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. 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. Peterson's defense attorney David Rudolf told Oxygen in 2019 that Peterson is currently living in Durham in a ground floor apartmentso no staircase. 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. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. Michael insists that he didnt kill either Elizabeth or Kathleen. 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.. The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . As shown in the HBO Max miniseries, de Lestrade went into fiction after working on The Staircase. Michael Peterson had two sons, Clayton AND Todd, and Kathleen Peterson had a daughter, Caitlin, from her previous marriage to Fred Atwater. After Michael Peterson and Patricia Sue divorced in 1985, Clayton and his younger brother Todd went to live with their mother. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. The newlyweds were captured gloriously posing for photos on the homes staircase. Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, and Sophie Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michaels adopted daughters. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. 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. Brunet still works as a film and TV editor in France. Much like his character in The Staircase, he cultivated a strong social media presence. 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. In 2001, Kathleen died on the staircase of the Peterson home in Durham, North Carolina. His character in the show is a troubled young man who decides to turn his life around. Inside Michael Peterson's Former North Carolina Home - DIRT With The Staircase, de Lestrade embarked on a project that took him 15 years to finish, with the final episodes of the documentary coming out only in 2018. Michael wound up being granted a new trial in 2011 after the State Crime Labs blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver, who worked on his case, was fired for repeatedly shoddy investigative work. She also stood by Michael Peterson when suspicions were raised during his trial about the death of their friend Elizabeth Ratliff in 1985. 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. Kathleen Peterson's death became a national, long-standing mystery with the 2004 documentary The Staircase. In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. Instead, he submitted an Alford Plea for manslaughter. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Their son, Clayton, shared that the former spouses cohabited an apartment in Durham, the same town in which Michael and Kathleen had lived. Were it not for SBI analyst Duane Deavers corruption, Michael Peterson would probably still be in jail. Currently, Rudolf is in occasional contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. In 2018, AP reported that Michael Peterson now lives in a 1,200-square-foot, two-bedroom condo in the same town, Durham, North Carolina. 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. However, Caitlin's opinion changed after she saw her mother's autopsy photographs that depicted horrific injuries. In 2019, he toldDr. Philthat Elizabeth fell down the stairs after suffering a stroke. 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. Who Lives In The Peterson House From 'The Staircase'? It Has A - Bustle Skyler Caruso is the Editorial Assistant of PEOPLE Digital. Is 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Based on a True Story? Although law enforcement may say the case is closed, there's still unanswered questions and various theories surrounding Kathleen's death we may never know for sure. But since it's been some time since the 2001 alleged crime and initial trial in 2003, where is Michael Peterson now? Michael Peterson murder trial in July 2003. 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. That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. And what about all the other characters that were so important to the story? And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Petersons new living situation: Hes in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation.. Alongside Pfeiffer, Rudolf is the owner of the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Peterson retreated to Durham, North Carolina, after his release. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. 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. Though the rear stairway isnt featured in MLS images, the entrance to it is. Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. The pair moved in together in 2019. Since Michael cant profit from his crime, the proceeds from the books sales go to charity. The production, deemed largely forgettable by critics, made extensive use of both the interior and exterior of the property. Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. And the fact that another woman very close to Peterson was also found dead at the bottom of a staircase 16 years before Kathleen. 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. The Staircase Michael Peterson: Where is he now? Is he guilty of murder? Per The News & Observer, Petersons defense left him indigent. Where is Peterson's Durham house? Kathleen, the familys breadwinner, had deferred much of her income to purchase Nortel Networks stock and though its value once totaled almost $2.5 million, the 2001 crash whittled it down to about $50,000 by the time of her death. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. 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.. You Can Stream Every 'Rocky' Movie Right Now, 'WoF' Fans Say This Is the 'Biggest Choke' on Show, Daisy Jones & the Six Is a Rock Epic in 10 Parts, See Mariska Hargitays Emotional Tribute on IG, Poker Face Is Rian Johnson's Exciting New Show, A Timeline of Events in 'Murdaugh Murders', 'White Lotus' Star Reveals 'Iconic' Scene Was Cut, How Sam Claflin Built His '70s Rock Star Body. 2023 Dirt.com, LLC. As it turned out, thats what happened. We want to hear from you! At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. 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 . The riches he had before his incarceration no longer exist. ), who in turn put it on the market this past July for $1.9 million. His defense. Meanwhile, Peterson said he felt "pimped out" by Lestrade for allowing HBO access to footage for a fee and co-executive producer credit. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The jury found the evidence sufficient to convict Michael of first-degree murder and sent him to prison for life. . He is portrayed in the Antonio Campos-created series "The Staircase" by actor Joel McKinnon Miller (best known as Scully from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"). Since Deavers testimony was what eventually led the jury to agree upon Michaels guilt, the writer was released in 2011 under a $300,000 bail and placed under house arrest. Where is Michael Peterson now? | The US Sun Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether. According to News and Observer, Peterson sold the house in 2004. HBO's "The Staircase" Can't Live Up To The Original - BuzzFeed News 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. The Staircase: Where is Michael Peterson now? - Cosmopolitan They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. Does Michael Peterson Have a New Wife? Inside His - Newsweek In 2019, he self-published two books Behind the StaircaseandBeyond the Staircase that detail his side of the story. The last person to see her alive was Michael Peterson. Played by Vincent Vermignon, de Lestrade was already an Academy Award winner when he got involved with Michael Petersons case. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. However, Colin Firth has won over critics, with the show earning a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Her parents influence on her career, Where is Mary Roach from American Idol now? 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. Black died in 2018, at age 57 of end-stage liver disease. The new owners renovated the property and relisted it in 2007. Michael and Kathleen led an extravagant lifestyle and were, by all accounts, happy. Luckily for them, Firth has received rave reviews. Above (L-R): The real Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore, and Clayton Peterson. Caitlins lawyer filed another complaint against him after his release in 2017, in order to discourage him from making money from the case. And then Michael had two adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha. 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). He was less than pleased with the HBO Max miniseries and claimed to feel betrayed by documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. Colin Firthwill play the main subject Michael Peterson; the role was originally slated to be played by Harrison Ford. 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. Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps. Michael and Patty, along with their young boys, reportedly resided in Germany for quite a while around the 1980s, where they befriended their closeby neighbors, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. Since his release, Michael has avoided staying in houses with staircases, which is perhaps a good idea. Michael Peterson's first marriage was to Patricia "Patty" Sue (now Peterson), an elementary school teacher. However, de Lestrades involvement with the Peterson story didnt end there, as he was the one to sell the story to Campos. (Crime obviously doesnt pay!) Since his release from prison on bond in 2011 and his official release in 2017, Peterson has returned to his passion for writing, publishing two books about his trial, his life behind bars, and the taste of freedom. Because in fact, the story didn't really end there. She did not sign the deed over to Michael until their divorce was finally finalized in 1996. After serving in the Vietnam War, he began to write novels and newspaper columns about his experiences following his honorable discharge in 1971. "He is innocent of any involvement in Kathleen's death," she insisted to The News & Recordin 2014. In . Michael opted out of the trial before it was due to begin in 2017. 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 was released in 2011 on bond ahead of a retrial but in February 2017, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter, meaning he admitted the evidence against him would likely lead to a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but the did not have to admit he committed the crime. In a livestream that has since been uploaded to YouTube, he accuses Michael of murdering not only Kathleen, but also his mother, Patricia, and family friend Elizabeth. But, as Peterson was being investigated for the staircase death of his wife in the early 2000s, Ratliffs body was exhumed in Texas in 2003. Nowadays, Margaret lives in California and works in the entertainment industry as an actor, assistant director, and production manager, among other things. Where Is Cary Stayner from Hulu's Captive Audience Now? 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. In 2017, Michael submitted an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. Lestrades documentary played an important part in the Peterson affair and served as the main inspiration for Campos show. Michael L Peterson, 26 from Lagrangeville, NY | Names and Facts Her son, Todd, has accused Michael of waiting over three hours to call 911 after realizing that Patty was feeling sick. But, theres one thing that pretty much everyone can agree on: The man needs to avoid a home with staircases. 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. Still, in the same year, the North Carolina Human Resources Commission ruled that he should have merely been demoted from his position and that the SBI owed him 34 months of wages. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. MICHAEL Peterson was convicted of killing his second wife, Kathleen, in 2003. Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. Judge Clifton . I'm too old. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. 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. The new series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette retells Michael Peterson's now-infamous 2001 murder charge. He also stated that he had worked on 500 bloodstain cases. (The house was on the market for $1.9 million, according to ABC 11 News.). Sophie and Michael were together from 2004 to 2017. Get the latest scoop directly in your inbox. Unlike Michael and Todd, he has never spoken publicly about The Staircase. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Where is Michael Peterson living now? Stalk It: Michael Petersons former house, featured in The Staircase, is located at 1810 Cedar Street in Durham, North Carolina. 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. According to their son Clayton Peterson, Michael and Patricia lived together between 2019 and 2021 as "companions. 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. Is Riley Keough Singing in Daisy Jones & The Six? And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Peterson's new living situation: After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. Folks can sign up for HBO Max for a monthly rate of $14.99. Hes living in Durham Im not sure why hes living in Durham, but he is, Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. However, it will be exclusively available onHBO Max. 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. It sold the following year to medium Biond Fury (I shudder to think about the seances that took place there during his tenure! a livestream that has since been uploaded to YouTube, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled, he was also not happy with the fictional adaptation of his docuseries, The Best Korean Dramas on Netflix Right Now, 10 Best Reality Competition Shows Returning In 2023. But she never let her own feelings affect the course of editing.". Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. As shown in the miniseries, Michael took the Alford plea in 2017, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. What Happened to Michael Peterson After Prison? The docu-series follows Petersons trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen. 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. Petersons overall nonchalant demeanor and regular giggling over aspects of the case are certainly perplexing. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. In 2010, he was found culpable of withholding crucial evidence from defense attorneys in other cases. The prosecution suggested that Michael killed his wife after they got in a fight supposedly initiated by Kathleen's discovery of more than 2,000 explicit images of men on Michael's computer in addition to emails in conversation with a young male escort he was planning on reuniting with after meeting a few months prior. Her most high-profile works have been in the critically acclaimed movie Blue Is the Warmest Color and in the Netflix series Call My Agent! Since his 2017 Alford plea, Michael Peterson has managed to keep to himself while continuing to remain in the spotlight. 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. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. It also chronicles the work of French documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, who, from 2003 to 2018, worked on a docuseries about the case also titled The 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. Now Judge Clifton Newman will hand down the sentencing in the double murder trial Friday, March 3, at 9:30 a.m. Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison in his conviction on the murder count . Margaret and Michael are both featured in the movie as interviewees. Where are the real-life people of 'The Staircase' now? Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. Michael's late wife Kathleen will be played byToni Collette. 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. "You will be treated as guilty for murdering my sister Kathleen, and you will be a convicted felon forever.". Her secluded life and career, Who are Gradey Dicks parents? Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. As The News & Observer noted, the former columnist's Alford plea was distinctly tied to the charge of manslaughter, which means that Peterson asserted his opinion of his innocence while simultaneously accepting charges (via Metro). Sue remained supportive of Peterson through his trial, incarceration, and release. Click back to the main page for more Dirt on the house. The Staircase mystery spirals as son reveals chilling conversation The topic is also at the center of Rudolfs 2022 book, American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System. A retrial was later ordered after the judge vacated the jury's verdict in 2011, finding that the blood splatter analysts gave a false and misleading testimony in the first trial, resulting in an unsound conviction. 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. 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? Where Is Michael Peterson Now? The Subject Of Netflix's 'The - Romper So, where is Michael Peterson now? It's the story of novelist Michael Peterson and the trial that followed his arrest for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. Debra Messing Calls a Flatbush Stunner Home on The Mysteries of Laura, Jason Segel Grieves in Style at an Altadena Craftsman on Shrinking, Sean Penn Romances Julia Roberts at a Landmark Reseda Restaurant in Gaslit, 1810 Cedar Street in Durham, North Carolina, Michael Peterson's Former Durham Estate, Made Infamous in 'The Staircase,' Has Sold Once Again, Ellen DeGeneres Buys Another Grand Old Montecito Estate, Debra Messing Calls a Flatbush Stunner Home on 'The Mysteries of Laura'. The pair are believed to have formed a relationship whilst Peterson was in prison and following his release in 2011. On December 1, 2009, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their North Carolina home. Michael J. Peterson Contributing Writer at Quora-active since 2013 , Former Indiana All State Choir Zone 3-B chairman 1989-2000, National Council of Japanese Language Teachers Association-board . We may earn a commission through links on our site. The writer produced a memoir in 2009 called Behind the Staircase, and a sequel Beyond the Staircase. The couple discussed moving to France and settling in the capital once the trial was finally over. Now aged 74, Michael Peterson is still living in North Carolina - but no longer in the 3.4-acre property in which is wife died. They also became the legal guardians of two young girls, Margaret Ratcliff and Martha Ratcliff, following their mother's death in 1985. 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. Where is Michael Peterson now? He lives in Durham in a - TheNetline 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 . There, Patty Peterson worked for the U.S. Department of Defense for 35 years as an elementary school teacher. 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! Currently, Rudolf is in "occasional" contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. Here's Where The Staircase Subject Michael Peterson Is Now - Men's Health "They were companions," he told The News & Record. 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. While living together, Michael and Patricia became close with their neighbors-turned-friends George and Elizabeth Ratliff. He later met his first wife Patricia Sue, an elementary school teacher, in West Germany. Kathleen Peterson, ne Hunt, and Michael Peterson became acquainted when Kathleen Peterson moved to Durham and became one of Michael's neighbors. Originally built in 1940 by architect George Watts Carr, Sr. for wealthy Durham businessman John Adams Buchanan, the lavish five-bedroom, six-bathroom property had plenty of room for Kathleen and Michaels large blended family, which included Michaels two sons with his first wife and his two adopted daughters, as well as Kathleens daughter from a previous marriage. He now believes "maybe everybody's somewhat elusive and changeable and multifaceted. Fact vs Fiction: The Staircase did Michael Peterson kill Kathleen and 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. Before that, she ran twice for District Attorney, in 2006 and 2008, but never got the job. In addition to losing the civil suit his step-daughter, Caitlin Atwater, brought against him, Peterson also lost out on Kathleen's $1.4 million life insurance policy, per WRAL, and the home that they shared was put on the market in 2020, per The Sun. Here's How Michael Peterson Was Freed From Prison Warning: This article contains spoilers about The Staircase. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said that Lestrades The Staircase cost her many job opportunities in the documentary world, including at Netflix. Lestrade told Vanity Fair that he felt "betrayed" by show creator Anthony Campos' adaptation of his Peabody Award-winning docu-series and claimed the facts were altered for dramatic effect. Blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) was found to have exaggerated his credentials in the field of forensic investigation.