Excerpts from Thursday's news conference held Thursday in Mishicot by Calumet County Sheriff Jerry Pagel and Calumet County Dist. Atty. Ken Kratz:



Pagel: The scope of this investigation is now criminal in nature and we are classifying it as a homicide investigation. It appears that an attempt was made to dispose of a body by an incendiary means. However, that attempt was not completely successful. Pieces of human teeth and were found on the Avery property and the bone has been determined to be that of an adult female. The teeth are also that of a human being.



The analysis of these items is being conducted to determine the identity. A significant amount of blood was also discovered in Teresa Halbach’s vehicle and samples of blood also were found on the Avery property and in buildings on the Avery property, but again this evidence is being analyzed by the state crime lab.



Also the key that was used to start Teresa Halbach’s vehicle was found in Steven Avery’s bedroom. But again I want to emphasize the investigation revolves around one victim, in this case and that’s Teresa Halbach.



Initially, resources were used in an attempt to locate a missing person, and that eventually grew to an investigation concerning her welfare. And I also want to emphasize that the investigation is being conducted by the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department along with the State of Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and the FBI is also going to be assisting us in the investigation.



The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department’s role in this investigation was to provide resources for us when they were needed. As we needed items on the property to conduct searches, they provided that piece of equipment and that’s their role and their only role in this investigation. …



Today we have 60 more state patrol troopers on scene and they are searching for additional evidence of incendiary evidence that might be at the scene.



As I indicated previously we are classifying this as a homicide investigation. I have been in contact with the Halbach family and it was a difficult meting, needless to say that I had with the family. You can probably tell I’m a little shook up today with the evidence that we’ve discovered and I think I have a right to be. I’ve been involved in this business for 33 years and I’ve seen a lot of bad things in my investigations, but I think this tops the cake. To know that one human being and can do this to another human being is beyond belief.

Kratz: … Mr. Avery at this time is charged with felon in possession of a firearm. There have been no additional charges filed against Mr. Avery at this time. Mr. Avery’s initial appearance on that felon in possession of a weapon charge has been scheduled in Manitowoc County Circuit Court in Judge Willis’ courtroom for Tuesday the 15th of November at 2 o’clock p.m. I’ve been in contact with Mr. Avery’s lawyer, Steven Glynn, yesterday and today. Mr. Glenn and I had a phone conference with Judge Willis late this morning and that’s when the initial appearance was scheduled.



Sheriff Pagel mentioned that this investigation continues. It is that of a homicide nature. I wanted to express what we in law enforcement at least believe to be the obvious. That in the past 24 or 36 hours with the nature of the findings made by the sheriff’s department this has been an incredibly difficult time for the Halbach family. I wanted to express at least my understanding as to the continued stress that this whole matter has placed upon this and encourage all of you, which I’m sure you do anyway, to treat this matter and treat any contacts that you may have with the Holbach family with the degree of sensitivity that it deserves.



Sheriff Pagel and the investigators in this case are in constant contact with my office. When and if positive identification is made of the human evidence that’s been found that information will be sent directly to my office. If it is appropriate to bring charge against any individual whatever individual that this horrific act may point to, obviously my office will be involved in the prosecution of that matter and criminal charges will be sought.



Q: How likely do you believe the remains that were found were that of Teresa Halbach?



Pagel: Out of respect for the Halbach family, we want to wait until the crime lab has provided proper identification.



Kratz: What we’re releasing at this time is that forensic anthropologists and forensic odontologists have determined that with 100 percent certainty the bone evidence that has been recovered is that of an adult female, that is human remains and that the teeth are human teeth. From that perspective we will wait for additional forensic evidence.



Q: Was Steven Avery questioned yesterday and if so were any of the interrogations recorded?



Pagel: He was interviewed and yes they were recorded. … I believe it was both video and audio.



Q: Was he interviewed about this case or about the gun case?

Pagel: Both.



Q: Has he admitted anything or said anything about being involved in a homicide?



Pagel: To preserve the integrity of the investigation I do not wish to divulge exactly what was said.



Q: … Are your investigators finding evidence of other crimes out there at the same time they are investigating the disappearance?



Pagel: I do not wish to divulge that information at this time.



Q: Can you tell more about where the human items were found or how?



Pagel: They were discovered on the Avery property near the residences of the Averys and I will indicate they were discovered near Steven Avery’s residence?



Q: Inside Steven Avery’s residence?



Kratz: I think Sheriff Pagel had talked about the bone fragments that were found outside of the residence proper. We aren’t going to comment about what if any evidence other than the key, which again started the ignition of Teresa’s vehicle, was found inside of Mr. Avery’s residence.



Q: (paraphrasing) Was this evidence found in a burn barrel?



Pagel: That burn barrel is pertinent to the investigation.



Kratz: The nature and quality of that evidence until the crime lab is completed with that forensic analysis, we’re not going to comment.



Q: How soon do you expect a positive ID?



Kratz: We expected it by now.



Q: (paraphrasing) When were the bone fragments and the blood found and were they big pieces or small pieces?



Pagel: There were numerous pieces of bone in different degrees of size.



Kratz: But I think to comment further on that isn’t really…. The blood was found immediately. It was found Saturday. We knew about blood in the interior of Teresa’s vehicle already on Saturday the first day we executed search warrants. The bone and other evidence has been discovered throughout this investigation. …



Q: Was this material covered, buried or hidden or did it look like it had just been scattered?



Pagel: I don’t want to divulge to that type information. I think that might be pertinent to our investigation.



Q: Did you discover any evidence of flammable substances in the area where the burn barrel was … gasoline, kerosene, anything like that?



Pagel: We know that items were used to facilitate the fire. However, as far as what was used, that is still being analyzed and evidence is still being collected at the scene as we speak here today and the investigation is continuing.



Kratz: … Although we aren’t able to answer all, of these investigative questions, I hope that’s for reasons that may be obvious to all of you. We aren’t going to jeopardize this investigation. We aren’t going to try this case in the media at all. Although we’ve been responsive enough to the community to provide these ongoing press conferences, if there’s anything that we don’t have or that will jeopardize or not further our investigation, we’re just not going to get into that.



Q: Was the car camouflaged or anything? Were there any branches over the car?



Kratz: We can’t comment on that.



Q: Where inside the Avery home did you find the key?

Kratz: In his bedroom…



Q: Have you identified one or more suspects?



Kratz: We remain open to any number of suspects in this case as certain evidence leads to certain individuals we’re following up on. At this time nobody has been identified to the extent that a criminal complaint is appropriate to be brought and from that perspective then we haven’t narrowed it to one.



Q: Is it standard operating procedure to have the FBI involved in a case like this?



Pagel: I feel because of the magnitude it was important that we contact them. Again, the area that was searched, the magnitude of this investigation, I felt we needed to have them come on board and see if they could provide assistance and they have totally agreed to do so.



Q: Did you call them in also so that you wouldn’t be seen as Mr. Avery has suggested maybe evidence would be planted?



Pagel: That had nothing to do with it, no.



Q: The body parts you referred to, does that indicate the body was severed before it was burned?



Pagel: We have nothing to indicate that.



Q: Did Mr. Avery make any admissions to you yesterday?



Pagel: I will not comment on anything that was said during the interviews.



Q: Did he ask to talk to a lawyer before you interviewed him?



Pagel: No, he did not.



Q: You had mentioned that about seven or eight of the Avery family members were persons of interest. Is that still the case today?



Kratz: Everybody remains a person of interest.



Q: Would you say the Avery family, including Steven Avery, have continued to be cooperative in this case?



Kratz: I think that’s a generally a correct statement.



Q: Besides the Avery family did you take DNA samples from anybody else?



Kratz: Other than exemplars, what you might call persons of interest, I think that’s what you are talking about, persons of interest in the investigation I think is, those individuals that yesterday you found out about.



Q: Can you respond to Mr. Avery’s attorney who said that you seemed to be keeping his client away from him yesterday?



Kratz: I’d be happy to do that. Mr. Avery and all of the individuals who were asked to give DNA samples yesterday were interviewed. Each of those interviews were conducted with the benefit of what is commonly referred to as Miranda warnings. Miranda warnings are those Fifth Amendment privileges that are explained to individuals that may be in custody -- not necessarily under arrest -- but may be in custody where they are told that they don’t have to speak and they have a right to an attorney and those kinds of things. Each of those individuals was given that opportunity. If any of the people yesterday wished either not to speak to investigators or wished the assistance of counsel, they were given that opportunity. So those are personal individual rights so an individual who may be read their rights and they want to invoke either their Fifth Amendment right of silence, or their Fifth Amendment counsel has a personal right to do that. Lawyers don’t get to invoke that for their clients. Clients have to invoke those rights. …



Q: Any matches from Steven Avery or family members in regards to the DNA?



Kratz: I can’t comment on that evidence.



Q: Is keeping Mr. Avery in custody for a few days longer than 72 hours, is part of that because of interest in him for other reasons … to keep him in custody?



Kratz: Absolutely not. Mr. Avery is held right now in custody and because he is charged with a felony offense probable cause by a judge has been found. The initial appearance has been set. The time of that initial appearance is for that purpose.