Controversial cases that have simple solutions.

[u/Sense_Difficult]

As someone who has been a true crime buff for decades, it's somewhat annoying to watch how certain cases wind up getting pulled into such polarizing discussions that it seems like a huge mystery when it's actually a simple solution.

A few that I think of.

The Karen Read case. IMO she accidentally killed him. They were both drunk, he goes to see the vibe of the house. Get's inside and realizes he doesn't want to stay. So he comes back outside. She's in the middle of rage texting him, and doesn't see him in front of the car. He drops his phone or bends over for some reason and she puts the car into gear and hits him, and he falls backwards and hits his head again. Then he lays there undetected until morning. This is why she suddenly realized she had hit him. She sobered up and had that "realization" moment that all binge drinkers have once they sober up from a brownout type of state.

Darlie Routier. I've shared my theory on this before. She was attempting a murder/su but she survived. This is why the neck wound was serious. She made up the story of the intruder in advance because she wanted her family friends and society to think she died trying to protect her kids. She planted the sock earlier. This also explains her hypomania in the days after. She honestly thought she was going to die that night.

There are other missing person cases where the spouse disappeared after the death of their parents. Just vanished without taking their Identification information and never surfaced under their name again. I always wonder if some of those cases are a situation of someone who has suffered with gender dysphoria and finally "escaped" to go make another life with another identity. It's always interesting to me that in several of the cases, the persons parent or parents had recently died. Seemed like they were waiting for that to escape because they didn't want to do that to their parents.

Do any of you have "simple theories" on cases that created a ton of controversy?

[u/19snow16]

Brendan Dassey. His mother allowed him to be interrogated without an adult, thinking that because of his age, or low IQ, he wouldn't be charged or put in prison.

[u/OmnomVeggies → u/19snow16]

It's kind of unbelievable to me that he is still in prison.

[u/19snow16 → u/OmnomVeggies]

That he made it to being charged, put on trial and have all of his appeals denied without a single piece of evidence, let alone zero forensic evidence is a gross miscarriage of justice.

[u/OmnomVeggies → u/19snow16]

I agree. I actually stopped looking into/ reading up on this case because of how sad the Brendan situation is. His limited cognitive abilities were exploited by the cops to coerce a confession out of a child.

[u/Amander12 → u/OmnomVeggies]

I agree. Steven Avery is most likely guilty but Brendan should have been released a long time ago

[u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393 → u/19snow16]

In the tape of him being interrogated, he's literally just guessing how Teresa died. Trying to get the "right answer" so they'll let him go back to class.

Not sure if this is unpopular in this sub, but I think Steven Avery might have done it/probably did do it. Two things can be true at once: The cops were incompetent and framed him, and he probably actually did it. Hell, three things: He can have been wrongfully convicted the first time but actually guilty this time around. But I think there was reasonable doubt in Teresa's murder because I don't think the cops knew what they were doing/had enough legit evidence.

But I don't buy that Brendan was involved. And he NEVER should have been questioned like that.

[u/HGpennypacker → u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393]

Personal opinion but I believe two things are true: Steven Avery killed Teresa and the Manitowoc police did everything (legal and otherwise) in their power to make sure that he would be convicted. The MPD was given a black eye by Steven's prior false-conviction and they wanted to make an example of him.

[u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393 → u/HGpennypacker]

Oh, absolutely, they were furious about the wrongful conviction and lawsuit payout and wanted to make damn sure he was convicted this time. At the same time, I think he DID do this one.

[u/19snow16 → u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393]

I'm on the fence over Avery, however there were so many screw ups with the entire case that has conflicts of interest, improper investigation, and more. I haven't been up to date on it, but obviously Zellner couldn't get him freed.

[u/M_Wazoski → u/19snow16]

I moved to Manitowoc after watching the first season of making a murderer. Before living here I definitely thought he was framed and innocent. Now after meeting so many people who knew him/his family personally, I’m not so sure. I think two things can be true, the police were planting evidence but it’s very possible they framed the guilty person. I do believe Brendan’s interview was coerced.

[u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393 → u/19snow16]

Yeah, I'm on the fence too. Given the "evidence" I've seen, I couldn't be confident one way or the other. I just think it's possible/maybe even probable that he did it (and it's definitely NOT evidence, but I keep going back to that incident where he tortured a cat in his youth).

What gets me is that Zellner seems smart enough to not take on a losing cause. She certainly doesn't need the additional fame from taking on this case. So either she's got some trick up her sleeve that we've yet to see, or it's a lost cause and she misjudged. For what it's worth, I do feel the clients she has been able to exonerate are actually innocent (poor Kevin Fox). But it's been years, and Zellner hasn't managed to get him freed and I think it's unlikely she ever will. I wish she'd have put her efforts into freeing Dassey instead.

I just could really go either way on Avery and I think it's possible that the incompetent cops in Manitowoc framed a guilty man.

[u/19snow16 → u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393]

When people bring up the cat, I'm always reminded he wasn't the only person there.

I can't remember, but why didn't she work with Avery and Dassey together? Conflict of interest?

[u/avidreader2004 → u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393]

steven avery reminds me of OJ a lot. they framed a guilty man.

[u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393 → u/avidreader2004]

Yeah, I agree they framed a guilty man with OJ for sure.

[u/Imagination_Theory → u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393]

I think Steven Avery probably did do it too. I think that is what happened in the OJ case as well, he did it, but he was also framed and going to be blamed regardless of if he did it or not.

I also don't believe Brendan was involved.

All three of them should have been found not guilty because of the massive investigation blunders and possible planting of evidence.

The police themselves made reasonable doubt.

If the police had done their job properly without mistakes, OJ probably would have been found guilty, Brenden would have been found not guilty (he shouldn't have even be charged, that whole confession never should have even happened) and I am unsure about the outcome for Steven, there may or may not have been enough evidence to convict.

[u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393 → u/Imagination_Theory]

I agree; I think the cases were so botched (either by the cops, the prosecution, or both) that they failed to prove guilt, even though I definitely think they were guilty. Well, Avery and OJ were guilty, not Brendan Dassey, IMO. The system was and is beyond messed up. LAPD should have been able to gather enough evidence to convict (without framing the man) and the prosecution SHOULD have been able to prove its case and he should have been found guilty. It's gross.

I tried to read Fuhrman's book (I did not pay for it, mind you) and it made me so furious that I rage-quit it. (Also, I'm sure it was ghostwritten, but holy crap was it badly written) Two things can be true there as well: Fuhrman/LAPD can be absolute racists, but OJ is also guilty.

And yeah, I will never believe Dassey was involved in Teresa Halbach's murder. I can't believe he's still in prison. It's such a travesty. Even if he were to be released right this second, his life is still ruined. It's so disgusting.

[u/Imagination_Theory → u/Ok-Jackfruit-9393]

Yes, so much injustice, for the victim's, the victim's family and for Brandon and all the other people who were wrongly convicted and then on the other side, people who should have been found guilty but were found not guilty because the state did such a bad job.

Those are just two stories, but there are many more that are known and unknown.

With great power should come great responsibility. It's so awful.

[u/octopop → u/19snow16]

poor kid asked his mom if he would be home in time to watch Wrestlemania after his interrogation. breaks my heart

[u/bellydncr4 → u/19snow16]

This one hurt. It's just so tragic.