Steven Avery’s trailer is a red trailer on a small piece of land adjacent to the Avery’s Auto Salvage property. Though it's often referred to as "Steven's trailer", the trailer was actually owned by Roland Johnson. Steven and Jodi, his girlfriend at the time, rented the trailer and a garage from Johnson.
Background[]
Roland Johnson originally bought the trailer from a farmer and put it up at a tavern near Harpt's Lake. At some point Johnson gave up living there and needed a new place for his trailer. Johnson was an acquaintance of Steven's father Allan, who happened to have a trailer slab on the northwest portion of his property that had the utility hookups in place.
Johnson began renting the land from Allan in the 1970's, for about two or three years, until Johnson bought the piece of land from Allan in the late 1970's or early 1980's. Johnson also build a garage together with Allan to the south-east of the trailer. About 1988 Johnson moved out of the trailer and put it up for rent.
In 2003, around the time Steven Avery was released, Johnson offered Steven to live in his trailer. Steven said he didn't need it because he was going to live with his parents.[1]
In 2004[2][3] a friend of Johnson asked him if he could let a friend, Jodi Stachowski, temporarily stay in the trailer. Because Jodi had nothing but a car Johnson allowed her to live in the trailer rent free.[2] At some point after his release Steven had begun living in an ice shanty. In June 2004 Steven moved in with Jodi.[4] Avery painted the trailer red. Before this the trailer was blue.
Johnson owned about 90% of the furniture in the trailer. Furniture like the bed in the master bedroom, or the computer in the living room are among things he did not own.[1]
Investigation[]
On Friday 4 November 2005 investigators entered Steven Avery's trailer for the first time. One day prior the investigators had learned that the victim had made it to Avery’s Auto Salvage on Monday 31 October for an appointment with a certain "B. Janda". On Wednesday 3 November Steven Avery told Manitowoc County Sergeant Andy Colborn that he had seen Teresa from his trailer window taking pictures of a van his sister was selling.
Following this it was decided that James Lenk and David Remiker of Manitowoc County were to return to Avery’s Auto Salvage and try to obtain consent to search his trailer. Steven gave consent and the two officers entered the trailer for a quick 5-minute sweep looking for anything obvious related to her being missing.
The second entry was on Saturday 5 November 2005, after the Toyota RAV4 had been found on Avery’s Auto Salvage. It was a 10-minute sweep, looking for any obvious signs related to the whereabouts of Teresa, very much like the first entry.
The trailer was entered a third time, again on Saturday 5 November, at about 19:30 hours. The officers were inside the trailer for a little more than two and a half hours and seized approximately 50 pieces of evidence including hand cuffs, an AutoTrader magazine and some trace evidence.
James Lenk believed everything of evidentiary value had been seized after this search.
The fourt entry was on Sunday 6 November when law enforcement entered the trailer at 12:25 hours and left at 12:48 hours. Law enforcement was inside for 23 minutes. Dan Kucharski of Calumet County was requested to return to the trailer to pick up a .22 caliber rifle, a .50 caliber rifle, and a vaccuum cleaner and bedding.
A fifth entry, also on Sunday 6 November wasn't conducted by law enforcement, but by representatives of the Wisconsin State Crime Lab. The representatives used alternate lighting to find trace evidence such as blood.
On Monday 7 November James Lenk, Andy Colborn and Bill Tyson of Calumet County entered the trailer at 9:57 hours and left seven minutes later, at 10:04 hours. They were requested to retrieve the serial number of Steven Avery's computer and left after acquiring it.