In the spring before Gates bought the home in June 1989, it was a location for the 1990 movie The Handmaids Tale, which was filmed in Durham and Raleigh and starred Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway and Natasha Richardson. She was the first woman accepted into Duke Universitys school of engineering. You can read more in depth information about the owl theory here. Not one.. Colin Firth plays her husband, Michael Peterson, the man who was accused of her murder. We know Kathleen Peterson was 48-years-old when she died. Paramedics said that Kathleens blood had congealed, suggesting she died hours before he called 911. make North Carolina more free. The Staircase. On February 1, 2007, Caitlin Atwater and Michael Peterson settled the wrongful death claim for $25 million, which was finalized on February 1, 2008. endstream endobj 84 0 obj <>stream document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. His 2003 trial ended in a first-degree murder conviction and a sentence of life without parole. Kathleen is an engaging and dynamic teacher, who always takes the extra step . He was in prison for eight years before his conviction was overturned because of improprieties at the State Bureau of Investigation. "It was an injury unlikely to occur in a fall. Ratliff had assigned Michael as guardian of her kids and left him her entire estate. Both Zillow and Redfin show the house was sold on Aug. 8, 2020 for $1.6 million dollars. In the early morning hours of December 9, 2001, authorities were called to the Durham, North Carolina home of Michael and . On Nov. 25, 1985, when Michael was living in Germany and married to his first wife, Ratliff turned up dead at the bottom of a staircase just as Kathleen Peterson did 16 years later. "When we started shooting in February 2002 and when David Rudolf gave us access and the judge gave us access in the court room and we started to shoot and shoot and shoot then we realized how big it could be," the director told Metro in 2018. That part of the prosecutions case doesnt seem impressive. 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. Throughout the entire tragic ordeal, the Peterson home remained occupied. As one of their friends told CBS News in 2003, "They had all the appearances and trappings of happiness. Kathleen Peterson. Netflix acquired the series in 2018, once again reigniting fascination around the case. In April 2019, an extensive News & Observer story by Andrew Carter reported that Michael had written an e-book titled Behind the Staircase to exonerate himself, with any profits going toward charity. He's currently behind bars in California's San Quentin prison. Menu Log In Sign Up 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. Michael continues to live in Durham, North Carolina, having moved into a two-bedroom condo, via The Independent. But public interest in the case didnt really explode until the following year, when Netflix expanded and updated a documentary by French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade to create a 13-part bingefest called The Staircase. As well as being awarded her mother's life insurance payout, Atwater won a $25 million wrongful death suit against Michael Peterson. Until next time, cheers. At least one person was swayed by the physical evidence: Kathleens daughter Caitlin, who had initially supported Petersons claims of innocence, along with his children. The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. is visible from the street, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated. Although skeptical, the TV psychologist gave Michael a chance to defend himself. It still sports its grand staircase, library and game room, as well as its pool. Novelist Michael Peterson told police he was sitting by the pool at the house at 1810 Cedar St. on the night of Dec. 9, 2001, and when he went inside around 2:30 a.m., he found his wife at the bottom of a back staircase, where she bled to death. In response, the prosecution also argued that the motive could have been money. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Why Thomas Crapper's Name Is Synonymous With The Toilet Even Though He Didn't Actually Invent It, Eerie Facts About Point Nemo, The Most Remote Location On Planet Earth, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Information which may sway your opinion about how Kathleen Peterson died one way or another Kathleen was Director of Information Services at the Canadian firm Nortel Networks Corporation when she died. When there weren't many jobs in education in New York in the 70s, Kathleen Peterson, an aspiring high school teacher, took some advice and chased down an opportunity in an emerging field where she could apply her skills in science and data. An agent from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Raymond Young, assessed the couples finances and discovered that they had more than $142,000 in debt spread across 20 different accounts. Kathleen had also had a $1.4 million life insurance policy, which would be paid to Michael in the event of her death. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Kathleen worried that she would lose her own $145,000-a-year job amid the downsizing, the AP reported. By Amy . The family had sold the Cedar Street showplace, reportedly the largest house in Durham. According to WRAL.com, the initial report suggested that she'd "died of a stroke," but that she was also found to have "several deep cuts to her scalp.". Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . Michael also told the News & Observer that well-to-do friends from his and Kathleens napkin-ring and place-card days had deserted him. 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. "It is simply not possible for me to discuss this with Kathleen.". Irresistible deal. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Gates bought the house in June 1989. But as circumstantial evidence . Peterson entered an Alford plea while awaiting a new trial in 2017, allowing him to plead guilty to manslaughter while maintaining his innocence. 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. Psychic Discusses Kathleen Peterson Murder In this special episode of Reality Life with Kate Casey podcast a medium is asked to discuss the unsolved mysteries of the murders of Sister Cathy Cesnik and Kathleen Peterson, the kidnapping of Sherri Papini, and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. Michael Peterson accused of murdering his wife Kathleen in December 2001 Kathleen found unconscious by Michael in North Carolina home, died short after Michael was convicted for murder in 2003 . Before marrying Kathleen, Michael Peterson was married to Patricia Peterson. "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. If she was attacked by an owl, she would have been screaming her head off, she said. Despite living what looked like a lavish lifestyle from the outside, Michael and Kathleen Peterson were in a lot of debt. Kathleen Peterson, 48, who was a successful business executive and was Michael's second wife, was found dead on 9 December 2001. Upon seizing Michael's computer, investigators found as many as 2000 images of naked men, along with email exchanges between Michael and a male escort, via NBC News. At the time of Peterson making the 911 call, he had claimed that Kathleen was "still breathing" however, when the authorities arrived, Kathleen had passed away from her injuries. Furthermore, Jones said, a substantial amount of damning evidence was never included in the documentary. Email trail. Red neurons were present in her brain when the autopsy was done. Ashlie Chandler. 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. Cathleen Peterson-Layne, PhD, MD Empowering Leaders and Teams to lead with greater clarity and courageous decision-making. During the trial, evidence suggested she was hit with a fire poker after a heated argument about Michael Petersons closeted sexuality. Its not what [de Lestrade] included, its what he did not include, Jones whose 2004 book A Perfect Husband profiles the case and became the basis for the 2007 Lifetime movie The Staircase Murders, starring Treat Williams told The Post. "They had a real story, which lasted until May 2017. In one of his messages, Michael wrote that he was happily married to a dynamite wife but that he was very bisexual. North Carolina released Michael Peterson on bond in 2011. Over the years, multiple theories regarding the cause of Kathleen's death persisted. He made a futile attempt to get rid of blood evidence and then called 911, the prosecution contended. Kathleen's autopsy later concluded that the manner of her death was homicide, due to "multiple blunt force impacts to [the] back of the head." 2 popular chain restaurants get B grades: Triangle sanitation scores (Feb. 28), Repealing North Carolinas pistol permit law makes everyone less safe | Opinion. She confronted Michael about cheating on her, there was an argument, and he beat her to death with a fireplace implement, they alleged. Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. On December 9, 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found unconscious at the bottom of a staircase in Durham, NC. A successful career as an executive at the communications firm Nortel followed. We find doubt uncomfortable., Jones isnt satisfied with that. One thing that absolutely wasn't mentioned in The Staircase is that Michael Peterson didn't remain single for all the years following his wife Kathleen's death. He needed her money to survive the way he wanted to survive," she said. A video accompanying the in-depth News & Observer piece gave Michael an opportunity to talk about his everyday post-prison life. 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. Michael Ivor Peterson graduated from Duke University, where he was editor of the school newspaper, then joined the Marines and earned silver and bronze stars for service in Vietnam. Nonetheless, in the end, there was just too much evidence against Michael Peterson. A Forensic Files Murder That Went on a Binge(A Novel Idea, Forensic Files), Note: You can listen to this post as a podcast. Apex is losing its only movie theater. But perhaps the most shocking element of the trial revolved around the mother of Michael Peterson's two adopted children. Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her home in 2001. This may have contributed to slipping down the stairs if she. (And those investigators must have had money to burn they could have looked online or asked an autistic savant to recall the temperature that evening.). 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. Although testing would later confirm that Kathleen had some alcohol in her system, it was nowhere near the stagger and face-plant level. A death in the home apparently isnt a buyer beware for everyone. 82 0 obj <>stream Hes a SHU-in. And as the Audubon Society pointed out, An owl strike can definitely cause blunt-force trauma. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson found his wife, Kathleen Peterson, dead at the bottom of the back staircase in the 11,000-square-foot mansion that they shared with their children in Durham, North Carolina. So what about the owl? He lost the election. Photos of her shaved head surfaced early on in the investigation, leading detectives (and later the prosecuting team) to believe she had been struck multiple times with a large, blunt object (the notorious blowpoke as referenced in the film.) NetflixKathleen Peterson and Michael Peterson in an undated photograph. Where are Michael & Kathleen Peterson's kids now? Another motive suggested by the prosecution hinged on the Peterson family's tenuous financial situation. Instead of facing a new trial in 2017, Peterson instead opted for an Alford Plea for voluntary manslaughter. It has been theorized that a Barred Owl attacked Kathleen. Michael Peterson and David Rudolf in court in 2017. Balius paid $640,000 for the house in 2004 and did renovations before placing it back on the market in 2007. Copyright 2023 The John Locke Foundation, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, Leandro v. State of North Carolina Explained. Kathleen is an acclaimed Contact Center consultant and recognized industry visionary. Kathleen Peterson later succumbed to her. The Staircase main players: Where are they now? Off he went to North Carolinas Correctional Facility in Nash. As Michael was the only one in the . Oh, and one more little thing: Investigators found thousands of gay male porn images and hookup conversations on Michaels computer. And as CNN reported, Kathleen apparently had a $1.8 million life insurance policy, and prosecutors argued that Michael might have killed his wife for financial gain. Lived In Hayward WI, Pine City NY, Pine City PA, Saginaw MI. The home was originally built in 1940 by architect George Watts Carr, who constructed the house for a wealthy businessman by the name of John Adams Buchanan. 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Ultimately, no charges involving Ratliff were brought, but North Carolina used the information about her death to strengthen the Kathleen Peterson case, which lacked a murder weapon. Drew is serving a 38 year sentence in prison after he was found guilty of murdering his third wife Kathleen Savio. Your tax-deductible investment will help us work to We are all Light Beings who have chosen to experience life on the earth plane. So what were really looking at here is someone who allowed his wife to bleed out on the floor for hours before he called 911.. Pop-culture phenom. Self-professed psychic Irene Lalagos testified Thursday that Stacy Peterson feared her police sergeant husband would carry out a murderous threat if she ended their . Call 1-888-626-7386 Advisor Id: 42767. This story was originally published July 18, 2018, 11:15 AM. He claimed he found her after lingering outside for several hours after dinner, but the police soon arrested him, and he was found guilty of Kathleens murder in 2003. Also in 2019, Michael Peterson made a two-part appearance on Dr. Phil. After a stir in the local community, a 2004 true crime documentary titled The. Chief among them: A close friend of Petersons, Elizabeth Ratliff, had also been found dead at the bottom of a staircase, in 1985. In the lead-up to Kathleen's death, Nortel had been making a large proportion of its staff redundant - as many as two thirds (or 45,000 workers) apparently. Now, HBO Max has turned the story into a scripted drama, also called The Staircase and starring Toni Colette as Kathleen Peterson. However, when he called back minutes later, he claimed that she was no longer breathing. The house was listed at $1.175 million, but reduced to $975,000 in 2003. The prosecution put forth several possible motives for Kathleen's murder. She moved to Baltimore to study how to . Michael Peterson echoed these fears in an email to a family friend six days before Kathleen's death. Shortly after the tragedy, Peterson allowed French documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade to conduct interviews with him, his kids, and his attorneys, most of which took place in the Peterson household. By all reports, Michael and Kathleen enjoyed a close, happy marriage and were sought-after guests on the local social scene. Michael told Dr. Phil McGraw that medical reports confirmed Liz Ratliff died of a stroke. Lestrade's access to Michael Peterson means the HBO Max adaptation has a wealth of source material to draw upon. According to the houses current Zillow description, the 9,500-square-foot house sits on 3.5 acres, stands behind wrought iron gates, and is complete with stonewall walkways. Kathleen Peterson and Michael Peterson in an undated photograph. While Kathleen wasn't one of the employees to have been laid off, she reportedly told her sister Candace she was concerned that by the end of the year she wouldn't have a job. The accident scene was a bloodbath inconsistent with a tumble down the stairs. You can see the back of the property from the Kent Street side, which has barbed wire above the gate and No Trespassing signs. Scott was an early suspect in the investigation due to his "strange behavior.". 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. She was lying in a dried pool of her own blood. Forensic Files produced A Novel Idea back in 2006, but any murder story that includes well-educated mansion owners plus a cheerful male escort on the witness stand is sure to be revisited many times. Licensed Professional Counselor providing individual mental health therapy to adolescents and adults. By Wilson Wong. But at Target, a less affluent, more diverse crowd welcomes him because they know firsthand how unfair the law can be, he said. However, despite the houses dark history, it remains occupied. 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 where Michael claimed to be during what he alleged was his wifes accidental fall down the stairs. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Price Point: What does $235,000 get in Triangles housing market today? About. If Michael received any money for the literary effort, it would have to go toward a $25 million award Caitlin Atwater won against him, he said. Does $ 235,000 get in Triangles housing market today remained occupied appearance on Dr. Phil not for. 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