RELATED: 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? Despite now believing his father to be guilty, he still considers The Staircase to be nonsense.. The prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. In . Michaels wife was found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couples residence. 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. Due to the impact of Duanes testimony, the court ordered a retrial for Peterson. Michael Peterson now: the real people from The Staircase. - Mamamia He was caustic and sarcastic and mean sometimes, Rudolf said. In 2001, Kathleen died on the staircase of the Peterson home in Durham, North Carolina. Skyler Caruso is the Editorial Assistant of PEOPLE Digital. Michael Peterson had two sons, Clayton AND Todd, and Kathleen Peterson had a daughter, Caitlin, from her previous marriage to Fred Atwater. 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. In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. 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 . 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. It is a great deal for the district attorney.". Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with Kathleens death, and spent nearly a decade behind bars. Flash-forward to the present day and true-crime enthusiasts want to know every possible detail about Peterson's life and personal relationshipslike, does he have a new wife? Peterson retreated to Durham, North Carolina, after his release. Who killed Kathleen Peterson? The one theory about Kathleen Peterson's Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. Though the majority of the time it was captured by de Lestrades cameras, it was open for all to see with the family regularly enjoying meals together, laughing over cocktails and pasta, just a few literal steps away! 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. 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. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by Michaels long and public battle against the justice system. And in addition to the unanswered questions around her death, there were also unanswered questions on the guilt or innocence of her husband, Michael Peterson. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said that Lestrades The Staircase cost her many job opportunities in the documentary world, including at Netflix. In July 2020,. Michael and Patty split up in 1986. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michaels sprawling Colonial home, located in Durhams tony Forest Hills neighborhood. 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. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. 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. Peterson sold the five-story home he lived in with Kathleen. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." 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. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. Read ahead to learn more about Michael Peterson and where he is now. Peterson was placed on house arrest in 2011 before his retrial, then officially freed in 2017 after submitting an Alford Plea (he admitted the evidence against him could prove he was guilty, while proclaiming his innocence). 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. Kathleen had daughter Caitlin from her first marriage as well. "I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". June 8, 2018. Considering Deaver's testimony had largely swayed the jury at Peterson's trial in 2003, Peterson was granted a retrial hearing, and was released from prison in 2011. According to News and Observer, Peterson sold the house in 2004. Then theres the haunting violin score. Michael Peterson's first marriage was to Patricia "Patty" Sue (now Peterson), an elementary school teacher. According to theNews and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. Since his release from prison on bond in 2011 and his official release in 2017, Peterson has returned to his passion for. "He's living in Durham I'm not sure why he's living in Durham, but he is," Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. As shown in the miniseries, Assistant District Attorney Freda Black (Parker Posey) quit law and started working as a cleaner in the decade following Michaels conviction. Speaking to the French publication L'Express, de Lestrade shared: "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. However, since the release of the HBO miniseries, his Instagram profile has been deleted. They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. After her death, however, and during Petersons time behind bars, he was forced to file for bankruptcy. Lestrades documentary played an important part in the Peterson affair and served as the main inspiration for Campos show. "They took care of each other." That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. They lived together in Durham up until Pattys death from a heart attack in 2021. Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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It sold the following year to medium Biond Fury (I shudder to think about the seances that took place there during his tenure! His cell was a far cry from the sprawling mansion he formerly called home, which was put on the market just 20 days later for $1.175 million. The newlyweds were captured gloriously posing for photos on the homes staircase. Where is Michael Peterson Now? He Lives in a House Without a - Linefame 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. In an odd twist, before the Petersons called the place home, it was featured in the 1990 dystopian drama The Handmaids Tale, based upon Margaret Atwoods 1985 novel of the same name. Despite actors playing the people involved, the limited series is very much a true story in which Peterson is still alive (and living freely) today. Meanwhile, Peterson said he felt "pimped out" by Lestrade for allowing HBO access to footage for a fee and co-executive producer credit. Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. 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. The listing photos show the changes that have been made since Petersons departure. In Michael Peterson's case, however . 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. In July 2020, Michael and Kathleen Peterson's five-story mansion where Kathleen lost her life was put up for sale. Speaking with Variety, he also complained about his characterization in the show, singling out the scene in which he and Michael chat over a pastrami sandwich: We could have put a little blimp over my head saying, Jewish lawyer from New York. The Staircaseis set to return to our screens as a HBO Max series. Created by Antonio Campos, the eight-episode long miniseries stars Colin Firth and Toni Collette as novelist Michael Peterson and his second wife, Nortel executive, Kathleen Peterson. Kathleen Peterson, ne Hunt, and Michael Peterson became acquainted when Kathleen Peterson moved to Durham and became one of Michael's neighbors. He admitted it made him question if there is actually no "fixed core to characters." 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. Unlike Michael and Todd, he has never spoken publicly about The Staircase. One was a sweeping oval shape, a centerpiece of the home, while the other lead [sic] down to the kitchen area, a more practical structure, hidden behind doors. It was the front staircase, situated near the main entrance, that the couple posed on that joyous day. 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. Soon after Georges death in an overseas operation, in 1983, Elizabeth lost her life in circumstances so similar to Katherines death that her body was exhumed during Michaels trial in search of evidence of foul play. The home where Michael Peterson allegedly killed his wife, Kathleen, nearly two decades ago as documented in the docuseries "The Staircase" is now on the market for a pricey sum. It was a huge financial blow to Michael. After Michael Peterson and Patricia Sue divorced in 1985, Clayton and his younger brother Todd went to live with their mother. 'The Staircase': Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? - Collider Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. The prosecution at Michael Peterson's trial alleged Kathleen had found thousands of pornographic images of men on his computer and several emails between him and a man named Brad, where they discussed sex in detail. Her partnership with de Lestrade is still going strong, with Brunet having edited his two TV series after The Staircase, true crime drama Latitia, and the political thriller Jeux dInfluence. I'm too old. They separated in the 1980s and divorced in the early 1990s. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. After a years-long legal battle post-prison, which included almost three years under house arrest, Peterson finally attained freedom by entering an Alford plea for manslaughter and was officially given time served in exchange. It occurred when Michael and Kathleen were visiting Germany and dropped by the home of their friend, Elizabeth Ratliff. I can't live in Paris. 21. Despite the fact Michael was the one to call 911 the night Kathleen allegedly fell down the stairs, Michael soon . Featuring a library, game room, a whopping five fireplaces, fourteen-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring throughout, and a large master wing, theres no arguing that the couple and their children lived in style. Currently, Rudolf is in occasional contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. He also opines that by agreeing to pay, he would be admitting to murdering Kathleen. Does Michael Peterson Have a New Wife? Inside His - Newsweek HBO Max's new drama The Staircase reenacts the entire story, documentary included, in a star-studded limited series out now. 'The Bear''s Jeremy Allen White Keeps His Awards In His Kids' Room For A Cute Reason, 'Yellowstone' Prequel '1923' Really Earned Its TV-MA Rating, Daisy Jones & The Six Is A Nostalgic Series Based On A Best-Selling Book, The 'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Trailer Is Finally Here & Fellas, It'll Give You Goosebumps, What Parents Are Talking About Delivered Straight To Your Inbox, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Where is Peterson's Durham house? 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). But severe cracks in their foundation came to light following Michaels arrest and during his subsequent lengthy trial. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. Michael donates the proceeds from his book to charity as he wouldnt be allowed to keep them for himself. 'The Staircase': Michael Peterson Family Tree - Where Are Michael The Staircase: Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? - MSN 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. Her death was investigated by the U.S. military police in Germany at the time and an autopsy concluded she had died from an intracerebral hemorrhage. 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! Michael J. 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