1.William Tyson — Direct/Cross
324 lines(Reconvened at 8:34 a.m.)
THE COURT: Morning counsel.
MR. KRATZ: Morning.
THE COURT: We're going to resume State vs. Dassey, 06 CF 88. Uh, Mr. Kratz.
MR. KRATZ: Thank you, Judge. The State appears by Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz. The, um, uh, State also appears by Assistant District Attorney -- Excuse me. Assistant, uh, Attorney General Tom Fallon, Assistant District Attorney Norm Gahn also appearing as special prosecutors.
MR. FREMGEN: Attorney Mark Fremgen appears with Attorney Ray Edelstein, and the defendant appears personally.
THE COURT: You may call your first witness.
MR. KRATZ: Thank you, Judge. The State will call Bill Tyson to the stand.
COURT CLERK: Please raise your right hand.
WILLIAM TYSON, called as a witness herein, having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Please be seated. Please state your name and spell your last name for the record.
WILLIAM TYSON: William Tyson, T-y-s-o-n.
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY ATTORNEY KRATZ:
MR. KRATZ: Mr. Tyson, please tell the jury how you're employed?
WILLIAM TYSON: I am a patrol sergeant with the Calumet County Sheriff's Department.
MR. KRATZ: If you'd speak up just a little bit, we'd appreciate it. How long have you been employed with the Calumet County Sheriff's Department?
WILLIAM TYSON: I've been employed with the Sheriff's Department for 15 years approximately.
MR. KRATZ: And could you describe, please, for the jury your general duties with the Sheriff's Department?
WILLIAM TYSON: Currently, like I said, I'm a patrol sergeant, so I supervise -- I'm the immediate supervisor for the patrol staff. Um, prior to that I was a road officer.
MR. KRATZ: Um --
WILLIAM TYSON: My responsibilities as road officer were to respond to call to service, things like that. I did have specialized training as an evidence technician, um, back in 1994, which I processed crime scenes, things of that nature.
MR. KRATZ: The specialized training, and I assume your experience in, um, being an evidence tech, um, what more, specifically, does that entail, if you could tell the jury?
WILLIAM TYSON: The specialized training, um, re -- respond to a crime scene. You know, certain officers can do that if they have this specialized training. You take -- you look for pieces of evidence. Um, you can collect the evidence, take it back, process the evidence looking for fingerprints, DNA evidence, things of that nature.
MR. KRATZ: Were you employed in that capacity on the 5th of November, 2005?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: And on the 5th of November, 2005, were you asked to, uh, respond to a scene known as the Avery Salvage Yard?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Could you tell the jury, please, what were your first duties upon your arrival at that scene?
COURT REPORTER: Mr. Kratz, one moment please.
(Wherein break was taken to fix a technical problem.)
COURT REPORTER: Let's try it again. You can continue where you left off.
MR. KRATZ: If I can remember.
MR. KRATZ: (By Attorney Kratz) Uh, your first duties on your arrival at the scene, if you could describe that for the jury?
WILLIAM TYSON: Sure. Um, upon arriving at the scene, I was directed to the lower portion of the junkyard area where Teresa's vehicle was located. Uh, my responsibilities were to maintain security around the area where her vehicle was located.
MR. KRATZ: Thereafter, um, Sergeant Tyson, because of your evidence technician training, were you assigned with other officers and put into what's called a search team?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. Um, upon arriving at the command center, after clearing from Teresa's vehicle, I was assigned with three deputies from the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department, um, Andrew Colborn, Detective Dave Remiker, and, uh, Investigator or Detective Jim Lenk.
MR. KRATZ: And that first, uh, evening, that is, the 5th of November, were you assigned to search a particular building or residence upon that property?
WILLIAM TYSON: We were instructed to execute the search warrant at Steven Avery's trailer.
MR. KRATZ: And did you do so?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Now, the trailer, itself, uh, Sergeant Tyson, has, um, several rooms as I understand. Uh, if you could just briefly describe the layout of the trailer for us, I'd appreciate it?
WILLIAM TYSON: Um, when you walk into the main entrance, you're walking into the living room area. Um, directly off of the living room would be the kitchen. You go down a hallway, uh, there's a bedroom, and there's a bathroom, and then there's the -- the final bedroom at the end of the trailer.
MR. KRATZ: Sergeant, I'm going to have you look at an exhibit that's already been received. This is Exhibit No. 72 in this case. Um, be so kind, please, as to take, uh, the laser pointer, which has been provided, and a little bit more in detail describe the layout of Mr. Avery's trailer?
WILLIAM TYSON: This area right here would be the kitchen area. And this area here was the living room area. And this would be the hallway. We got the first bedroom here. The bathroom would be right about here. And this would be Steve's bedroom back in the corner.
MR. KRATZ: And on the 5th of November, were you asked to complete a search of the entire residence?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Can you describe the, uh, thoroughness or the scope of that particular search, if you can recall?
WILLIAM TYSON: Um, the first search that was conducted was a quick search of the -- the residence looking for anything obvious. Any signs of Teresa, anything that would lead us in any direction, um, to go on. At that time we were unsure of what we had exactly.
MR. KRATZ: I'm going to hand you, uh, several photos that will assist in describing your search efforts. Um, we're going to start with the living room, uh, area of, um, Mr. Avery's residence. You've been handed Exhibit No. 79. Can you tell us what that is, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: This would be a photograph of the computer area in the corner of the living room.
MR. KRATZ: And did you, with the assistance of other search team members, um, search this particular area of Mr. Avery's living room?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Have you look at the next Exhibit, please. Exhibit No. 80. Tell us what we're looking at here?
WILLIAM TYSON: Be a photograph of the AutoTrader Magazine.
MR. KRATZ: And, if you recall, could you tell the jury where this particular exhibit -- or this particular item was found on that computer desk?
WILLIAM TYSON: This one, I believe, Detective Dave Remiker located and it was sitting on top of the desk. The computer desk in the living room.
MR. KRATZ: Exhibit No. 81, also from AutoTrader, can you tell us what that is, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: This would be a photograph of a bill of sale through AutoTrader Magazine.
MR. KRATZ: And as we look at the large screen, in the lower left-hand corner of this document, actually has the AutoTrader Magazine logo; isn't that, uh, correct?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Now, Sergeant Tyson, so that the jury has a
better understanding of the, um, methodology, or how law enforcement performs these searches, uh, do different officers have different responsibilities when, um, a -- a search, not only of a residence, but any kind of search is undertaken?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. For example, on this evening my responsibilities were to document what the officers were doing. Um, taking notes after the evidence was collected, take custody of the evidence, and, you know, secure it. So that was my responsibilities. The other officers were searching different areas. You know, I was keeping a -- a watch on them to see what they were finding, documenting the exact minute when something was located, where it was located, things of that nature.
MR. KRATZ: When these searches, uh, occur, because of the possibility of DNA, or other kinds of trace evidence, uh, do searching officers wear some kind of protective items or gloves?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. All the officers that were in the trailer that I was with had gloves on. Um, and they would change the gloves routinely with, um, each new item that we were looking at, or whatever, so nothing would be contaminated.
MR. KRATZ: If you could explain that? Just -- just take a moment and explain that a little bit more. If something is handled, you said that, uh, you would then change into a different pair of gloves. Um, why does that occur? Why are you trained that that occurs?
WILLIAM TYSON: Well, for example, uh, you find a piece of evidence, you may not know exactly what's on it, be it any type of DNA, blood, or anything like that, you pick it up, um, if you don't, you pick up something else, you're going to transfer what you've just had on that item onto a different piece of evidence, and it's contaminated at that point, because now you can no longer say that that -- did that item have the blood on it already or did not? Um, and if you didn't change your gloves, you can't say, um, because you've now transferred it and you contaminated new evidence.
MR. KRATZ: I don't know if I asked you, and perhaps it's obvious by this particular picture, uh, but where was this bill of sale found within the residence?
WILLIAM TYSON: Uh, this one, I believe, was found on the -- or ina drawer on -- in the computer desk.
MR. KRATZ: All right. In the same living room area near the AutoTrader Magazine that we've, uh, previously seen; is that right?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Let's move, if we can, to the bedroom area. That is, the master bedroom. Bedroom of Steven Avery. Could you describe, first, um, the size of that bedroom? Then describe the search efforts that occurred in there?
WILLIAM TYSON: It's a rather small bedroom. Um, you got the queen size bed, I believe, is in the middle of the room. Uh, he had a walkway just to walk around and get to the other side. Then there was closets up against the wall. So it was a smaller room.
Um, and when we entered that room, we had, um -- like Sergeant Colborn, he concentrated his efforts on one side, Detective Remiker and, uh, Detective Lenk searched the other area, and I stood pretty much in the doorway watching what was going on, documenting, uh, what was located.
MR. KRATZ: Now, this is the very first night of the search. Uh, is it fair to say that, uh, you and other law enforcement officers were unaware of what had happened to Teresa Halbach at that time?
WILLIAM TYSON: That's correct. We didn't know exactly what we had at that time.
MR. KRATZ: Did you specifically know what you were looking
WILLIAM TYSON: No. We were looking for anything that might lead us in a direction, any clue, any type of evidence.
MR. KRATZ: All right. I'm showing you now what's been marked as Exhibit No. 82. Describe what that is for the jury, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: This would be a photograph of, um, the headboard area of Steven Avery's bed.
MR. KRATZ: Now, a bed -- or on top of, or above, uh, Mr. Avery's bed, uh, could you tell the jury what you observed on the 5th of November?
WILLIAM TYSON: It's kind of cut off on the photo, but up on top there is a -- right above the bed there was a gun rack, um, which housed two firearms, and there were two long, um, barreled firearms in the gun rack directly above the bed.
MR. KRATZ: All right. I think we have a better picture of the gun rack, itself, which is Exhibit No. 83. We will move to that. Tell us what we're looking at here?
WILLIAM TYSON: That is the photo of the gun rack that was, um, directly above the bed.
MR. KRATZ: All right. Now, at this early search, at this early stage, were those firearms, um, confiscated or seized by you and other officers?
WILLIAM TYSON: On the night of the 5th, those firearms were not
seized. We knew we had opportunity to come back. So those firearms were not taken at that time.
MR. KRATZ: All right. And that concept, the concept of knowing that you were going to be able to come back or that other law enforcement officers were going to be able to come back, could you describe that a little bit more for the jury?
WILLIAM TYSON: Well, the scene, itself, um, you know, the whole area, the junkyard, we didn't know exactly where we would be directing our resources. Um, so we knew we had a lot of work to do. This is a very large area. We could not humanly get this done within one evening. Um, so we knew we were going to be there -- how long, exactly, we didn't know. But, um, we -- we knew we would be back the next day for sure.
MR. KRATZ: It turned out to be almost eight days; is that right?
WILLIAM TYSON: Correct.
MR. KRATZ: On this particular gun rack, that is, the gun rack in Mr. Avery's, uh, bedroom, how many long guns, that is, how many rifles, were located on that gun rack, if you recall?
WILLIAM TYSON: There were two.
MR. KRATZ: The rifle on top, uh -- I'm going to show you a photograph that is Exhibit No. 86. Do you
recognize that?
WILLIAM TYSON: Okay. It appears to be one of the firearms that was located in the gun rack in the bedroom.
MR. KRATZ: And just so this jury understands, and they'll hear from another witness, but, uh, it wasn't you, but a different officer, actually, on the next day, that seized this weapon; is that right?
WILLIAM TYSON: That's correct.
MR. KRATZ: The other, um, weapon, uh, Exhibit No. 87? Tell us what that is, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: Be a photograph of a muzzleloader. I believe this was the other firearm that was in the gun rack.
MR. KRATZ: All right. Mr. Tyson, um, within the bedroom, uh, itself, uh, did you, during the search, and your fellow law enforcement officers, uh, locate any items or obvious items that would be capable of restraint? That is, uh, capable of restraining another person?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. Um, Sergeant Colborn located a set of handcuffs and a set of leg irons.
MR. KRATZ: I'm going to show you what's been, uh, marked as Exhibit No. 84. Tell us what we're looking at, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: Be a photograph of the handcuffs that were found in Steven Avery's bedroom.
MR. KRATZ: Do you remember, and can you describe for the jury, from what location those handcuffs were recovered?
WILLIAM TYSON: I have in my report that it was taken from a nightstand, which was directly next to the desk. Uh, that nightstand has now become known as the bookcase. Um, Sergeant Colborn located the handcuffs and the leg irons in that bookcase, which was right next to the desk.
MR. KRATZ: All right. You had mentioned some leg irons as well. I'11 have you look at Exhibit No. 85. Tell us what, uh -- what this is, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: It'd be a photograph of those leg irons.
MR. KRATZ: Do you know what, uh, the handcuffs and leg irons found in Mr. Avery's bedroom were made of?
WILLIAM TYSON: They're your standard, uh, steel, um, handcuffs and leg irons.
MR. KRATZ: I show you what's been, uh,, marked as Exhibit No. 91. The item, itself. Uh, tell the jury what it is we're looking at?
WILLIAM TYSON: It's a standard set of, um, the iron handcuffs.
MR. KRATZ: And, uh, are those the handcuffs? And do they look the same and similar today as when they were recovered and seized from Mr. Avery's bedroom on the 5th of November?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: I show you Exhibit No. 92. Tell the jury what those are, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: Set of, um, iron leg irons.
MR. KRATZ: Once again, uh, Exhibit No. 92, do those look the same or similar, uh, as the day that they were received and recovered from Mr. Avery's bedroom?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Thank you, Mr. Wiegert.
MR. KRATZ: (By Attorney Kratz) Now, Mr. Tyson, the, um, search effort, you said, lasted several days? Were you involved, uh, throughout the entire week in these search efforts?
WILLIAM TYSON: For most of the days, I was on the property. Um, we were searching other residences, uh, outbuildings, um, areas of land, junked cars, automobiles that were parked in certain areas. Um, so my responsibilities were with other officers throughout the week, but we were doing searches of different residences and areas on the property.
MR. KRATZ: I'm going to show you -- I think in front of you, you have an exhibit, uh, Exhibit No. 88. Could you look at that, uh, exhibit, please, and tell us what it is?
WILLIAM TYSON: Evidence photograph of a bleach bottle.
MR. KRATZ: And do you recognize this particular piece of evidence?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: How is it that you recognize it?
WILLIAM TYSON: This evidence was collected, I believe, on March 1. Um, we were executing another search warrant on the property, and this bottle was taken out of the bathroom/laundry area of Steven Avery's, uh, residence.
MR. KRATZ: I know that we're jumping ahead a little bit to March 1. Do you understand that search warrant to have been authorized by a judge, uh, after a statement was given by this defendant, Brendan Dassey?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Were you, specifically, looking for a bleach bottle at that time?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. We were given numerous specific items to be looking for. Um, we did the search warrant looking for specifics this time, compared to the time prior.
MR. KRATZ: Mr. Wiegert's going to hand you Exhibit No. 93. The -- Perhaps, uh, tell the jury what that is, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: That would be the bleach bottle taken from the bathroom/laundry area of Steven Avery's residence.
MR. KRATZ: So it was within his trailer, that is, within his bathroom, that this bleach bottle was found; is that right?
WILLIAM TYSON: That's my understanding. Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Do you recall, Sergeant Tyson, whether the bleach bottle, uh, was full at the time that you recovered it? Or is -- or that it was recovered?
WILLIAM TYSON: Okay. Like I said, um, Deputy Riemer collected it. My understanding was is that it was empty at the time of collection.
MR. KRATZ: All right. Just to go back for just a moment about the concept of search teams on the lst of March, uh, that is, after, uh, Mr. Dassey's statement was made, after a search warrant was authorized, was a search team put together for the trailer of Mr. Avery again?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. I was assigned with Deputy Rick Riemer and Investigator Wendy Baldwin. Uh, we were sent back into the trailer to execute that warrant.
MR. KRATZ: All right. Move ahead just a couple of days to the, um, 9th -- Wednesday, the 9th of November, um, you were employed on that day?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: And could you tell the jury, please, what your duties were on the 9th of November? This is
2005. I'm sorry.
WILLIAM TYSON: Okay. I'm trying to think back. Um --
MR. KRATZ: If I ask you a more specific question, would that --
WILLIAM TYSON: Could you, please?
MR. KRATZ: help you? Sure. Uh, were you involved at all in this case in, um, collecting what are called exemplars or standards?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: And could you tell us, uh, how you were involved in that process?
WILLIAM TYSON: On the 9th, I was directed by, um, Agent Fassbender and Investigator Wiegert, was told my responsibility would be to go to the Aurora Medical Clinic in Two Rivers. Uh, I was informed that search warrants were going to be executed on members of the Avery family, and that they'd be brought to the Aurora Clinic where a physical examination would be done, DNA exemplars would be taken, and my responsibility was to document, photograph, and collect any of the exemplars that were taken by the medical professionals.
MR. KRATZ: Were one of the individuals brought to the Aurora medical facility, uh, Steven Avery?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Did you have occasion to participate in and document a physical examination of Mr. Avery on the 9th of November?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: And during that physical examination, did you note any, um, specific, uh, uh, uh, injury or the remnants of any injury at that time?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. Um, his -- it was his middle finger on the right hand. He had a deep laceration.
MR. KRATZ: I'm showing you what's been, uh, marked as Exhibit No. 89. Tell us what we're looking at, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yeah. That would be the finger, uh, showing the -- the cut to the finger with a scale, uh, for measurement purposes.
MR. KRATZ: This was a photograph that you took?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Recognizing that you are not a, uh, uh -- a medical professional -- I assume you're not --
WILLIAM TYSON: Correct.
MR. KRATZ: -- from what I know of you Sergeant Tyson, but the, uh, observations that you made, uh, and the photograph that is a depiction of that injury, that appear to be a significant or a deep cut to you?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Later that week, in just general terms, could you describe for the jury what your responsibilities were at the Avery salvage property?
WILLIAM TYSON: At the end of the week we were completing our searches, and, um, my responsibilities were to assist where needed. I was also requested to videotape the entire property. Um, inside the residences, the whole area, to show exactly how we were leaving the property, and to give an idea of what this crime scene all entailed.
MR. KRATZ: The last series of inquiry I believe I have for you, Sergeant Tyson, is after, um, a statement was received by Mr. Dassey --
MR. FREMGEN: Objection, Judge. At this point there's been no evidence of any statement in the record.
THE COURT: Response?
MR. KRATZ: I could ask him if he knows of the statement by Mr. Dassey. It isn't for -- isn't the statement, itself. It's just is to establish what this, uh, writer did. It certainly isn't hearsay, Judge.
THE COURT: Well, why don't you try to lay a foundation, then, for the question.
MR. KRATZ: All right.
MR. KRATZ: (By Attorney Kratz) Sergeant Tyson, have you been involved in this investigation, that is, the investigation which included Mr. Avery and Mr. Dassey, throughout the entire process?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Uh, were you aware that Mr. Brendan Dassey provided a statement to law enforcement officials? Specifically, Investigator Wiegert and Special Agent Fassbender?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Did you know the date on which that statement was given?
WILLIAM TYSON: I know it was at the end of February. Maybe the 28th. March 1. In that area.
MR. KRATZ: Thereafter -- Sometime thereafter, were you asked to, um, attempt to obtain, uh, some evidence from a area of, uh, Teresa Halbach's SUV?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: Could you describe that process for the jury, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: Sure. Deputy Jeremy Hawkins is also an evidence technician within the Department. He assisted in the processing of a lot of the evidence that we did collect. On April 3 we were requested to go to where
we had stored Teresa's vehicle. Uh, Investigator Wiegert and Agent Fassbender had requested that we do DNA swabs of both door handles, interior and exterior, as well as the hood latch to the vehicle, and the battery cables, um, under the hood.
MR. KRATZ: Directing your attention to the hood latch, and now I'm going to have you look at, uh, Exhibit No. 90, tell us what it is that we're looking at, please?
WILLIAM TYSON: This would be a photograph of the hood latch to Teresa's vehicle.
MR. KRATZ: And so a jury, um, member, or all jury members understand, uh, what is a hood latch?
WILLIAM TYSON: It secures the hood to the vehicle. Locks it in.
MR. KRATZ: All right. Um, on my vehicle, or at least on most vehicles, there's a -- a release or a button on the inside of the -- the vehicle. Are you familiar with those?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. KRATZ: But is there another safety feature or an additional latch that's usually on a hood?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. And that would be the hood latch.
MR. KRATZ: All right. Did you, again, personally swab, uh, or, uh, collect possible DNA material from Teresa Halbach's hood latch?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes, I did.
MR. KRATZ: Would you describe for the jury that process please? How was that done?
WILLIAM TYSON: Sure. When you swab for any type of DNA evidence, you have a cotton tip applicator, kind of like a big Q-tip. Um, you have distilled water. And the tip is sterile as well. So you're taking it from a fresh package.
Um, you take your distilled water, you would -- not touching the cotton tip applicator, but you would drop two to three drops of this water onto the cotton tip applicator. You then take that applicator and swab the area in which you were interested in.
MR. KRATZ: Could you point to the large screen, please, and tell the jury where it was that you swabbed? That is, what area of the hood latch was, um, swabbed by this applicator?
WILLIAM TYSON: Sure. This area right in here.
MR. KRATZ: I'm going to have Mr. Wiegert show you, uh, what's been marked for identification as Exhibit No. 94. Because it contains biological material, I'm not going to have you open it, but I would ask you, if you're able to, identify Exhibit No.
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. It's got, um, the evidence tag on that I personally wrote out, and it states it contains the swab containing possible DNA evidence.
MR. KRATZ: From?
WILLIAM TYSON: From the hood latch of Teresa's vehicle.
MR. KRATZ: If I could have just a moment, Judge? Judge, I would move the admission of exhibits, I think it's 79 through 94, at this time, and I have no further questions of Sergeant Tyson. Thank you.
THE COURT: Any objection, Counsel?
MR. FREMGEN: What was No. 90?
THE COURT: Number 90 is a photo of a hood latch of the, uh, Halbach vehicle.
MR. FREMGEN: No objection.
THE COURT: All right. They're received. Cross?
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY ATTORNEY FREMGEN:
MR. FREMGEN: Officer, you indicated that you are currently in a position of -- like a supervisory role with the Sheriff's Department?
WILLIAM TYSON: That's correct.
MR. FREMGEN: And you indicated that you had been trained back in 1984 as an evidence tech?
WILLIAM TYSON: Nineteen ninety-four. Correct.
MR. FREMGEN: Nineteen ninety-four?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Okay. Have you had any, uh, follow-up training or primers since 1994?
WILLIAM TYSON: Maybe in 1995, '96, '97, in the early stages, um, some updates. Photography, things like that. But, no, most of my training now would consist of supervisory training.
MR. FREMGEN: Between 1994 and now, did the, uh -- was the majority of your duties or your responsibilities involving evidence tech, or evidence collecting, or was it general police duties?
WILLIAM TYSON: The majority of my responsibilities are general police duties. Uh, if we have a crime that occurred in the county, um, I could be dispatched to that. You know, there's five officers in our Department at that time that were evidence technicians. If I was on duty, or even if I was not on duty, I could get a call at my house to come out to process that scene. So if we had a crime, yeah, we would have to respond to it.
MR. FREMGEN: Did this training consist of a couple of classes at the Fox Valley Tech, or like a week-long training somewhere?
WILLIAM TYSON: It was a week-long training class held by Mike Campbell. He was an officer to the Milwaukee Police Department. He put on the training. I think it was at Lakeshore Technical College, and it was -- I believe it was one full week.
MR. FREMGEN: So something locally?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Now, your first duty involved in this investigation was, uh, my understanding, um, to secure the RAV 4; is that correct?
WILLIAM TYSON: Correct.
MR. FREMGEN: Did you do any processing of any evidence at the scene of the RAV 4?
WILLIAM TYSON: No, I did not.
MR. FREMGEN: I -- I don't want minimize your role, it's -- but, essentially, you just stood watch of the vehicle?
WILLIAM TYSON: Correct. Initially, I was -- you know, make sure nobody got near the vehicle, nobody touched the vehicle. Uh, due to inclement weather -- We had a storm that was approaching. Um, Agent Fassbender was on location with, I think, other DCI officers, and, you know, we were taking measures to make sure that no evidence that was possibly on the exterior of the vehicle would be destroyed with the incoming storm.
So they had, um, gone and gotten a tarp and very carefully, uh, tried to protect the vehicle from the elements that were approaching as there was a mist in the air, rain was coming. Um, so they were doing that type of stuff.
MR. FREMGEN: Once your role as security or securing the, uh -- the vehicle was completed, were you involved in processing any of that scene?
WILLIAM TYSON: With the RAV 4?
MR. FREMGEN: Correct.
WILLIAM TYSON: No, I was not.
MR. FREMGEN: So -- so the next role or duty within this investigation would have been when you were assigned to a search team to search the trailer of Steven Avery?
WILLIAM TYSON: There were a few things I did prior to the execution of the search warrant at Steve's trailer. Um, you know, we had K-9s on the property that were searching the area. So when the K-9 handler showed up, I directed officers to go with the K-9 officers that were there with their dogs, and, um, documented times of arriving on scene, time they completed, who they were with, what areas they searched, things like that.
MR. FREMGEN: You didn't just sit around? You're doing work?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Okay. But your next specialized task would have been to assist in the search of the Steven Avery trailer?
WILLIAM TYSON: That'd be correct.
MR. FREMGEN: How many searches of that trailer were you involved in?
WILLIAM TYSON: One search that night. I was sent back in, I believe, on the 7th of November, um, to get a serial number and a model number off of a computer. Technically, that would be a search. So -- But that was our only responsibilities that day was to get the serial number off the computer and the model number for Investigator Wiegert.
MR. FREMGEN: Prior to entering the, uh, trailer when you did the initial search, not -- not the second one when you went through it to get some model numbers, did you -- you indicated that your role was essentially to oversee, watch, and take notes?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Did you first go through, videotape or photograph the entire residence, to memorialize what it looked like prior to the scene? To -- to the search?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes. Um, for example, um, Detective Remiker had a digital camera and Sergeant Colborn had a 35mm evidence camera. Both of them, before we even started anything, photographed the entire interior of the residence before any searching had begun.
MR. FREMGEN: Now, you indicated this is kind of a small trailer?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Would it be fair to say that it would be best in the small setting to have as few people in there?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes...
MR. FREMGEN: And -- and do you think that you had too many, not enough, just enough searchers of the residence?
WILLIAM TYSON: I found it to be adequate. You know, it was hard in certain areas because it was small and confined. Um, but we were, you know, in hallways, in -- in rooms, and, um, it was adequate, I would say.
MR. FREMGEN: When they did the search, since your were, obviously, you indicated, trying to monitor or take notes of each individual -- other three individuals searching, did they -- did you basically go through it methodically one room at a time, or did everyone just go off on their own and you'd tried to follow them around?
WILLIAM TYSON: Well, we started out in Steve's bedroom. Um, after a period of time, you know, like, Lieutenant Lenk had told me, he said, I'm going to start just looking in the bathroom for anything obvious. So I relocated my position into the hallway. I could see, um, Investigator Lenk, I could see Sergeant Colborn, um, on this side of the -- the bedroom. I would -- could watch Lieutenant Lenk. He was in the bathroom. But it was confined to that area. Nobody was allowed to just wander about the residence, you know.
MR. FREMGEN: So there were times when they were in two different rooms? A bathroom and a bedroom --
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: -- for instance? You commented, um, that it's important to change the gloves as items are handled?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Is it just any item or just items that have evidentiary value?
WILLIAM TYSON: We look at it, you know, on scene. Um, we're looking for major evidence, things like that. We're not going to touch one thing and then change gloves every single time we touch something. But if it's evidentiary in nature, we suspect it might be evidentiary in nature, yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Is -- is it possible for DNA to be transferred, though, from touching some items that might have DNA that maybe you didn't find to have evidentiary value, and then touching something that you end up seizing?
WILLIAM TYSON: Sure.
MR. FREMGEN: And that could have happened? You don't know that?
WILLIAM TYSON: In something specific?
MR. FREMGEN: I'm just asking in general.
WILLIAM TYSON: Oh, sure.
MR. FREMGEN: If you're not changing your gloves every time you touch something, that could happen?
WILLIAM TYSON: Right.
MR. FREMGEN: If --
WILLIAM TYSON: Right. It's not something that you're looking at to be evidentiary, you move onto the next item. Sure.
MR. FREMGEN: But each time you found a -- an important item, you would change your gloves?
WILLIAM TYSON: The officers would, yeah. I wasn't specifically handling the evidence that night.
MR. FREMGEN: I'm sorry. I meant -- I guess I meant colloquially with you --
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: -- all.
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: The other three?
WILLIAM TYSON: Sure.
MR. FREMGEN: Okay. Now -- And, again, you're testifying about what some of the other officers found. One of the officers found the handcuffs, and I'm -- I'm going to imagine that -- maybe I'm -- didn't hear you say it, and the leg irons together in the bookshelf?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Okay. Were they just lying on the bookshelf?
WILLIAM TYSON: I did not see the location inside the shelf. I was standing to the side. He pulled them out and was showing me what he was locating. I was documenting. So where, exactly? Um, they were -- they were on top of each other? Or right next to each other? That I do not know.
MR. FREMGEN: Let me ask you this, if you know the answer, why did you take the handcuffs and the leg irons?
WILLIAM TYSON: The deputies at that time thought it was potentially something that could be evidentiary.
MR. FREMGEN: But you left the guns?
WILLIAM TYSON: The guns were left in the gun rack.
MR. FREMGEN: You didn't think that guns might be evidentiary?
WILLIAM TYSON: We figured they probably would, but looking at the circumference of what we were supposed to do, um, they left them.
MR. FREMGEN: When the bleach bottle was -- Now, this was ina separate search; correct? When --
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: -- you found that bleach bottle?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Excuse me. Did you -- Again, your role at that time was the same as before? To document and monitor?
WILLIAM TYSON: That warrant I was more involved with the actual searching. Investigator Baldwin was more the one assigned to documenting and note taking.
MR. FREMGEN: So you would have been the one who actually physically collected the bot -- bleach bottle?
WILLIAM TYSON: I was not. Um, Officer Riemer was the one who actually seized it.
MR. FREMGEN: And, again, you're wearing gloves --
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: -- at this time? Um, did you process that to determine if there were any fingerprints on it? Or is that somebody else's job?
WILLIAM TYSON: That was also my responsibility at a later time. Deputy Hawkins and myself were assigned to the duties of processing what we had collected from the scene. So, yes, that bottle was processed.
MR. FREMGEN: Okay. So when you process it and try to extract fingerprints, then is that sent off to the Crime Lab for, uh, some sort of, uh, review to determine whether or not it matches anyone?
WILLIAM TYSON: Our focus for the bleach bottle was not so much fingerprints. Because it was in, uh, Steve's trailer, uh, we assumed his fingerprints would be on it. We were looking more for any type of DNA evidence, um, blood, or anything like that.
MR. FREMGEN: But you didn't check to see if someone else's fingerprints were on it?
WILLIAM TYSON: We did not check it for fingerprints. We were specifically looking for DNA.
MR. FREMGEN: When you were -- You were involved, you indicated, with the second time the RAV 4 was processed. And I guess I shouldn't say second. It may have been processed a number of times. As far as your involvement, you were involved the first time with securing the RAV 4 --
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: -- correct? And the second time with obtaining some, uh, uh, swabs of the hood latch?
WILLIAM TYSON: Correct.
MR. FREMGEN: Do you know how many times the vehicle had been
opened and closed in between those two times?
WILLIAM TYSON: It came from the Crime Lab. Um, it was secured in the storage facility. I don't know exactly the answer to that question, no.
MR. FREMGEN: So you don't know what the Crime Lab did to the vehicle?
WILLIAM TYSON: I have no idea what the Crime Lab did to that vehicle.
MR. FREMGEN: And when you swabbed the latch, the only -- you indicated you swabbed the -- looks like it -- the hood was down, the part that you would -- would be facing towards the ground; correct?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yeah. The part that you would commonly use your finger to pull up on to unlatch the hood -- the hood.
MR. FREMGEN: Did you swab just above the -- the latch as well? Or just that lower portion of the latch?
WILLIAM TYSON: I believe I did the lower part and I did all the way around that. Just did the entire latch, itself.
MR. FREMGEN: Okay. So the entire latch?
WILLIAM TYSON: Yeah.
MR. FREMGEN: Did you, uh, swab the interior release? Hood release.
WILLIAM TYSON: No, I did not.
MR. FREMGEN: Was it because you weren't told to or didn't
think about doing it?
WILLIAM TYSON: Um, we weren't instructed to do that. I don't know what was done before that. Um, our focus was the hood latch and other specific areas.
MR. FREMGEN: Was it just one swab that you --
WILLIAM TYSON: Yes.
MR. FREMGEN: Okay. So you didn't have to change your gloves then?
WILLIAM TYSON: I changed gloves from the time that I swabbed the door handles to the time that I went and did the hood latch.
MR. FREMGEN: When you opened the -- the hood latch, did you change gloves before you swabbed or you used the same gloves that you, uh, opened the hood latch?
WILLIAM TYSON: I think it was one process. You know, I probably released it, had the cotton applicator, and immediately did the swabbing of the hood latch.
MR. FREMGEN: Thank you.
MR. FREMGEN: Nothing else, Judge.
THE COURT: Any redirect, Counsel?
MR. KRATZ: That's all for this witness. Thank you.
THE COURT: You may step down.