‘Making a Murderer’: Why Did Steven Avery’s Ex-Fiancee Change Her Mind About Him?

Making A Murderer was a Netflix original documentary series that focused on the strange life and case of Steven Avery. Avery was a man who served 18 years of a 32-year sentence for a crime that forensic science proved he didn’t do. After only two years of being a free man, Steven Avery was convicted of a different crime – this time one, apparently, he did. 

Many viewers feel the documentary series only led to more questions than it answered. The strange case of a convicted rapist (and attempted murderer) proven innocent only to be convicted of murder is a strange tale, indeed.

Perhaps one of the strangest pieces of the puzzle has to do with Avery’s ex-fiancee, Jodi Stachowski. Despite maintaining her then-fiance’s innocence throughout the series, Stachowski has since changed her tune. But why did she really change her story? 

What did Jodi Stachowski say about Avery during the series?

During the show Making A Murderer, Jodi Stachowski maintained her fiance’s innocence. She appeared entirely devoted to Avery until her parole officer ordered her to move away from the Avery property and issued a “no contact” or restraining order against her – which she violated at least once. 

Making A Murderer portrayed Stachowski not only as devoted, but as Avery’s rock. She seemed to support him, love him, and care for him – mostly in a very normal way. But since the docuseries, Stachowski has begun to sing a different tune. What she says of her ex-fiance now is a total turnaround from what viewers remember.

What does Stachowski say now?

Jodi Stachowski recently held an exclusive interview for HLN, in which she revealed the truth about her ex-fiance, Steven Avery. During the interview, Stachowski claims that her relationship with Avery was abusive. “He’d beat me all the time, punch me, throw me against the wall. I tried to leave, he smashed the windshield out of my car so I couldn’t leave him.”

Viewers might remember how Stachowski vouched that she spoke to Avery over the phone on the night he was said to have murdered photographer Teresa Halbach. In initial interviews, she said he sounded fine. Now, however, Stachowski claims that Steven Avery “sounded funny.” She went on to elaborate, “I mean, he didn’t sound rushed or … whatever. But he did sound funny, like he was lying or hiding something.”

Why did Stachowski change her mind about Steven Avery?

This drastic turnaround has many viewers wondering why Jodi Stachowski changed her mind about Steven Avery. Why would she maintain his innocence, appear devoted, and stick by his side throughout the docuseries if she didn’t believe him in the first place? Stachowski offered an explanation for this.

“It was all an act,” Stachowski says of her showing in Making A Murderer. “Steven called me and told me that if I didn’t say anything good and nice about him, I’d pay.” Stachowski also said that Steven Avery “threatened to kill me, and my family, and a friend of mine.”

If Stachowski is really telling the truth now, then the reason behind her fictional portrayal is obvious. Many spouses who suffer from domestic abuse, as Stachowski claims she did, are too frightened to come forward with the truth. This is because they are afraid of what their abusive partners might do to not only them, but to all those they love.

Which story is true?

Nobody but Jodi Stachowski and Steven Avery will ever know for sure which story is true. Many viewers believe these new revelations by Stachowski, while others think she is only speaking out due to her parole violations and restraining orders.