Avery family

from left to right: Brendan, Allan, Dolores and Steven

The Avery family is a family residing in the town of Two Rivers in Wisconsin, USA. They own a family auto salvage business called Avery’s Auto Salvage, which was founded by Allan Avery and is now run by two of his sons, Charles and Earl.

Family members

Allan and Dolores Avery

Allan is the first owner of the Avery’s Auto Salvage business. Together with his wife Dolores (born 20 August 1937) they reside on the business' property. They are the parents of Charles, Barbara, Steven and Earl.

The couple married at age 16. Allan got into the salvage business in 1965. While Dolores looked after their children, Allan turned what once was a farm into a giant repository for junked cars and trucks.

Allan and Dolores have always been supportive of Steven and have maintained their belief in his innocence. However, in May 2021 their granddaughter Brittany Avery posted in their official Facebook support group that Allan and Dolores didn't want anything to do with Steven anymore:

"Everyone will see soon enough. Even his own parents want nothing to do with him anymore because of how he's acting and treating them and the family and has for years when all have done nothing but support him."

And in another message that same day,

"if [Steven] gets out if he even will his parents and us are putting restraining orders on him"

On 8 July 2021 Dolores passed away at the age of 83.

Charles “Chuck” Avery

Oldest son of Allan and Dolores and current co-owner of the Avery’s Auto Salvage business with his brother Earl. Charles has a house on the auto salvage property. Father of two sons, Corey and Christopher, and daughter Carla. Corey died at the age of sixteen in a car accident.

In 1988 Charles was charged with second-degree sexual assault, but was later acquitted of the charge. Ten years later he was charged with disorderly conduct and served 30 days in jail. In 1999 he pleaded no contest to third degree sexual assault for raping and attempting to strangle his wife. He pleaded guilty to bail jumping that same year. Also in 1999, he pleaded guilty to violating a domestic abuse injunction, entering his wife's home, taking the phone from her, and blocking her from leaving. Chuck was accused of harassing and stalking a number of women, including customers of the Avery’s Auto Salvage business.

In 2005 Charles was initially supportive of Steven, but also expressed at times he had doubts about his brother's innocence. In a 2006 interview with MilwaukeeMag he said, “At first I had my doubts. The way the evidence was coming in, it wasn’t adding up.” Charles described Steven as “a controller.” In the first season of Making a Murderer Charles is never seen sitting in the courtroom during Avery's trial.

Since the release of Making a Murderer Charles is supportive of his brother and seems to believe in his innocence.

Steven Avery

main article: Steven Avery

Born on 9 July 1962 as the second oldest son of Allan and Dolores. After his release from his wrongful inprisonment he lived in a trailer with his fiancée Jodi on piece of land adjacent to the Avery’s Auto Salvage property (it once belonged to the Avery’s, but was sold to Roland Johnson) and became his sisters neighbour. Since his release from prison Steven worked on the salvage yard. His primary job was to remove parts from cars so they could be sold or used to replace defect parts in similar vehicles. He also prepared cars for crushing in the car crusher that they rented on occasion.

Barbara “Barb” Tadych

Barbara Ellen Tadych (born November 1964) is the only daughter of Allan and Dolores and third oldest of their children. Originally lived at the end of the so-called "long road" on the salvage yard, neighbouring her younger brother Steven. There are no records of Barbara working for the family business. She currently lives away from the salvage business.

Barbara is the mother of Bryan, Bobby, Blaine and Brendan with father Peter Dassey. After divorcing Peter, Barbara married Tom Janda. Late 2005 Barbara was in the middle of divorcing from Janda and began dating Scott Tadych. She is currently married to Scott.

In 2005 Barbara was arrested and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

In the second season of Making a Murderer Barbara is heard saying she believes both Brendan and Steven are innocent.

Earl Avery

Born on 30 November 1969 as the youngest child of Allan and Dolores. Together with his brother Charles he co-owns the Avery's Auto Salvage business. One of his known tasks on the yard was operating the car crusher. Earl lives away from the Avery property with his wife Candy. He is the father of Kayla and Brittany and stepfather of Marie.

Earl pleaded no contest to battery after beating and choking his wife during an argument. He served 10 days in jail and 18 months probation. In 1995, he was charged with and pleaded no contest to fourth degree sexual assault and battery of his two daughters, serving 45 days in jail and three years probation. Earl Avery was also charged in 2011 of videotaping children and adults as they changed in the bathroom during a pool party. Earl admitted to the charges and was sentenced to six months in jail and probation. In 2013 he was found guilty of driving while intoxicated and fined.

Earl, like his older brother Charles, initially believed in Steven's innocence, but also had doubts. In a February 2006 recorded call Earl challenged Steven, who allegedly initially denied Halbach had visited him. In the first season of Making a Murderer, which chronicles much of Avery's trial, Earl is never seen visiting his brother's trial.

In a 2006 interview Earl was quoted saying, “Now… [Steven]’s no longer my brother. He can rot in hell.” About his nephew Brendan Dassey's role in all this Earl was quoted saying, “Brendan, he was always like that. If you would tell him to do something, he would do it. Especially with a manipulative guy like Steven.” and later is quoted saying “Brendan was forced on it. I do not blame it on the kid at all… He was scared ’cause Steven threatened him.”

Following the release of Making a Murderer in late 2015 Earl was back believing in his brother's innocence. In 2021, following the passing of his mother Dolores, Earl posted on the family's official Facebook group, "Hi mommy is gone now and I can start telling the truth that fucker is a psychopath". When another person responded "You ok Earl?? This is very unexpected!", Earl replied "No I am not OK I got a psychopath that keeps on threatening my family and his name is Steven Avery the convicted murderer". In another post Earl wrote that he no longer considers Steven Avery his brother.

Notable (grand) children

Brendan Dassey

see also: Brendan Dassey

Youngest son of Peter and Barbara. In 2006 Brendan became a person of interest with the investigators after they learned Brendan may have witnessed events related to the murder. When Brendan was interviewed he eventually began telling a detailed story about rape and murder in his uncle's trailer and garage, with some involvement of Brendan. Brendan was immediately arrested and has been incarcerated since. In 2007 Brendan was found guilty on all charges, including murder.

Bobby Dassey

Second oldest son of Peter and Barbara, after Bryan. On 31 October 2005 Bobby witnessed Teresa Halbach take photos of his mother’s car and walk in the direction of Steven Avery’s trailer afterwards. When Bobby went out hunting shortly after he noticed Halbach's vehicle was still there, but did not see Halbach. This contradicted Steven Avery's story, who claimed that Halbach did not come to his trailer, was thus at the vehicle the whole time either alone or with Steven, and left after completing the photoshoot. At Steven's 2007 trial Bobby testified against his uncle with this information.

Bobby has been subject in much of Kathleen Zellner's investigation. Zellner ascribes a number of lugubrious internet searches found on the Dassey family computer to Bobby and claims this was used by investigators to pressure Bobby into lying against his uncle. According to Zellner Bobby witnessed Halbach leaving, chased after her, and murdered her in the streets of a small neighbourhood. He is then believed to have hidden Halbach's car nearby Highway 147, planted his uncle's blood inside the car and later pushed the RAV4 to the Avery property.

Brad Dassey

Brad Anthony Dassey (1 November 1983) is Brendan, Blaine, Bobby and Bryan's older half-brother via their father Peter. Though Brad originally believed Brendan and Steven were guilty, he changed his mind after watching Making a Murderer. Ever since, Brad firmly believes his half-brother and uncle are innocent and that his other half-brother, Bobby, is guilty. In 2017 he signed an affidavit for Avery's attorney Kathleen Zellner claiming he overheard Barb saying she had someone reformat her computer.

Marie Avery

Born in June 1987. Daughter of Candy and stepdaughter of Earl. During the Halbach investigation Marie told the police that she had been raped by her uncle Steven while she was still underage and while Steven was in a relationship with Jodi. There are reports of Steven admitting he had sex with Marie, but that it was consensual. There are also reports of Steven denying they ever had sex.

Kayla Avery

Born December 1991, Kayla is a daughter of Candy and Earl Avery. During the Avery investigation Kayla told her school counsellor that Brendan Dassey had been acting weird at a birthday party, had lost weight and had told her he had seen body parts in the bonfire he had with Steven Avery. When the police officers learned of this they re-interviewed Brendan Dassey who subsequently confessed to his and his uncle's role in the murder. At Brendan's trial Kayla testified she had made everything up.

Trivia

• The first letters of the names Allan, Barbara, Charles, Dolores and Earl make up the first five letters of the alphabet.
• Peter Dassey's (former husband of Barbara) children's names all start with a B; Bradley, Bryan, Blaine, Bobby and Brendan.
• Chuck's children's names all start with a C: Carla, Corey and Christopher.
• In some police reports Dolores' name is written as "Delores".