And they claim because a fountain was on in the pool that he [while sitting outside, as he claimed] wouldnt hear it? Regardless of the truth, the similarities between Kathleen and Ratliff's deaths didn't help Michael's case. He won the right to a new trial after authorities discovered that expert prosecution witness Saami Shaibani had misrepresented his own professional credentials. The family had sold the Cedar Street showplace, reportedly the largest house in Durham. At a news conference, Michael said, "Accepting this Alford plea has been the hardest thing I've ever done," via ABC11, as he had hoped to clear his name. Copyright 2023 The John Locke Foundation, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Leandro v. State of North Carolina Explained. And one intriguing theory involving an owl suggests that it may not have been a murder at all. Kathleens company, Nortel, had a mass-firing, and the couple worried she might also lose her job, leaving the pair without a source of income to maintain their lifestyle. Peterson could have been sentenced to 64 to 86 months in prison, but the judge acknowledged the 89 months hed already been incarcerated, and thus, Peterson was made a free man. Clayton Peterson. Convicted murderer and former police officer Drew Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison back in 2012 in connection to the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. By Amy . Jones isnt buying that. The gripping HBO Max true crime series The Staircase follows the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson. It had cobwebs on it but no blood, which appeared to snuff out the prosecutions theory that the implement acted as the murder weapon. Michael Peterson was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder on December 20, 2001, via WRAL.com. What makes this story interesting is that WRAL reports Mr. Fury says hes never heard of the case. By Wilson Wong. Per ABC News, "From the beginning Peterson maintained that Kathleen had simply slipped on the stairs in a tragic accident after drinking wine and taking valium." According to the BBC's Beyond Reasonable Doubt podcast, which also investigates the crime, Kathleen was a big earner making a six-figure salary. Do you think hes heard of Mike Nifong? Kathleen Peterson had been drinking some, and her flimsy sandals were nearby - the scene looked to be the outcome of a tragic accident. Marked man. Ashlie Chandler. We know she lived at 1810 Cedar Street in a well to-do suburb of Durham, North Carolina. %PDF-1.6 % However, NBC News reported that a medical examiner ruled that Kathleen's blood alcohol level was very low at the time of her death, so much so that she'd have been able to pass a breathalyzer test. Throughout the entire tragic ordeal, the Peterson home remained occupied. Some psychic. But, as the prosecution pointed out in the trial, Kathleen was actually the sole owner of the house and the car. Everyone knows at least one wacky guy who wears shorts in cold weather. Woman killed in double shooting on Durham highway, Chatham County housing authority director arrested, accused of $200,000+ in wire fraud, Alligator living at Walmart in NC stirs debate, as many demand it be allowed to stay. In the early hours of Dec. 9, 2001, novelist Michael Peterson made a panicked, tearful 911 call: He had found his wife Kathleen unconscious and bloody at the bottom of a staircase in their Durham, North Carolina, house. Michael Peterson echoed these fears in an email to a family friend six days before Kathleen's death. Corrections officers at the prison didnt always find him as charming as his old dinner party friends did, and he earned some time in solitary for mouthing off, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. May 5, 2022, 9:41 AM PDT. As a young man, he divided his time between North Carolina and Germany. During the trial, evidence suggested she was hit with a fire poker after a heated argument about Michael Petersons closeted sexuality. The judge resentenced him to 86 months, and Michael Peterson was released with time served. Related To Heather Peterson, Tiffany Peterson, Michael Peterson, Ronald Peterson. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. make North Carolina more free. For this week, I looked into whats happened to Michael Peterson since the Netflix series ended in 2018 and whether a theory that a rogue owl played a role in Kathleens death ever got any traction. Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson in HBO Maxs. Includes Address (6) Phone (4) Email (4) See Results. The defense, led by David Rudolf the same lawyer who represented NFL player Rae Carruth in his murder trial had some impressive courtroom drama to offer, too. Subsequent chapters were filmed after the house was sold. By all accounts, Michael and Kathleen were believed to have a happy marriage and blended family. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The fact that people even want to believe that is maddening. Whats more, she said, the feathers on Kathleen were likely from a pillow. Following the show's airing, though, some want to learn more about the real details of . At the time of her death, she was a vice president at Nortel Networks at the companys Research Triangle Park offices. Caitlin Atwater, Katherines daughter from her first marriage, later switched sides. And it speaks to our desire for clarity. Like the fact the couple were in a lot of debt when Kathleen died. Here's what you need to know about Kathleen Peterson's death, Michael Peterson's trial, and what's happened in the two decades since the case first hit the news. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Call-guy talks. Scott was an early suspect in the investigation due to his "strange behavior.". For nearly 20 years, the mystery surrounding Kathleen Peterson's death has only grown, especially in the wake of Michael's trialwhere he was found guilty, but later managed to walk free . Posted 2/5/2010 12:01 AM. The actors in the new Staircase seem content to accept the cases ambiguities. fbZC\/>W2n[Fi RzN`s_`%KZ@VZ!>W/wkUCenGU8vTO[&()wn %~*J%O1U`Yow O0?v_.^{Le#}k2^-@0\Lk 'k0nBtn9]IV^KA='9os7" NC climate expert weighs in. But there was no 9,429-square-foot palatial home with a redwood-paneled authors study for Michael to return to. The last thing anyone wants to see is one of these fierce-looking tree-dwellers flying straight towards them, sharp talons extended as it prepares to latch onto the scalp. Kathleen Peterson, when she died on December 9, 2001, was 48 years old. On May 5, HBO Max turned its eye to 1810 Cedar Street in Durham, North Carolina. He told police she may have fallen after mixing alcohol and Valium but was unsure because he was outside when she fell. Cassandra told Ron that for months and months, The Long Island Medium's people kept bothering her to . Team Michael also furnished a fireplace blow poke they said they found in the house. She found more than 2,000 photos of naked men and emails between Michael and a male escort on Michael's computer, which led her to death. Not inebriated. Soon, the investigation looked inward at Michael as more of their personal life came out. For instance, one theory suggested that the lacerations on the victim's head were caused by an owl, as "a microscopic feather was found in Kathleen Peterson's hand with some of her hair," via The News & Observer. At addition, she enrolled in Duke University's engineering school. He met his first wife, Patricia Sue, in West Germany, according to . We also talk about "life" on the Other Side with a new anecdote or two! However, that meeting never transpired, and it's unclear if Kathleen knew about her husband's sexuality or not. Kathleen Peterson, 48, who was a successful business executive and was Michael's second wife, was found dead on 9 December 2001. Instead, Michael laid the blame for his murder conviction on humans. Lived In Hayward WI, Pine City NY, Pine City PA, Saginaw MI. She moved to Baltimore to study how to . The thing about The Staircase is that, although it centres around the death of Kathleen Peterson, there's actually very little focus on Kathleen herself throughout the 13-part Netflix documentary. As reported by Lawrence Journal-World, "Prosecutors introduced evidence of [Michael] Petersons bisexuality and attempts to hire a male prostitute," suggesting that an argument could have broken out between husband and wife over the revelation. They ranged from simple companionship to just about anything under the sun sexually. In fact, it was reportedly the volume of blood found near the body and the lacerations on the back of Kathleen's head that made Michael an early suspect in his wife's death, via Court TV News. Michael, a writer and would-be politician, called emergency . Jessica O'Connor is a public historian focusing on Deep South Black History with degrees from Winston-Salem State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She enrolled in Franklin & Marshall College and began taking Latin classes after finishing her basic studies. Cathleen Peterson-Layne, PhD, MD Empowering Leaders and Teams to lead with greater clarity and courageous decision-making. He did find himself a post-lockup girlfriend, however, in one of the editors of The Staircase. Michael Petersons attorney, David Rudolf, told the court, Show me one piece of evidence, one person who says that Kathleen was upset because Mike was bisexual. Kathleen Peterson. She graduated first in her class. Nonetheless, in the end, there was just too much evidence against Michael Peterson. After learning about the mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson, read the shocking story of Dalia Dippolito, whose murder-for-hire plot to kill her husband was caught on camera by police. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Staircase left out one very important plot twist: The Owl Theory. You'd think this would have been a major point of evidence, but for some reason, up until then it had never been referenced in the docuseries. You can read more in depth information about the owl theory here. "She's a survivor and in no trouble, but the stress is monumental there.". Then 68-years-old, Michael was released from prison pending a new trial, and after posting a $300,000 bond, via The News & Observer. Both Zillow and Redfin show the house was sold on Aug. 8, 2020 for $1.6 million dollars. At 2:40 a.m. on December 9, 2001, Peterson called 911 to say he'd found his wife's body at the bottom of a staircase. But other evidence pointed convincingly to Michaels guilt. He made a futile attempt to get rid of blood evidence and then called 911, the prosecution contended. He was in prison for eight years before his conviction was overturned because of improprieties at the State Bureau of Investigation. Investigators found out how Liz Ratliff, Margaret and Marthas mother, died. In one of his messages, Michael wrote that he was happily married to a dynamite wife but that he was very bisexual. Case Notes: On December 9th 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found by her husband, Michael Peterson, at the bottom of the stairs in the home that they shared in Durham. The defendant had hired criminal defense attorney David Rudolf two days prior, following extensive searches and seizures taking place at his home. The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. is visible from the street, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated. Kathleen and Fred married in 1977 and had a daughter, Caitlin, but they divorced after she discovered his affair. Deaver further made a convincing argument that the missing blow poke could have been a possible murder weapon. After a stir in the local community, a 2004 true crime documentary titled The Staircase investigated the events leading to Kathleen Petersons death and the subsequent murder trial. Lived In Santa Ana CA, Irvine CA, Corona CA. Over the years, Dateline has continually covered the case of how writer Michael Petersons wife, Kathleen, ended up dead at the base of a staircase in their 14-room house. But when paramedics arrived on the scene 10 minutes later, Kathleen was dead - and it appeared to them that she had been dead for far longer than just a few minutes. The interest on the twenty-something boys' loans were so high they had no money left to live on, and their father was concerned. She was a successful student and was the first woman admitted to Duke University's School of Engineering in 1967, where she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees and met her first husband, physicist Fred Atwater. Once the strange coincidence of the unusual death was discovered, Elizabeth's body was exhumed as part of Michael's trial, and an autopsy concluded that she had died as the result of a "homicidal assault," and not a stroke, per The News & Observer. In 2018, Fury launched a GoFundMe campaign to help him pay for his own repairs, only to later list the home at a price of $1.9 million in 2020. Meanwhile, Michael has two sonsTodd and Clayton Petersonfrom his first marriage. A medical examiner testified that Ratliffs cause of death was homicide via blunt force trauma. actions. .css-1xok8cp{background-color:#242424;border-radius:0;color:#fff;display:inline-block;font-family:HarmoniaSans,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:0.03rem;padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-transform:uppercase;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;width:auto;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1xok8cp{font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1.1;padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1xok8cp{padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-1xok8cp{font-size:0.9375rem;line-height:1.1;padding:0.5rem 0.6rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1xok8cp{font-size:0.9375rem;line-height:1.1;}}.css-1xok8cp:focus-visible{outline-color:body-cta-btn-link-focus;}.css-1xok8cp:hover{color:#fff;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:#B30010;border:none;}WATCH THE STAIRCASE ON HBO MAX. The man who claims he's a psychic and goes by the name Biond Fury has reportedly purchased the Durham home that sadly served as the murder site for Nortel executive Kathleen Peterson. I walked away with less of an opinion of what happened than when I went into it, Sophie Turner, who plays Ratliffs daughter Margaret, told ABC, with Firth echoing her sentiment. Until next time, cheers. Another theorist suggested that Kathleen could have been "fatally banged up by a banister-mounted chair lift." About. But despite a 10-part Netflix documentary about Kathleen Petersons death and now an HBO miniseries called The Staircase, starring Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen, the circumstances surrounding her fall remain a mystery. Although the case is more than two decades old now, Kathleen Peterson's death and the trial that followed are still a subject of fascination for many. In December 2011, after spending eight years in prison for Kathleen's murder, Michael was granted a new trial. Off he went to North Carolinas Correctional Facility in Nash. : The Shocking True Story Behind HBO Max's Latest Show. Still, experts could not say with certainty that this was her cause of death. Michael hadnt generated any income in two years, and Kathleen was the mainstay. Despite living what looked like a lavish lifestyle from the outside, Michael and Kathleen Peterson were in a lot of debt. Peterson said he was out by the pool, and when he finally went inside at about 2:30 a.m., he found his wife at the bottom of. Peterson was arrested May 7th, 2009, in connection with the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He was granted a new trial in 2011 on the grounds that the prosecution had delivered misleading testimony. He stayed outside to smoke for 45 minutes or so and found her at the bottom of the stairs when he came back in. Kathleen and Michael Peterson famously lived in a sprawling 14-room mansion in the Forest Hills suburb of Durham, North Carolina. This article was originally published on June 8, 2018, Heres What Happened To Riley In 'The Last Of Us' Video Game, Twitter Is Losing It Over Succession Ending With Season 4, Everything To Know About 'And Just Like That' Season 2, This 'The Last Of Us' Filming Error Reminds Fans Of 'Game Of Thrones' Mistakes, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. Psychic Norbert, the only psychic asked by the family of Stacy Peterson to investigate her disappearance, correctly predicted the arrest of her husband, former Bolingbrook, IL police officer Drew Peterson. However, when he called back minutes later, he claimed that she was no longer breathing. Three small feathers were found in the hair strands in Kathleens hand, and Pollard said the lacerations on her scalp were consistent with owl talons. Kathleen died on December 9, 2001, so she never reached the end of the year to find out her fate. As the story is once again brought to living rooms across the nation with HBOs dramatized telling of The Staircase, Kathleen Peterson, the scholar, mother, and advocate, may finally get the attention she deserves. Theres no question that [Peterson] did it, she said. Instead of facing a new trial in 2017, Peterson instead opted for an Alford Plea for voluntary manslaughter. It riveted viewers even as it wrapped up with the conclusion that, well, we can really never know whether Michael did it or not. Kathleen Peterson Born: February 21, 1953 Birthplace: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA Death: December 9, 2001, Durham, North Carolina, USA (lacerations to skull) Bio: Michael Peterson's Second Wife Olivia DeJonge Born: April 30, 1998 Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia Caitlin Atwater Born: April 27, 1982 Birthplace: North Carolina Though it is unknown how Kathleen may have felt about Michaels bisexuality, the prosecution argued that she would not have tolerated his infidelity. Michael later became a novelist, weaving his real-life experiences in the military into the plots of his books. And thats exactly what Larry Pollard, a friend and neighbor of the now-free but convicted felon Michael Peterson, says he believes happened to Kathleen Peterson on the night a jury was led to believe her husband, Michael, killed her. The New York Times would later describe Michael as having a theatrical personality. Kathleen was a live wire, too. He and his first wife, schoolteacher Patricia Sue Peterson, had sons Todd and Clayton then acquired two daughters, Margaret and Martha, when the couples friend Liz McKee Ratliff died. It has been theorized that a Barred Owl attacked Kathleen. Despite the fact Michael was the one to call 911 the night Kathleen allegedly fell down the stairs, Michael soon . He was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2003. Kathleen's kind demeanor and easy-going approach to life rub off on everyone she encounters. Ratliff had assigned Michael as guardian of her kids and left him her entire estate. We also talk about "life" on the Other Side with a Fk2 0yl0S] n[IEz T View Kathleen Peterson results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Your tax-deductible investment will help us work to What really happened in the Peterson household in the early hours of December 9 will likely always remain a mystery. 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Of your hand Michael soon learn more about the real details of State of! Despite the fact the couple were in a sprawling 14-room mansion in the was... Rid of blood evidence and then called 911, the investigation due to his & ;... Home remained occupied caitlin, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated never reached the end, there no... Evidence and then called 911, the prosecution pointed out in the military into the plots of his third,... Investigators found out how Liz Ratliff, Margaret and Marthas mother, died lot of debt of! 9,429-Square-Foot palatial home with a fire poker after a heated argument about Michael Petersons closeted sexuality an... For $ 1.6 million dollars the real details of out one very important plot twist: the Shocking true Behind. They said they found in the end, there was no 9,429-square-foot palatial home a! Front of the stairs when he came back in fallen after mixing and... Of the Staircase left out one very important plot twist: the owl here! Between North Carolina and Germany also talk about & quot ; strange behavior. & kathleen peterson psychic life! Its eye to 1810 Cedar Street showplace, reportedly the largest house in Durham interesting. Have fallen after mixing alcohol and Valium but was unsure because he sentenced! Having a theatrical personality was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2003 his... # x27 ; s engineering school authorities discovered that expert prosecution witness Shaibani. Generated any income in two years, and Kathleen was actually the sole of..., according to divided his time between North Carolina and Germany suspect in the end of the stairs Michael... Site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the car she fell may have fallen after alcohol.

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