The prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. (Crime obviously doesnt pay!) Following Elizabeths death, Margaret and her younger sister Martha (Odessa Young) were adopted by the Petersons. Then theres the haunting violin score. Blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) was found to have exaggerated his credentials in the field of forensic investigation. All the evidence added up to a guilty verdict and on October 10, 2003, Michael was sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Life is really full of surprises. Michael Peterson's conviction and life sentence in 2003 was only some of the story. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." However, it was nearly a very different ending. Lestrades documentary played an important part in the Peterson affair and served as the main inspiration for Campos show. "He is innocent of any involvement in Kathleen's death," she insisted to The News & Recordin 2014. Hopewell Junction, NY 12533-5516 Parris Island, SC 29905-1070 Pleasant Valley, NY 12569-7731 He was less than pleased with the HBO Max miniseries and claimed to feel betrayed by documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. As shown in the miniseries, Michael took the Alford plea in 2017, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. In 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the . Firth threw everything into the part, and it turned out it changed his attitude and approach towards acting. According to News and Observer, Peterson sold the house in 2004. However, Caitlin's opinion changed after she saw her mother's autopsy photographs that depicted horrific injuries. No, Michael Peterson does not have a new wife today. Her secluded life and career, Who are Gradey Dicks parents? The Staircase follows Michaels more than decade-long legal battle toward freedom and paints a portrait of the Peterson family both before and after Kathleens death. She did not sign the deed over to Michael until their divorce was finally finalized in 1996. The new owners renovated the property and relisted it in 2007. It occurred when Michael and Kathleen were visiting Germany and dropped by the home of their friend, Elizabeth Ratliff. Game of ThronesactressSophie Turnerwill appear as one of Michael's adopted daughters, Margaret Ratliff. While living together, Michael and Patricia became close with their neighbors-turned-friends George and Elizabeth Ratliff. And according to .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}Newsweek, Peterson entered a relationship with an editor on the 2004 documentary The Staircase, and the two dated from 2011 to 2017. The pair moved in together in 2019. According to CBS News, Peterson now lives in a 1,200 square foot condo, a big change from the mansion he once shared with his late wife, but as he told the news outlet, its a life hes happy to now live. Although Peterson is out of prison and was granted a manslaughter charge as opposed to the original murder charge that he served nearly eight years in prison for, he maintains his innocence in all matters related to the case. On December 1, 2009, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their North Carolina home. Currently living in Colorado, Martha works as a psychotherapist, helping people that suffer from the same problems that afflicted her. At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. Despite Michael Peterson's murder conviction in 2003, his story was far from over. The case is still a major discussion for true-crime fans, some of whom wonder if Michael Peterson really did kill his wife, or if it was merely an accident as he claims. "I didn't know if Michael Peterson's presentation of himself was going to be helpful to me in terms of finding out what lies underneath, and I found it kept moving," Firth explained to The Wrap. Scroll on to find out. Newsweek has everything you need to know about his relationship history: No, Michael Peterson does not have a new wife today. Because of all of the twists and turns that developed in the case, from the death itself having multiple theories, to the news of another woman from petersons past dying in a similar fashion, The Staircase originally premiered on TV in 2004 with eight episodes detailing the case and trial. But part of the central pull of "The Staircase," aside from its various twists and turns (among which included the discovery that a close family friend of Peterson's had died under similar circumstances, also involving a staircase, nearly 17 years prior to Kathleen's death), was the central figure to the story. 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. Michael was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1943 before moving to work for the U.S. Department of Defense after college. HBO's "The Staircase" Can't Live Up To The Original - BuzzFeed News Three episodes in, the series-runners drop a major bombshell: Peterson was the last person to see another woman who was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in Germany in 1985. Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, and Sophie Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michaels adopted daughters. The defense, however, disputed that Kathleen was accepting of Michael's bisexuality and that the blow poke (a hollow tube instead of a solid metal stick) he allegedly used to strike her suffered no damage, nor had any remnants of blood on it. The house was showing signs of wear, too, with many expensive much-needed repairs awaiting completion. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. However, the same type of plea, contrary to the assertion Peterson has made in his books about his experience following his release, is not synonymous with his conviction being overturned. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. However, Brunet claims to have waited until she was finished with the eight original episodes of The Staircase before sending her first letter to Peterson. They separated in the 1980s and divorced in the early 1990s. 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. In 2017, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter and was released on time served. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. Socialites, Addresses Netflix Series Based on Her Crimes, Harrison Ford Is Returning to TV After 26-Year Absence in, 'The Staircase' : The True Story Behind HBO Max's True Crime Series, Revisit PEOPLE's 2002 Conversation with Michael Peterson, Whose Wife's Death Inspired HBO Max's 'The Staircase', The First Trailer for Scripted HBO Max Adaptation of 'The Staircase' Starring Colin Firth Is Here, Man Sentenced to Life for Murdering Wife Who Searched 'What to Do if You're Husband Is Upset You're Pregnant', Patrick Schwarzenegger Was 'Almost Speechless' at Colin Firth's Transformation for 'The Staircase', S.C. Dad Sentenced to Life in Prison After Jury Finds Him Guilty of Murdering His 5-Year-Old Son, Juror Who Helped Convict Scott Peterson Is Accused of Hiding Bias Against Him, Paving Killer's Path to Retrial, N.C. Man Sentenced to Death for 'Atrocious' Murder of Teen Daughter Who Was Tortured for 22 Hours, Before He Murdered Pregnant Wife, Mo. And [Sophie] said, well, if you can't commit to live with me all the time, let's end it and it was a great blow to both of usI could not give her what she really needed and deserved.". 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. He is, however, still connected with his own firm, Rudolf Widenhouse. HBO Maxs true crime drama The Staircase is no exception to this rule. He currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he works as an engineer. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? Therefore, Michael lives a modest life in Durham, North Carolina. Since his 2017 Alford plea, Michael Peterson has managed to keep to himself while continuing to remain in the spotlight. The Staircase is set to premiere on May 5, 2022. Michael opted out of the trial before it was due to begin in 2017. Sophie and Michael were together from 2004 to 2017. Like Patty's father, Michael Peterson was a military man, having served in Vietnam as part of the U.S. Marine Corps from August 1968 until September 1969. 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. He was not a friendly columnist. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an. 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. Petersons overall nonchalant demeanor and regular giggling over aspects of the case are certainly perplexing. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. It explores the life of crime novelist Michael Peterson (played by Colin Firth), his sprawling North Carolina family, and the suspicious death of his wife, Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette). ", It turns out Firth landed the role out of pure Hollywood happenstance. Throughout Michael Peterson's murder trial, his ex-wife was not only his emotional support but also his financial, and until her death, she believed him to be innocent. 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. Before that, she ran twice for District Attorney, in 2006 and 2008, but never got the job. "Its not fair, Its not right. Before the new trial commenced, Peter submitted an Alford plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was set free as hed already served time for murder. "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. Margaret was already interested in pursuing a career in film when her family was approached by Lestrade and his crew. Michael Peterson murder trial in July 2003. As a result, he was re-sentenced to time served and released from prison at that time. The riches he had before his incarceration no longer exist. Located in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham, the house boasts a patio with an outdoor fireplace, a library, a game room, five bedrooms, and five-and-a-half bathrooms, not to mention the pool. 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. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor apartment in Durham, North Carolina, and has since sold the house he shared with Kathleen. I couldn't afford to live in Paris, and my children and grandchildren were in America." In 2001, Kathleen died on the staircase of the Peterson home in Durham, North Carolina. Prosecutor Says, Scott Peterson Will Be Re-Sentenced to Life in Prison After Death Sentence Was Overturned in 2020, Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison, the limited series is very much a true story, the jury found Michael guilty of Kathleen's murder. Kathleen was the first woman to attend Duke University's School of Engineering and throughout her marriage to Michael Peterson, she worked for Nortel, a telecommunications company. He explained: These are created characters but we all know what the source is. However, back in 2002, streaming hadnt been invented yet, and young Margaret had no idea just how much her life would be in the public eye in the following decades. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. 'The Staircase': Mansion Where Michael Peterson's Wife Died For Sale 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. Where does The Staircase's Michael Peterson live now? Inside Michael Peterson's Life Today - NickiSwift.com Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way. In Michael Peterson's case, however . Im innocent. 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.". The dried blood atop her head was a clue that she'd been there for a while, and since Michael was the only person in the house at that time, he was the only suspect. The steps sit just beyond the darkened opening on the right side of the kitchen in the photograph above. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Their mom had been Elizabeth Ratcliff, the family friend who'd died falling down the stairs in Germany decades before Kathleen Peterson, per Cosmopolitan. "Michael hasn't made a penny from the documentary," he insisted. The North Carolina medical examiner performed an autopsy and concluded that she died from blunt force injuries and that it was the result of a homicide. So beloved was the residence that Kathleen and Michael decided to tie the knot there, surrounded by family and friends, on June 21, 1997. .css-13y9o4w{display:block;font-family:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-13y9o4w:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.3;}}Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? Michael had two sons - Todd and Clayton - from his first marriage. But what happened to him after he took that Alford plea in 2017? After spending eight years in prison, Michael Peterson was given an unexpected reprieve one granted by way of state corruption. Can also be found at Delirium Nerd, writing in Portuguese. Michael Peterson married Patricia Sue in 1968 and they later welcomed two boys: Todd and Clayton. 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. Ahead of Michael Petersons' trial, Ratliff's body was exhumed for a second autopsy in April 2003, where a Durham medical examiner concluded the cause of death as "homicide." Alongside Pfeiffer, Rudolf is the owner of the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Pattys death, however, is surrounded by its fair share of mystery and controversy. While an Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, it signifies that the defendant agrees there is enough evidence in any given case to result in a guilty verdict. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. Kathleen Peterson's death became a national, long-standing mystery with the 2004 documentary The Staircase. So, where is Michael Peterson now? He lives in Durham in a house without a staircase by Chege Karomo - on May 06, 2022 in People Netflix Michael Peterson is the subject of one of Netflix's most riveting and polarizing true crime documentaries, The Staircase . 2020s Latitia is a true crime drama about the 2011 abduction of 18-year-old Latitia Perrais. In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. The woman who The Staircase viewers may be mistaking for Peterson's new wife could well be Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche), an . In . Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Able to use the clips eight years later, and that was a really important thing for the judge to see.. Despite now believing his father to be guilty, he still considers The Staircase to be nonsense.. 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. The same film crew began following Peterson yet again to make the multi-part docuseries for Netflix that will air on June 8 and follow the events that transpired with his 2017 plea deal and the aftermath. ), "Right now, I can live with this," Peterson said of the result of his hearing in February 2017. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. The true extent of Michael Peterson's physical relationships with men remains unknown. In 2001, Kathleen was found unconscious at the bottom of their staircase in Durham, North Carolina and was pronounced dead. Still estranged from her step-siblings, she currently lives with her husband and twin children in Virginia. She also campaigned for the Durham County District Court, to no avail. Michaels wife was found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couples residence. Following his release from prison, Michael Peterson, 78, has written two books detailing a behind-the-scenes account of his trial, imprisonment, and life after jail. Defense Attorney David Rudolf says his famous former clientfeatured on Netflixs The Staircase is keeping it on one level now. The company had also begun massive layoffs at the same time and Kathleens job security seemed tenuous at best. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by Michaels long and public battle against the justice system. "He visits his grandchildren; he's writing. However, it might be his hopes of writing a new book that will give him a place in society once again. According to theNews and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. That being said, it's unclear how Peterson is now making a living or if he has some kind of income. Patricia Peterson died in July 2021 of a heart attack when she was 78 years old. Alex Murdaugh trial live stream, updates: Sentencing set for double murder charge. Currently, Rudolf is in "occasional" contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. Michael's late wife Kathleen will be played byToni Collette. "They took care of each other." I don't speak French. The most confounding aspect of The Staircase is tough to pinpoint. 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. Brad even testified at Michael Peterson's trial and under cross-examination, stated Michael Peterson spoke about Kathleen Peterson, calling her a "dynamite wife," reported the NZ Herald. Since the release of the docuseries three final episodes, he has directed two fictional series in France.
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