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After Michael and Pattys divorce, they went to live with Michael and Kathleen, whom they called mom, in the United States. 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. Despite being found guilty of murder, in 2011, Peterson was granted another trial which was set to take place in 2017. 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. 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. 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. Scroll on to find out. At first, their two sons lived in Germany with their mother but eventually went to live in Durham, North Carolina with their father. However, de Lestrades involvement with the Peterson story didnt end there, as he was the one to sell the story to Campos. "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. Curiously, though he was living with Kathleen at the time, his first wife, Patty, from whom he was separated, co-signed for the loan. Michael had written a number of stories that were really critical of the Durham Police Department or the Mayors Office. In the film, made long before the popular Hulu series, the Colonial masks as the supposed Republic of Gilead residence belonging to Commander Fred (Robert Duvall) and his wife, Serena Joy (Faye Dunaway), where handmaid Kate (Natasha Richardson) is placed. It wasnt about the crime it was about the process.. 2020s Latitia is a true crime drama about the 2011 abduction of 18-year-old Latitia Perrais. Yes, The Staircase on HBO Max is based on a true story. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). 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. 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. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. 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 . 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. 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. At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. So the ill-fated lovebirds went their own ways. Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether Michael Peterson, the subject of the Netflix docu-series The Staircase, killed his wife Kathleen. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. And so, instead of watching some fictionalized account, we see the real thing happening. 21. Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps. 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. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. Above (L-R): Tim Guinee, Sophie Turner, Colin Firth, Olivia DeJonge, Patrick Schwarzenegger appear as the Peterson family in "The Staircase" on HBO Max. Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. 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 perhaps most disconcerting is the fact that the crime scene, complete with blood-splattered walls and floors, was left intact for years while Peterson and his children continued to live in the home! They separated in the 1980s and divorced in the early 1990s. Stalk It: Michael Petersons former house, featured in The Staircase, is located at 1810 Cedar Street in Durham, North Carolina. Michael Peterson has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. I don't speak French. According to the News and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. 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. 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. While the multi-part true-crime docuseries "The Staircase" might not be the gold standard of the genre like it once was at the time of its 2004 debut, it's become the go-to source for the strange case of Michael Peterson, a North Carolina novelist who may or may not have murdered his second wife, Nortel executive Kathleen Peterson. 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. But she never let her own feelings affect the course of editing.". The riches he had before his incarceration no longer exist. Her parents influence on her career, Where is Mary Roach from American Idol now? 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). 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. He's in a ground-floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation," Rudolf shared. However, Rudolf is the one who finds the dramatization most egregious. Elisa Guimares is a feature writer at Collider. Following Elizabeths death, Margaret and her younger sister Martha (Odessa Young) were adopted by the Petersons. Peterson's adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha, live in California . 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. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Most eerie of all, though, is the fact that a segment took place on the infamous back staircase! "Michael Peterson, you are pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter," Zamperini said, according to local news sources. The couple shared two sons, Clayton Peterson and Todd Peterson. That being said, it's unclear how Peterson is now making a living or if he has some kind of income. In Lestrades docuseries, she speaks at length about her mental health issues. However, it might be his hopes of writing a new book that will give him a place in society once again. Though the kitchen island was moved (it was formerly attached to the kitchen counter, cutting across the room at a diagonal), the space still looks much as it did when Michael lived there. 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. 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. She was 78 years old. 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. 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. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. "I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". 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 . According to him, Michael waited three hours to call 911 while Patty was having a heart attack. They settled in 2007 for $25 million, but it is possible that Michael never paid the full amount considering how much strain the trial put on his finances. Caitlins lawyer filed another complaint against him after his release in 2017, in order to discourage him from making money from the case. They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Kathleen was apparently bludgeoned to death after a medical examiner noticed several lacerations on her scalp. The political thriller Jeux dInfluence had two seasons released between 2018 and 2022 in the European streaming service Arte. As Jones explains in A Perfect Husband, There were two worlds, it seemed, present in that old house, and perhaps the most symbolic reminders of that were the Petersons two staircases. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, 'Glaring error' left 'habitual liar' Alex Murdaugh 'boxed in' during trial, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life after disgraced lawyer guilty of murder, Murdaugh sentenced to LIFE in prison after being found guilty of double murder, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Michael Peterson was convicted of killing his wife Kathleen in 2003, A new HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase, will follow Peterson's murder trial. That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. In a big twist that fans of the original documentary, The Staircase, wouldn't have seen coming, Peterson dated Sophie Brunet, an editor of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary series. Currently, he resides in Durham, North Carolina but has since sold the house where Kathleen died. 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. Wanted folks like you to see what we, criminal defense lawyers, actually do. 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. The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . However, it will be exclusively available onHBO Max. Simpson, Peterson wrote a book about the crime titled Behind the Staircase and his website claims its a best-seller! His defense. I guess the steps were just destined to be onscreen. Life is really full of surprises. Michael Peterson is the subject of one of Netflixs most riveting and polarizing true crime documentaries,The Staircase. The most confounding aspect of The Staircase is tough to pinpoint. Patty was also a staunch defender of Michael. Patricia Peterson died in July 2021 of a heart attack when she was 78 years old. 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). He enjoys a secluded life with the occasional media appearance to again discuss that fateful staircase. In 1983, George died from a military accident, and in 1985, Elizabeth was found dead at the foot of her staircase with head injuries. Rudolf gave a behind-the-scenes look at the trial, and why he agreed to participate in the docu-series, made by a French documentary crew that first aired in the United States in 2005, and was updated and re-released on Netflix last year. 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. Speaking to the French publication L'Express, de Lestrade shared: "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. 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. 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 two lived together until Patty's deathfrom a massive heart attack in July 2021. 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? Instead, he submitted an Alford Plea for manslaughter. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Peterson's new living situation: According to their son Clayton Peterson, Michael and Patricia lived together between 2019 and 2021 as "companions. He was caustic and sarcastic and mean sometimes, Rudolf said. Despite her words and the fact that Peterson will be considered a convicted felon for the rest of his life, he apparently plans on trying to live out the rest of his years at home in North Carolina. He donated all of the proceeds to charity. 'The Staircase': Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? Michael Peterson's conviction and life sentence in 2003 was only some of the story. Currently, Rudolf is in "occasional" contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. The newlyweds were captured gloriously posing for photos on the homes staircase. 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. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. They dated until 2017. Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. Todd and Clayton are Michael Peterson's sons from his first marriage to Patricia Peterson. So beloved was the residence that Kathleen and Michael decided to tie the knot there, surrounded by family and friends, on June 21, 1997. In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. Curiously, though he was living with Kathleen at the time, his first wife, Patty, from whom he was separated, co-signed for the loan. Skyler Caruso is the Editorial Assistant of PEOPLE Digital. "They took care of each other." In 2019, he self-published two books Behind the StaircaseandBeyond the Staircase that detail his side of the story. The conclusion painted Michael as a murderer with a propensity for pushing his victims down staircases and no doubt contributed to his conviction. Where does The Staircase's Michael Peterson live now? 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. "We made plans to live in Paris. Sue remained supportive of Peterson through his trial, incarceration, and release. He also opines that by agreeing to pay, he would be admitting to murdering Kathleen. A new HBO series, The Staircase, follows Peterson's murder trial after his wife, Kathleen, was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couple's home in 2001. 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." 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. 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. Peterson sold the five-story home he lived in with Kathleen. 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. 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. He had been living with his first wife, Patricia, (although divorced) for the past two years until her death from a heart attack, his son Clayton told North Carolina's News & Observer in 2021. However, since the release of the HBO miniseries, his Instagram profile has been deleted. Her husband, Michael Peterson, was convicted of murder on October 10, 2003, but the circumstances surrounding her death have been called into question, including Peterson's guilt or innocence since his trial. After spending eight years in prison, Michael Peterson was given an unexpected reprieve one granted by way of state corruption. At the time of Kathleens death, Deaver (portrayed by Myke Holmes in the show) worked as a blood spatter analyst for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). His life had been dissected and picked apart by the media for almost two decades, and it was high time he got some much-needed privacy. 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!