What about the letters threatening to kill his former wife? Or the time he went to jail for running a women off the road and trying to force her into his car?
The letters were already explained last page or a couple pages back.
Everyone just needs to go on Reddit and read all the evidence and see which has been refuted. This back and forth of misinformation or lack of information is rather tedious.
However, to answer your question, he was threatening her because she sent letters to him saying she couldn't handle raising the kids alone and was going to kill them so she wouldn't have to deal with them anymore. I'm sure you would've done the same. I mean, what else do you say? "Please don't, it would make me sad." You also have to remember he's not the brightest bulb in the box, with an IQ clicking in at 70. I don't think he even thought asking a family member for help to deal with her. He probably just seen the letter and got enraged and sent an equally dark letter in return.
And the womAn in question was his cousin who was spreading rumors about him all over town masturbating on her car, sex with his wife on his front lawn, etc. She was saying things about him to friends, at bars, etc.
All stuff that he denied, so it comes down to he said/she said. That's what they think put a target on his back, initially, with the sheriff's office. Since her husband was an officer and found an easy way to fit him to the attempted rape crime.
And that's another thing... The first time he went away for wasn't even rape. It was attempted rape. There was no penetration. She fought him off before he could. I still don't see how he got X amount of years for that (I can't remember the actual duration of the sentence). While murderers and actual rapists have served less time... It's ridiculous. They didn't just throw the book at him, they threw the library.
Nothing she could have said makes what he did justifiable.
Again, super low IQ.
Wait, seriously? If she never touched it, how did Steven get the key, period?
None of the key stuff makes sense, I'm not sure why the prosecution even admitted it into evidence. Her DNA obviously had to be on it at some point since it was her vehicle and she most likely put it there. And if he "had gloves to wipe down all the DNA in her car", then why did his DNA end up on the key? Oh, I must make sure I don't touch anything in her car and even wear gloves. Oh, a key, let me take my gloves off and rub my DNA all over it and leave it under a slipper.