Todd Hermann

Todd Hermann testified for the prosecution on Day 4 of Steven Avery's 2007 trial about the initial watch over Teresa Halbach's RAV4 at Avery Salvage Yard. He said he arrived around 11:03 a.m. on November 5, watched Detective Dave Remiker and Sergeant Jason Orth approach the vehicle, and did not see them enter or disturb it. Hermann said he maintained visual contact while relieving Orth for two breaks and saw no one disturb the vehicle during the period he described. He also testified that scene security passed to Calumet County and was not reassumed by Manitowoc County.

On cross-examination, Jerome Buting tested Hermann's account against conflict concerns, the RAV4's condition, gaps in the southwest perimeter, and the timing of Calumet County's takeover. Hermann described the vehicle as intact and partly concealed. He did not claim to know how many other vehicles were double-parked, when an aerial photograph was taken, or when he left the car-crusher area; he also declined to speculate about how recognizable a crushed vehicle would be.

On redirect, Hermann used a red truck shown in the exhibits to place the RAV4 farther south, toward the pond. The court noted that the aerial photographs shown to that point were taken after the RAV4 had been removed.