One of the most puzzling revelations of his trial was that in 1985, Michael was the last person to see Elizabeth Ratliff before she was discovered dead at the bottom of a staircase. Much like his client, Rudolf took issue with Campos version of events, especially with scenes that implied Michael kept information from him and that his professional relationship with Pfeiffer was unethical. He was sentenced to seven years and a month in prison, but got out right away having already served eight years after his first trial. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way. "I'm too old. He still lives in Durham, though in a ground-floor apartment, which David Rudolf explained to Oxygen has no stairs that was a really important accommodation. Ill say! Kathleen was apparently bludgeoned to death after a medical examiner noticed several lacerations on her scalp. Portrayed by Olivia DeJonge, Caitlin was Kathleens only biological child and the sole child from the Peterson household to believe that Michael was responsible for her mothers death. And what's his life like today? In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. In fact, when his step-daughter Caitlin Atwater Clark attempted to sue him for $25 million in a wrongful death lawsuit, he specifically told his lawyer that he had no money at all. According to CNN, Patty Peterson loaned Michael Peterson $168,000 to help him fight his case. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. "He's living in Durham I'm not sure why he's living in Durham, but he is," Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. At the time of his wifes death, Peterson had been an accomplished author and shed been a prominent fixture in their community as a businesses executive and engineer, so needless to say, they were an affluent couple. So the ill-fated lovebirds went their own ways. Instead of the trial actually happening, a judge reduced the novelists charges to manslaughter thanks to entering an Alford plea, which essentially states that while he doesn't admit to the crime, he does admit that the state as sufficient evidence to charge him. After Michael and Pattys divorce, they went to live with Michael and Kathleen, whom they called mom, in the United States. After spending eight years in prison, Michael Peterson was given an unexpected reprieve one granted by way of state corruption. HBO Max's new drama The Staircase reenacts the entire story, documentary included, in a star-studded limited series out now. The company had also begun massive layoffs at the same time and Kathleens job security seemed tenuous at best. In light of new developments surrounding the case, de Lestrade made a new installment to The Staircase saga in 2012, entitled The Last Chance.In this new installment, Peterson's legal team appeal to the courts for a new trial after it comes out that bloodstain analyst Duane Deaver, who was a key witness for the prosecution, had given false and . To be fair, according to A Perfect Husband, Aphrodite Jones 2004 book about the case, Petersons defense attorney David Rudolf had the staircase boarded up on December 14, 2001, just days after the killing, in order to preserve evidence. Instead, Peterson is now living the life of "a 75-year-old grandfather" and surviving "[on a] fairly modest pension," Rudolph told "True Crime Interviews" host Steve Wraith. Elizabeth Ratliffs death had a huge impact on her youngest daughter, Martha (Odessa Young). At the time of Kathleens death, Deaver (portrayed by Myke Holmes in the show) worked as a blood spatter analyst for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. As a result, he was re-sentenced to time served and released from prison at that time. Michael Peterson's conviction and life sentence in 2003 was only some of the story. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Despite her words and the fact that Peterson will be considered a convicted felon for the rest of his life, he apparently plans on trying to live out the rest of his years at home in North Carolina. With every episode of The Staircase on HBO Max, more and more details and jaw-dropping twists and turns continue to play out in the story and criminal case against Michael Peterson. Since his release from prison on bond in 2011 and his official release in 2017, Peterson has returned to his passion for. In the final episode of the miniseries, we see Michael Peterson starting to get his life back on track as a free man. They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. The Staircase: Where is Michael Peterson now? - Cosmopolitan As the first iteration of "The Staircase" detailed, Kathleen was found at the bottom of the titular staircase in the couple's Durham mansion in 2001, an incident which immediately raised the hackles of local law enforcement, who believed her death was the result of homicide on the part of her husband. The two lived together until Patty's deathfrom a massive heart attack in July 2021. 2020s Latitia is a true crime drama about the 2011 abduction of 18-year-old Latitia Perrais. After her death, however, and during Petersons time behind bars, he was forced to file for bankruptcy. It soon came to light that not only had Deaver exaggerated the number of cases in which he had worked, he also had no proper forensics training and was guilty of lab misconduct. He also stated that he had worked on 500 bloodstain cases. That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. Peterson's sons have always stood by their father, who has maintained his . A new HBO series, The Staircase, follows Peterson's murder trial after his wife, Kathleen, was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couple's home in 2001. He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. Played by Sophie Turner, Margaret is the eldest daughter of Air Force captain George Ratliff and his wife, Elizabeth, who lived next door to Michael and Patty Peterson in Germany. Where is Michael Peterson now? He lives in Durham in a - TheNetline Michael and Patty became even closer post-trial. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michaels sprawling Colonial home, located in Durhams tony Forest Hills neighborhood. "We originally had been to Harrison Ford," the HBO show's creator Antonio Campos told Entertainment Weekly. Her husband, Michael Peterson, was convicted of murder on October 10, 2003, but the circumstances surrounding her death have been called into question, including Peterson's guilt or innocence since his trial. Rudolf gave a behind-the-scenes look at the trial, and why he agreed to participate in the docu-series, made by a French documentary crew that first aired in the United States in 2005, and was updated and re-released on Netflix last year. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Fact vs Fiction: The Staircase did Michael Peterson kill Kathleen and Then there was Kathleens $725,000 life insurance policy (which doubled to $1.4 million in the case of accidental death) of which Michael was the beneficiary (not to mention the almost $400,000 in deferred compensation benefits he was owed from Nortel upon her passing). Margaret and Michael are both featured in the movie as interviewees. The most vocal of Kathleens sisters, Candace (Rosemarie DeWitt) was the one to present the prosecution with the alleged murder weapon, a fireplace poker, or blow poke, that she had given the Petersons for Christmas. The Staircase, starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette as Michael and Kathleen Peterson, explores the life of Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife Kathleen at their sprawling North Carolina home after she died under suspicious circumstances in December 2001.. The political thriller Jeux dInfluence had two seasons released between 2018 and 2022 in the European streaming service Arte. Speaking to The News & Observer, Michael Peterson shared their relationship came to an end because he did not want to live in Paris. But severe cracks in their foundation came to light following Michaels arrest and during his subsequent lengthy trial. Before that, she ran twice for District Attorney, in 2006 and 2008, but never got the job. In . He published his first memoir, Behind the Staircase, in 2019 and went on to write a follow-up, which was released that same year, titled Beyond the Staircase. Lincoln Rileys wife, Caitlin Buckley: She attended Rileys rival school, first-degree murder and sent him to prison for life, Michael still asserts that he did not kill Kathleen Peterson, Isabella Russos ethnicity Her Asian roots explained, What is Ines Tazis ethnicity? In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. The Staircase: Where Is Michael Peterson Now? - Peoplemag Firth threw everything into the part, and it turned out it changed his attitude and approach towards acting. In 2017, Michael submitted an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. They also became the legal guardians of two young girls, Margaret Ratcliff and Martha Ratcliff, following their mother's death in 1985. He was convinced it was going to be payback time once he got charged., While some viewers saw Peterson in the film and thought he was a narcissist, Rudolf said he wanted the film to be made for simple self-preservation on his part., He was making it hard for anyone to cheat, or at least to cheat without being caught, Rudolf said. Ever since Patty died, Todd changed his mind about his dads involvement in Kathleens death, and now believes to have murdered not only his stepmom but also Elizabeth Ratliff. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an. Peterson now lives in a 1,200 square foot condo, shell always see him responsible for her sisters death, Peterson will be considered a convicted felon. However, since the release of the HBO miniseries, his Instagram profile has been deleted. He was granted a new trial in 2011, after a judge determined that a key prosecution witness lied on the stand during the original trial. As shown in the miniseries, Michael took the Alford plea in 2017, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. While there have been several retellings of the chilling case, like Netflix's take on it in 2018, HBO Max's rendition strives to reveal untold sides and different angles of the harrowing story, with Colin Firth as the lead. His plans, he said, are to spend the time he lost behind bars with family and write a new book. And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Peterson's new living situation: The most confounding aspect of The Staircase is tough to pinpoint. Clayton and Todd chose to live with their mom, while Martha and Margaret moved to North Carolina with Michael. Curiously, though he was living with Kathleen at the time, his first wife, Patty, from whom he was separated, co-signed for the loan. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, 'Glaring error' left 'habitual liar' Alex Murdaugh 'boxed in' during trial, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life after disgraced lawyer guilty of murder, Murdaugh sentenced to LIFE in prison after being found guilty of double murder, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Michael Peterson was convicted of killing his wife Kathleen in 2003, A new HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase, will follow Peterson's murder trial. The case that dominated such a large part of his life still haunted him, however. HBO Max's 'The Staircase' True Story - Where Is Michael Peterson Now? Since Michael cant profit from his crime, the proceeds from the books sales go to charity. By taking the plea, he admitted that the prosecution had enough evidence to secure a manslaughter conviction. However, it was nearly a very different ending. He said that when he previously prepared for a role, he liked to delve right in and get "to the heart" of the character. Peterson's current financial state, while up for speculation, is most likely a shadow of what it was in 2001. "We made plans to live in Paris. It's the story of novelist Michael Peterson and the trial that followed his arrest for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. Michael's late wife Kathleen will be played byToni Collette. They lived together in Durham up until Pattys death from a heart attack in 2021. But perhaps most disconcerting is the fact that the crime scene, complete with blood-splattered walls and floors, was left intact for years while Peterson and his children continued to live in the home! According to Detective Art Holland of Durham police, Kathleen was "splayed out on the floor, her head resting on the landing of a back staircase" details that sparked suspicion due to the awfully close similarities to Elizabeth's death in 1985. The woman who The Staircase viewers may be mistaking for Peterson's new wife could well be Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche), an executive producer of the Jean-Xavier de Lestrade documentary, also titled The Staircase. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. I'm too old. The jury found the evidence sufficient to convict Michael of first-degree murder and sent him to prison for life. At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. In a series of emails to Variety, he accused Lestrade of pimping him and his family out Still, he admits that Lestrade's work was instrumental in getting him out of prison. Margaret was already interested in pursuing a career in film when her family was approached by Lestrade and his crew. That being said, it's unclear how Peterson is now making a living or if he has some kind of income. Much like Peterson and Brunet, he was also not happy with the fictional adaptation of his docuseries and claimed that Campos misinterpreted facts in a way that paints him as an unethical filmmaker. The staircase where Kathleen Peterson was found dead on Dec. 8, 2001 is seen above Credit: Netflix. I don't speak French. Most eerie of all, though, is the fact that a segment took place on the infamous back staircase! "Its not fair, Its not right. The last person to see her alive was Michael Peterson. Hes in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was really important accommodation.. Juliette Binoche will star as Sophie Brunet, the editor of The Staircase documentary. He tried to fight it, but his firing was upheld in court in 2014. Her stepfather's lies, including about his sexuality, also played a role, as depicted in the HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase. But, theres one thing that pretty much everyone can agree on: The man needs to avoid a home with staircases. However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. Peterson's defense attorney David Rudolf told Oxygen in 2019 that Peterson is currently living in Durham in a ground floor apartmentso no staircase. Does Michael Peterson Have a New Wife? Inside His Relationship - MSN Where is Michael Peterson Now? He Lives in a House Without a - Linefame Her name was Elizabeth Ratliff, and she was a family friend of Peterson and his first wife Patricia, who was also living in Germany at the time. The couple also hosts a podcast together, Abuse of Power, which focuses on stories of people victimized by the justice system. It sold the following year to medium Biond Fury (I shudder to think about the seances that took place there during his tenure! With no takers, the price was cut to $975,000 in December and it finally sold the following July at a drastically reduced $640,000. He missed out on Kathleens life insurance policy, and his step-daughter, Caitlin, obtained a $25 million settlement from Michael via a wrongful death claim against him. In a big twist that fans of the original documentary, The Staircase, wouldn't have seen coming, Peterson dated Sophie Brunet, an editor of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary series. He was sentenced to time served and is today a free man. The house was showing signs of wear, too, with many expensive much-needed repairs awaiting completion. He also wasn't a fan of the portrayal of himself and his client regularly fighting, the implication Peterson kept important information secret from him, and the depiction of his relationship with reporter Sonya Pfeiffer. 'The Staircase': Mansion Where Michael Peterson's Wife Died For Sale The film, which examines the ethics of documentary filmmaking, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Caitlins lawyer filed another complaint against him after his release in 2017, in order to discourage him from making money from the case. The couple shared two sons, Clayton Peterson and Todd Peterson. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Then theres the haunting violin score. Rudolf said he agreed to participate in the documentary because the filmmakers had won an Academy Award in 2001 for Murder on a Sunday Morning, about a 15-year-old boy wrongfully accused of murder. Her secluded life and career, Who are Gradey Dicks parents? While the multi-part true-crime docuseries "The Staircase" might not be the gold standard of the genre like it once was at the time of its 2004 debut, it's become the go-to source for the strange case of Michael Peterson, a North Carolina novelist who may or may not have murdered his second wife, Nortel executive Kathleen Peterson. Still married to journalist Sonya Pfeiffer (Teri Wyble), defense attorney David Rudolf (Michael Stuhlbarg) relocated to Toronto in 2021, where he works for litigation and corporate law firm Brauti Thorning LLP. ViaThe Independent, The Associated Press reported Michael moved into a two-bed condo in 2018. Peterson was released while awaiting a new trial but ultimately decided not to take any chances (even with that oh-so-veritable owl theory in his arsenal) and in 2017 entered an Alford plea, whereby asserting his innocence but admitting the evidence would likely lead to a guilty verdict. Despite now believing his father to be guilty, he still considers The Staircase to be nonsense.. who was found dead at the bottom of their staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home on December 9, 2001 as well as the aftermath. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. However, Rudolf is the one who finds the dramatization most egregious. In July 2020, Michael and Kathleen Peterson's five-story mansion where Kathleen lost her life was put up for sale. The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. in Durham, now on its third post-Peterson owner, is visible from the street, but the entire 3.4-acre property is. According to a June report by The Sun, Peterson continues to live in Durham and has self-published two books about his life during the murder trial and his life following his release from prison. "He released his archive to Campos, who then created a fictional account of events, most of which trashed me (which I really don't care about) and my children which I really do care about," Peterson told Variety. The listing photos show the changes that have been made since Petersons departure. Michael and Kathleen led an extravagant lifestyle and were, by all accounts, happy. Patty was also a staunch defender of Michael. He was sentenced to time already served, and it was decided he would never face another day in court, or prison, for his wife's death. And, from what it seems, things have turned out for the best for the real Clayton. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michael's sprawling Colonial home, located in Durham's tony Forest Hills neighborhood. In 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the . True-crime enthusiasts have taken a renewed interest in Michael Peterson and the death of his wife, Kathleen, with the premiere of the mini-series "The Staircase". He was fired from his job in 2011. The filmmakers had explored the American justice system in a case with a public defender, and wanted to explore a case with a wealthy defendant. In a recent interview with the Wrongful Conviction podcast, he talked about the role of the documentary in his trial and criticized the HBO miniseries, calling it an abomination and stating that Campos trashed his familys life. He got back to writing and released two books telling his side of the story: 2019s Behind the Staircase and 2020s Beyond the Staircase. Michael Peterson listens as his defense attorney David Rudolf makes opening statements in Peterson's request for a new trial on December 6, 2011, in Durham, North Carolina Advertisement The original Staircase docuseries is largely told from Peterson's perspective, and there is an undeniable appeal to witnessing him in action. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her . Following an investigation and an ensuing murder trial, the latter of which became one of the longest of its kind in North Carolina history, Michael Peterson was eventually found guilty. Together they had two sons Clayton and Todd Peterson before removing to Germany. Peterson, who shared a fortune with his wife Kathleen Peterson up until the time of her death, referred to himself as "indigent" during the later episodes of "The Staircase," which were filmed following his 2011 release from prison. Who killed Kathleen Peterson? The one theory about Kathleen Peterson's His life had been dissected and picked apart by the media for almost two decades, and it was high time he got some much-needed privacy. The video above will play a live feed of Alex Murdaugh's sentencing beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday. Since his 2017 Alford plea, Michael Peterson has managed to keep to himself while continuing to remain in the spotlight. He is, however, still connected with his own firm, Rudolf Widenhouse. She also campaigned for the Durham County District Court, to no avail. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. Now, he resides in a 1,200-square-foot, two bedroom condo and. Still estranged from her step-siblings, she currently lives with her husband and twin children in Virginia. Is Riley Keough Singing in Daisy Jones & The Six? In the film, made long before the popular Hulu series, the Colonial masks as the supposed Republic of Gilead residence belonging to Commander Fred (Robert Duvall) and his wife, Serena Joy (Faye Dunaway), where handmaid Kate (Natasha Richardson) is placed. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. Still, she agreed to meet with Juliette Binoche and told Vanity Fair that her relationship with the actress was an unexpected happy ending to my painful story.". Where is Michael Peterson now? Skyler Caruso is the Editorial Assistant of PEOPLE Digital. Police also uncovered transactional emails the supposedly devoted husband had exchanged with a male prostitute in the months before the killing, as well as a plethora of pornographic images on his computer. Rudolf said,"To suggest I assisted [Pfeiffer] with any interviews, that would be as much fiction as it is that a criminal defense lawyer is allowed in a Grand Jury proceeding. The docu-series follows Petersons trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen,who was found dead at the bottom of their staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home on December 9, 2001 as well as the aftermath. The conclusion painted Michael as a murderer with a propensity for pushing his victims down staircases and no doubt contributed to his conviction.
