Halbach’s remains.

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#7: Key Phone Details

While we’ve covered Avery’s business relationship with Halbach, there are other key pieces of evidence within this information that may prove pertinent to Avery’s guilt. Avery allegedly requested that Halbach come to his property on the day of her disappearance, telling Auto Trader that he wanted “that same girl who was here last time.” He also gave the receptionist his sister’s phone number and a false name to fool Halbach. When this info is paired with the fact that Halbach was allegedly scared of Avery, and that he blocked his number when calling her, it makes their working relationship look a little less than mutually beneficial.

#6: Leg Irons and Handcuffs

After the murder, police found a curious pair of leg irons and handcuffs on Avery’s property. Avery later admitted to owning these tools and stated that he bought them because he wanted to experiment in the bedroom. However, these items also became a key piece of evidence when Avery’s nephew, Brendan Dassey, revealed that Avery had bound Halbach to the bed with leg irons and handcuffs. According to Dassey, Avery led him to the shackled Halbach and asked him if he “want[ed] to get some of that.” However, it’s also important to note that the tools contained no traces of Halbach’s DNA.

#5: Avery Was Physically Abusive to His Partners

As this and the cat fire indicate, Avery has a history of violence. Back in 1984, Avery was accused by his sister-in-law of assaulting his then-wife. After police responded to a domestic violence call, the sister-in-law reported that Avery “beat up on his wife, and she left home and went to a domestic violence center.” Avery again found himself in trouble in 2004 when he was arrested for abusing his fiancée, Jodi Stachowski. He was subsequently ordered to stay away from Jodi for 72 hours. Jodi has also said that Avery was physically and mentally abusive during their relationship, including instances of strangulation and the issuing of death threats.

#4: There’s More to Brendan Dassey’s Confession

Brendan Dassey’s interrogation is probably the most captivating and infamous element of “Making a Murderer.” While a lot of people seem to be on the fence regarding Avery’s guilt, most people agree that Dassey was mistreated and possibly coerced during his time in custody. However, there is also much more to his confession than the documentary shows. Dassey admitted (among many other things) that he stabbed Halbach in the stomach, that Avery repeatedly shot her in the head, that the murder was premeditated and planned for days, and that Avery had approached Dassey with the plan and asked for his aid in Halbach’s murder.

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#3: Dassey Implied That Avery Had Molested Him

Another important part of the documentary is the collection of Brendan Dassey’s emotional phone calls to his mother. However, like the pertinent information in his confession, it seems as if the filmmakers cut out a key piece of evidence in these phone calls. According to the transcripts, Dassey was molested by his uncle, as he told his mother, “I even told them about Steven touching me.” He then goes on to explain that his brothers had been touched by Avery as well. While it’s obviously impossible for a documentary series to include all evidence from such a protracted and complicated case, this omission feels glaring.

#2: Avery Was Accused of Multiple Rapes

Obviously one of the most important facets of the documentary is Steven Avery’s false rape and attempted murder convictions from 1985. It’s used primarily to set up Avery’s character, the town’s bias against him, and his history with wrongful imprisonment. However, there is seemingly much more to this past than a false rape conviction. Avery had been accused of sexual assault on two separate occasions prior to 1985. His cousin’s mother claims that Avery had threatened to kill her daughter if she told anyone that Avery had raped her. A second woman was allegedly also raped but failed to file a report out of fear.

#1: Additional DNA Evidence

These pieces of additional DNA evidence definitely add a different perspective to the case. Despite Avery claiming that he never touched Halbach’s SUV, his DNA was found on the trunk of the vehicle. According to Ken Kratz, DNA from Avery’s sweaty hand was found on the trunk, indicating that Avery had lied about never touching the car. And as for those who believe that the blood was planted in the car? Kratz asks, “Do the cops also have a vial of his sweat that they are carrying around?”