"I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". 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. 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. "He is living in Durham. Then theres the haunting violin score. He was not a friendly columnist. The jury found the evidence sufficient to convict Michael of first-degree murder and sent him to prison for life. Because in fact, the story didn't really end there. Together they had two sons Clayton and Todd Peterson before removing to Germany. Curiously, though he was living with Kathleen at the time, his first wife, Patty, from whom he was separated, co-signed for the loan. 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. Peterson's current financial state, while up for speculation, is most likely a shadow of what it was in 2001. 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. However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. However, Caitlin's opinion changed after she saw her mother's autopsy photographs that depicted horrific injuries. What happened to Olivia Walton on The Waltons? 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. After Michaels release, Bill moved back to Reno, Nevada, where he lives with his family and works as a practicing partner in a full-service local firm. Firth threw everything into the part, and it turned out it changed his attitude and approach towards acting. In Michael Peterson's case, however . Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. The steps sit just beyond the darkened opening on the right side of the kitchen in the photograph above. He said that when he previously prepared for a role, he liked to delve right in and get "to the heart" of the character. Elizabeth Ratliffs death had a huge impact on her youngest daughter, Martha (Odessa Young). That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. As it turned out, thats what happened. But she never let her own feelings affect the course of editing.". At a time when true crime is easily one of the more popular TV genres, Netflix, home of the ever popular Making a Murderer series, is now set to premiere The Staircase on June 8. 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. Folks can sign up for HBO Max for a monthly rate of $14.99. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. 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. "We made plans to live in Paris. In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether. They took care of each other.. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michaels sprawling Colonial home, located in Durhams tony Forest Hills neighborhood. They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. 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. 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. Todd and Clayton are Michael Peterson's sons from his first marriage to Patricia Peterson. Defense attorney David Rudolf talked toOxygenabout Michaels current living situation: He is living in Durham Im not sure why hes living in Durham, but he is. It occurred when Michael and Kathleen were visiting Germany and dropped by the home of their friend, Elizabeth Ratliff. 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. 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. Her secluded life and career, Who are Gradey Dicks parents? When investigators looked into her death though, they suspected foul play due to the shocking amount of blood on the scene, and that the only witness was her husband. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. According to him, Michael waited three hours to call 911 while Patty was having a heart attack. A lawyer himself, Bill was the one that suggested Rudolf as a defense attorney and took care of most of the Petersons legal matters. The riches he had before his incarceration no longer exist. 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. From the comments Ive gotten from a lot of people, it [The Staircase] achieved that purpose; it opens eyes to what criminal defense lawyers do.. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. But since it's been some time since the 2001 alleged crime and initial trial in 2003, where is Michael Peterson now? Sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Kathleen Peterson, Michael was granted a new trial in 2011 when it was brought to light that a key prosecution witness had given misleading information under oath. Man Made Pros and Cons List About Leaving Her, Missouri Man Killed Expectant Wife Who Googled 'What to Do if Your Husband Is Upset You Are Pregnant', Andrea Yates, Who Drowned Her 5 Kids in a Tub in 2001, Annually Declines Release from Mental Hospital, Robert Durst, Convicted Murderer and Real Estate Scion, Dies at 78, Scott Peterson Resentenced to Life in Prison After Being Spared Death, as Laci's Family Confronts Him, Robert Durst's Murder Conviction Will Be Vacated on Legal Technicality, L.A. The pair divorced, paving the way for Michaels marriage to Kathleen Atwater. Judge Clifton . "But we parted ways because he had to go do an 'Indiana Jones.'" At first, their two sons lived in Germany with their mother but eventually went to live in Durham, North Carolina with their father. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Here's everything we know about what happened to Michael Peterson after HBO Max's The Staircase. The new owners renovated the property and relisted it in 2007. HBO Maxs true crime drama The Staircase is no exception to this rule. Despite now believing his father to be guilty, he still considers The Staircase to be nonsense.. 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. Were it not for SBI analyst Duane Deavers corruption, Michael Peterson would probably still be in jail. 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. Heres what went on in their lives after the events portrayed in The Staircase. 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. 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. Where is Michael Peterson now? Her stepfather's lies, including about his sexuality, also played a role, as depicted in the HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase. 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 . We may earn a commission through links on our site. 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. 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. "He visits his grandchildren; he's writing. Despite the couple eventually marrying, Rudolf insists their relationship had no bearing on her coverage nor granted her any special privileges. Their son, Clayton, shared that the former spouses cohabited an apartment in Durham, the same town in which Michael and Kathleen had lived. Most eerie of all, though, is the fact that a segment took place on the infamous back staircase! Get the latest scoop directly in your inbox. 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. Reprieve for Michael came in the form of prosecutorial impropriety, which forced the judge to grant him a new trial in 2011. In 2001, Kathleen was found unconscious at the bottom of their staircase in Durham, North Carolina and was pronounced dead. However, Colin Firth has won over critics, with the show earning a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. He also opines that by agreeing to pay, he would be admitting to murdering Kathleen. 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. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way. They lived together in Durham up until Pattys death from a heart attack in 2021. Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps. 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. I can't live in Paris. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. 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. In 2019, he self-published two books Behind the StaircaseandBeyond the Staircase that detail his side of the story. 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. 21. 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. The novelist spent the past almost eight years in prison after a jury found him guilty of murdering his wife, but in 2011, he was released and since then hes been living a quiet life in Durham, North Carolina, the same city he once lived with his second wife at the time of her death. 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. After her death, however, and during Petersons time behind bars, he was forced to file for bankruptcy. At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. 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. Michael had two sons - Todd and Clayton - from his first marriage. Peterson sold the house he owned with his wife Kathleen back in 2004.Today, the 78-year-old is completely free and out of prison. Despite the fact Michael was the one to call 911 the night Kathleen allegedly fell down the stairs, Michael soon . Peterson's sons have always stood by their father, who has maintained his . She's a journalist, a translator, a linguist, an aspiring author, a lover of trivia games, and a first time cat owner. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. It'll never go away now, it's just a part of our culture., Todd (Patrick Schwarzenegger) stood by his father's side throughout every twist and turn of the case. 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? "He is innocent of any involvement in Kathleen's death," she insisted to The News & Recordin 2014. The prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. 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. That being said, it's unclear how Peterson is now making a living or if he has some kind of income. "They were companions," he told The News & Record. In . Michael had written a number of stories that were really critical of the Durham Police Department or the Mayors Office. He was fired from his job in 2011. In the final episode of the miniseries, we see Michael Peterson starting to get his life back on track as a free man. She didnt like the idea of being a character in Campos miniseries and felt betrayed by the showrunner. 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 . In 2002, his film Murder on a Sunday Morning, about the wrongful accusation of a Black teenager for the murder of a tourist in Jacksonville, Florida, took home the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. 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. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. Where does Michael Peterson currently live? Though the rear stairway isnt featured in MLS images, the entrance to it is. 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. Juliette Binoche will star as Sophie Brunet, the editor of The Staircase documentary. 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. 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. 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! 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. Before going AWOL, however, he changed his mind about his dads involvement in Kathleens death. He donated all of the proceeds to charity. 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. Clayton and Todd chose to live with their mom, while Martha and Margaret moved to North Carolina with Michael. Another constant during the lengthy legal ordeal was Michael Peterson's first wife, Patricia "Patty" Peterson. 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. 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". Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Sue remained supportive of Peterson through his trial, incarceration, and release. And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Peterson's new living situation: After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Michael opted out of the trial before it was due to begin in 2017. The last person to see her alive was Michael Peterson. They also raised Margaret and Martha Ratliff, the daughters of their late friends, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. There, Patty Peterson worked for the U.S. Department of Defense for 35 years as an elementary school teacher. So, where is Michael Peterson now? During Petersons trial, he testified that the blood spatters surrounding the spot in which Kathleen had died were consistent with a person being beaten to death. 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. The video above will play a live feed of Alex Murdaugh's sentencing beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday. He got back to writing and released two books telling his side of the story: 2019s Behind the Staircase and 2020s Beyond the Staircase. He and Patty maintained a close friendship so close that CNN reports she "loaned" Michael $168,000 towards his legal fees in April 2003. Selling the house at its [original $1.175 million] asking price would still not cover all of Petersons debts.. According to News and Observer, Peterson sold the house in 2004. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. Able to use the clips eight years later, and that was a really important thing for the judge to see.. We are not sleazy, we are not drunks, we dont sell our clients out," Rudolf said. Milan Polk is an Editorial Assistant for Men's Health who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle reporting, and has worked for New York Magazine's Vulture and Chicago Tribune. RELATED: 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? HBO Max's new drama The Staircase reenacts the entire story, documentary included, in a star-studded limited series out now. Peterson's defense attorney David Rudolf told Oxygen in 2019 that Peterson is currently living in Durham in a ground floor apartmentso no staircase. Hes living in Durham Im not sure why hes living in Durham, but he is, Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of their staircase with severe injuries. In 1983, George died from a military accident, and in 1985, Elizabeth was found dead at the foot of her staircase with head injuries. Like other members of her family, Margaret hasnt received a dime from HBO and claims to have been deceived by Campos, who allegedly told her he would be focusing more on the documentarists than on the Petersons. 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. Michael, who has maintained his innocence, spent nearly a decade behind bars after being . On December 1, 2009, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their North Carolina home. He stated Kathleen Peterson was aware of his interest in men and his first wife, Patricia Sue, was also there to support Michael Peterson's bisexuality claims. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by Michaels long and public battle against the justice system. Currently, Rudolf is in "occasional" contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. Blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) was found to have exaggerated his credentials in the field of forensic investigation. 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. The true extent of Michael Peterson's physical relationships with men remains unknown. Taking a cue from O.J. The company had also begun massive layoffs at the same time and Kathleens job security seemed tenuous at best. In 2017, Michael submitted an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. In April 2001, they took out a second mortgage to help with the squeeze in finances. 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. The miniseries will draw on the2018 Netflix documentarythat followed the same case. Read ahead to learn more about Michael Peterson and where he is now. The real Patty (Trini Alvarado) not only stood by her ex-husbands side throughout the trials, but she also took him in after his release. Caitlins lawyer filed another complaint against him after his release in 2017, in order to discourage him from making money from the case. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . As shown in the miniseries, Michael took the Alford plea in 2017, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. 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. Michael suggested that Kathleen fell down the stairs after drinking too much alcohol and Valium, but no fingerprints were detected on the wine bottle or glasses out in the kitchen. 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. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The Staircaseis set to return to our screens as a HBO Max series. He explained: These are created characters but we all know what the source is. After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. 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! Michael Peterson had two sons, Clayton AND Todd, and Kathleen Peterson had a daughter, Caitlin, from her previous marriage to Fred Atwater. 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. Pattys death, however, is surrounded by its fair share of mystery and controversy. The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . Kathleen left early; Michael stuck around. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The two lived together until Patty's deathfrom a massive heart attack in July 2021. Is Riley Keough Singing in Daisy Jones & The Six? 2023 Dirt.com, LLC. However, it will be exclusively available onHBO Max. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Michael and Kathleen led an extravagant lifestyle and were, by all accounts, happy. 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). 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 donates the proceeds from his book to charity as he wouldnt be allowed to keep them for himself. ", one of the longest of its kind in North Carolina history, is not synonymous with his conviction being overturned, losing the civil suit his step-daughter, Caitlin Atwater, brought against him, Michael Peterson's first wife, Patricia "Patty" Peterson, forced to sell his assets, including the family home. So the ill-fated lovebirds went their own ways. Now, he resides in a 1,200-square-foot, two bedroom condo and. Alongside Pfeiffer, Rudolf is the owner of the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Whenever a movie or TV series based on real-life events comes out, viewers are plagued by two unavoidable questions: how much of what we saw is true and what happened to those characters after the cameras were turned off? Above (L-R): Tim Guinee, Sophie Turner, Colin Firth, Olivia DeJonge, Patrick Schwarzenegger appear as the Peterson family in "The Staircase" on HBO Max.