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). 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. 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. 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. He also stated that he had worked on 500 bloodstain cases. Michael had two sons - Todd and Clayton - from his first marriage. Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. 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. Where does The Staircase's Michael Peterson live now? The listing marketed the residence as having been featured in a Netflix documentary. I might have left that bit out, but what do I know because the place sold the following month for $1.6 million. Flash-forward to the present day and true-crime enthusiasts want to know every possible detail about Peterson's life and personal relationshipslike, does he have a new wife? 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. HBO Max's latest true crime series, The Staircase, chronicles the lengthy saga of Michael Peterson, an author who was convicted of killing his wife, Kathleen, who died on the stairs in their Durham, N.C. home in December 2001. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. In 2017, Michael submitted an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. It sold the following year to medium Biond Fury (I shudder to think about the seances that took place there during his tenure! The production, deemed largely forgettable by critics, made extensive use of both the interior and exterior of the property. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in 2001. "I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. "He visits his grandchildren; he's writing. 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 Staircase is set to premiere on May 5, 2022. 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. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by Michaels long and public battle against the justice system. 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. 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. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an. Who is Viktor Bouts wife? .css-13y9o4w{display:block;font-family:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-13y9o4w:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.3;}}Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with Kathleens death, and spent nearly a decade behind bars. ", He told the News & Observer: "They were companions. Her name was Elizabeth Ratliff, and she was a family friend of Peterson and his first wife Patricia, who was also living in Germany at the time. 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. However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. He was caustic and sarcastic and mean sometimes, Rudolf said. 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. In April 2001, they took out a second mortgage to help with the squeeze in finances. And so, instead of watching some fictionalized account, we see the real thing happening. 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 told Deadline that he didnt meet Michael before playing him in HBOs The Staircase. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. But severe cracks in their foundation came to light following Michaels arrest and during his subsequent lengthy trial. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Then theres the haunting violin score. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. 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. I guess the steps were just destined to be onscreen. He donated all of the proceeds to charity. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Her secluded life and career, Who are Gradey Dicks parents? Ratliff died at the age of 43. He currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he works as an engineer. The TV drama miniseries focuses on the real-life 2003 murder trial that saw Michael accused of . June 8, 2018. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. According to the News and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. The True Story Behind Netflix's New Docuseries Bad Vegan, The Tinder Swindler True Story: Everything to Know About Netflix's New True Crime Documentary, Anna Delvey, German Con Artist Who Scammed N.Y.C. "He's in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation," Defense Attorney David Rudolf said of his former client at CrimeCon in New Orleans, per Oxygen. Since Michael cant profit from his crime, the proceeds from the books sales go to charity. And what about all the other characters that were so important to the story? Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . Michael Peterson had been forced to sell his assets, including the family home, to pay legal fees, leaving him broke. 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. Alongside Pfeiffer, Rudolf is the owner of the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Charlotte, North Carolina. They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. 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. Because of all of the twists and turns that developed in the case, from the death itself having multiple theories, to the news of another woman from petersons past dying in a similar fashion, The Staircase originally premiered on TV in 2004 with eight episodes detailing the case and trial. Michael Peterson's conviction and life sentence in 2003 was only some of the story. 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. He now believes "maybe everybody's somewhat elusive and changeable and multifaceted. It is a great deal for the district attorney.". He later met his first wife Patricia Sue, an elementary school teacher, in West Germany. In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. 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. Brunet still works as a film and TV editor in France. 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. Her parents influence on her career, Where is Mary Roach from American Idol now? 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. According to their son Clayton Peterson, Michael and Patricia lived together between 2019 and 2021 as "companions. It was a huge financial blow to Michael. As shown in the miniseries, Clayton Peterson (Dane DeHaan) served four years in prison for an attempted bombing at Duke University years before Kathleen Petersons death. The topic is also at the center of Rudolfs 2022 book, American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System. The couple shared two sons, Clayton Peterson and Todd Peterson. At the time, Council of Residential Specialists spokesman Jack Cotton expressed that the murder shouldnt affect the sale, telling The News & Observer, Crimes of passion dont have a huge negative impact on the value of the house. Judge Clifton . Played by Vincent Vermignon, de Lestrade was already an Academy Award winner when he got involved with Michael Petersons case. Speaking to the French publication L'Express, de Lestrade shared: "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. The miniseries will draw on the2018 Netflix documentarythat followed the same case. Were it not for SBI analyst Duane Deavers corruption, Michael Peterson would probably still be in jail. Todd also claims his father cheated on Patty with Kathleen. At the time, authorities concluded that Elizabeth fell down the stairs after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. In 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the . Per The News & Observer, Petersons defense left him indigent. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Her partnership with de Lestrade is still going strong, with Brunet having edited his two TV series after The Staircase, true crime drama Latitia, and the political thriller Jeux dInfluence. The shy, dull, and very British Mark Darcy is as far as you can get from the confounding and unpredictable American novelist Michael Peterson. 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He was convinced it was going to be payback time once he got charged., While some viewers saw Peterson in the film and thought he was a narcissist, Rudolf said he wanted the film to be made for simple self-preservation on his part., He was making it hard for anyone to cheat, or at least to cheat without being caught, Rudolf said. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. "They took care of each other." 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. As seen in The Staircase, Michael Peterson admitted to his family and The Staircase documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade (streaming on Netflix) that he was bisexual when evidence of male pornography was found on his computer. Despite claiming his wife had fallen down the stairs, Michael Peterson was charged with her murder and convicted to life imprisonment in 2003 after one of the longest trials in North Carolinas history. 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. He admitted it made him question if there is actually no "fixed core to characters." Defense Attorney David Rudolf says his famous former clientfeatured on Netflixs The Staircase is keeping it on one level now. Likes science fiction, true crime, coming-of-age stories, teen dramas, and some other things as well. 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. 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. 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. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." Peterson was charged with her murder, convicted at trial, and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. In a series of emails to Variety, he accused Lestrade of pimping him and his family out Still, he admits that Lestrade's work was instrumental in getting him out of prison. (Crime obviously doesnt pay!) Everything about Alla Bout. Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? Another constant during the lengthy legal ordeal was Michael Peterson's first wife, Patricia "Patty" Peterson. ", It turns out Firth landed the role out of pure Hollywood happenstance. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. 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. ", 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. In 2003, the North Carolina medical examiner reexamined Ratliffs remains after they were exhumed in Texas. In the final episode of the miniseries, we see Michael Peterson starting to get his life back on track as a free man. 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. 'The Bear''s Jeremy Allen White Keeps His Awards In His Kids' Room For A Cute Reason, 'Yellowstone' Prequel '1923' Really Earned Its TV-MA Rating, Daisy Jones & The Six Is A Nostalgic Series Based On A Best-Selling Book, The 'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Trailer Is Finally Here & Fellas, It'll Give You Goosebumps, What Parents Are Talking About Delivered Straight To Your Inbox, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michael's sprawling Colonial home, located in Durham's tony Forest Hills neighborhood. In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. Kathleen Peterson, seen above, died on December 1, 2009. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. Petersons wood-paneled office (which Aphrodite Jones describes as an imposing, ominous and intimidating space, saying It was understood that Michael Peterson didnt want people in there.) had a prominent role in the film and in a macabre foretelling was the site of a very bloody murder scene. Margaret was already interested in pursuing a career in film when her family was approached by Lestrade and his crew. Alex Murdaugh trial live stream, updates: Sentencing set for double murder charge. 2023 Dirt.com, LLC. 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 . Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . He explained: These are created characters but we all know what the source is. 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. Socialites, Addresses Netflix Series Based on Her Crimes, Harrison Ford Is Returning to TV After 26-Year Absence in, 'The Staircase' : The True Story Behind HBO Max's True Crime Series, Revisit PEOPLE's 2002 Conversation with Michael Peterson, Whose Wife's Death Inspired HBO Max's 'The Staircase', The First Trailer for Scripted HBO Max Adaptation of 'The Staircase' Starring Colin Firth Is Here, Man Sentenced to Life for Murdering Wife Who Searched 'What to Do if You're Husband Is Upset You're Pregnant', Patrick Schwarzenegger Was 'Almost Speechless' at Colin Firth's Transformation for 'The Staircase', S.C. 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