Avery Shaw is a victim of rape by childhood neighbor Deacon Brinn, Brinn in turn already being a rape victim of Lucas Biggs. Shaw was permanently scarred from being a victim as well as carried guilt for years over being forced to bury the corpse of Jeffrey Ronsen, a boy Brinn had raped and killed.
History[]
When he was seven, Avery came over to the house of his best friend Jeffrey Ronsen, where they were given alcohol by Jeffrey's babysitter Deacon Brinn who proceeded to rape Avery. However, in the midst of sexually abusing Ronsen, the latter fought back, and Deacon killed him by breaking his neck. Deacon made Avery take Ronsen out to a historic baseball field in town and assist in burying his remains there, threatening that he would go to jail because he was present. Shaw was permanently scarred and never forgave himself for what he was forced to abet in. Avery subsequently stalked Brinn for years from his college graduation, his marriage, and the birth of his son, even making a map to his home. He also kept a journal detailing everything that he endured and how he planned to get even.
Years later, Avery dated a woman named Kimber Faulk and they were together for two years. Kimber considered him the sweetest man she knew, and they only fought about having children, something she wanted. but he was against. However, he ended up impregnating his girlfriend, which led him to leave his family and cut off contact in hopes it would keep them safe because he always feared of continuing the cycle of sexual abuse that Deacon followed and hurting his child. Nevertheless, Avery sent his family money every month for them to get by and Kimber gave birth to a son named Theo.
After seeing Detective Olivia Benson publicized for her efforts in cases involving kids, especially sexual abuse, Avery felt a kindred spirit in her and a resource in the justice system. He started to stalk her for weeks to find out as much information about her, so he could file a report on Deacon and wait for the right moment to stop him.
Quarry[]
In 2005, Avery finally sent a letter to Benson revealing where Ronsen was buried in the field, the crime later tied to Deacon through a thumbprint in some gum he left on Ronsen's jersey. Avery attended Ronsen's funeral and was briefly questioned by Benson who he pretended to not know, without much to reveal regarding the case.
After seeing the detectives go after Lucas Biggs, the pedophile who molested Deacon instead, Avery finally snapped. That night, he broke into Deacon's apartment while the latter was watching a tape of molesting another boy. Holding a loaded gun on Deacon, Avery demanded answers by questioning whether Deacon was molesting his son like those kids on the video and why he was a victim. Deacon tries to argue it's "love" at first, but then admits he was abused by Biggs and in his frustration at the world wanted other people to feel the same trauma he did and chose him because he was vulnerable. Deacon pleaded to Shaw, despite knowing the latter was furious, stating he was not that type of person. After a while, Avery tosses the gun on the couch and leaves.
Deacon was later found murdered that night and an autopsy revealed he was shot before getting run over by a train. When SVU questioned Biggs on who else knew about him molesting Deacon, Biggs revealed that he saw Deacon would stare at Avery with perverse lust. SVU raided Avery's apartment and discovered pictures and clippings of the stalking he did to Deacon for years, his childhood journal, as well as how he was stalking Benson too. Tracking his financials to Kimber and his son Theo, Kimber refused to give him up and was arrested for aiding a fugitive. However, Avery appeared on the scene and proceeded to beg for his family's release and willingly lets himself get arrested.
At the precinct, he revealed why he stalked Benson and falsely took the blame for Deacon's murder. He also tells the team of the videotape that Deacon was watching, where he was raping another child. Crime tech and SVU discovered the tape before they saw the confrontation between Avery and Deacon while at the same time Avery lies in court that he did it. However, the detectives saw Avery left the gun behind and couldn't have been the killer. Soon they saw Deacon got a call and took the gun with him, recalling that Julia, Deacon's widow called him, they interrogated her, and she revealed Deacon was molesting their son and she was arrested.
Avery later reveals to Benson that he knew Julia did it and says he wanted to take the fall, because he should have stopped Brinn years ago. He soon reveals his fears of following the cycle of abuse that Brinn followed and what he could do to his son or other children. Benson reassures him with how he fought for justice, there's more love in him for his family than intentions to hurt anyone. He's soon released and reunited with Kimber and Theo after they were released. Avery happily held his son for the first time. (SVU: "Quarry")