Her husband, Michael Peterson, found her. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Forensic expert Henry Lee gave a live in-court splatter demonstration to refute some of the blood evidence against Michael. The house was owned by nationally recognized scholar and author Henry Louis Skip Gates Jr., who lived there while teaching at Duke. Not one.. Chief among them: A close friend of Petersons, Elizabeth Ratliff, had also been found dead at the bottom of a staircase, in 1985. On February 1, 2007, Caitlin Atwater and Michael Peterson settled the wrongful death claim for $25 million, which was finalized on February 1, 2008. In the last two episodes of The Staircase, filmed in 2016 as Michael Peterson's legal case finally drew to a close, you might have noticed the lawyers mentioning "strangulation" injuries discovered in Kathleen Peterson's autopsy. It riveted viewers even as it wrapped up with the conclusion that, well, we can really never know whether Michael did it or not. 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. Everyone knows at least one wacky guy who wears shorts in cold weather. On May 5, HBO Max turned its eye to 1810 Cedar Street in Durham, North Carolina. The most recent Durham County tax appraisal is $1.9 million. Author, freelance writer and self-employed recruiter. 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. Kathleen was 48 at the time of her death. Peterson entered an Alford plea while awaiting a new trial in 2017, allowing him to plead guilty to manslaughter while maintaining his innocence. This may have contributed to slipping down the stairs if she. 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. We know she had one biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, two adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, and two step-sons, Clayton and Todd Peterson. That means a decreased flow of blood to the brain, and it takes hours for that to happen. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Although Michael Peterson reported Kathleen's death as an accident to the 911 dispatcher, when paramedics and police officers arrived at the Petersons' home, they were . her blood-alcohol level was just below 0.08, the level at which a person in North Carolina is considered too drunk to drive. Born and raised in Greensboro, N.C., Kathleen was the first woman admitted to Duke University's school of engineering, from which she went on to jobs with a pharmaceutical company and, more. Among the 19 total rooms, there are five bedrooms and six bathrooms, along with a brick patio, slate patio, and both upper and lower galleries. We know she had one biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, two adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, and two step-sons,. Where is Morgan from the Murdaugh Murders now? Perhaps he was trying to delete some files. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of their staircase with severe injuries. After several appeals, he entered an Alford plea meaning a defendant acknowledges that the prosecution has enough to convict them but maintains their innocence in 2017 to have his charge reduced to manslaughter. She also served the position of philanthropist. Michael continues to live in Durham, North Carolina, having moved into a two-bedroom condo, via The Independent. Kathleen was dead by the time first responders got there. The defense challenged this version of events. As the case rolled along, more shocking facts would surface. They noted that Michael was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. In 1992, they bought a 14-room mansion on three acres in the Forest Hills neighborhood. Before marrying. As mentioned above, Kathleen's high powered, high earning job meant she could afford to take out a hefty life insurance sum, which totalled $1.4 million. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. She had a net worth of around $2 million, according to Forensic Files. A novelist couldnt have written Petersons story any better, full of outrageous twists as it is. A successful career as an executive at the communications firm Nortel followed. Kathleen is an engaging and dynamic teacher, who always takes the extra step . 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. It has been theorized that a Barred Owl attacked Kathleen. After a stir in the local community, a 2004 true crime documentary titled The. However, Michael Peterson was released from prison to serve house arrest in 2011 after a judge found that a witness had misrepresented facts at the trial. 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 . Previously, Michael had told people Liz Ratliff died from a brain hemorrhage, never mentioning a fall on the stairs, according an interview with Kathleen Petersons sister, Candace Zamperini, on Power, Privilege, and Justice. Per the publication, some reports have suggested that Michael Peterson was the last person to see Elizabeth alive, but Michael's lawyer pointed out inconsistencies with this theory. "Without Kathleen's job and her pay check, he could not continue to support his two adult sons, he could not continue to maintain that home, he could not live the lifestyle he'd grown accustomed to. 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. Off he went to North Carolinas Correctional Facility in Nash. If Forensic Files got an annual performance review, it would always exceed expectations in telling a story in 22 minutes without making viewers feel cheated but at the same time leaving them interested in finding out more. 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. Ratliff had assigned Michael as guardian of her kids and left him her entire estate. 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.) The Staircase. Pop-culture phenom. The Petersons were heavily in debt, owing over $100,000 in credit debt. 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. Katheleen Peterson was killed by her husband, Michael Peterson. Kathleen's kind demeanor and easy-going approach to life rub off on everyone she encounters. Over the years, there had been some tense moments over money and Michaels mayoral election bid, and the two frequently fought and made up. Over the years, Dateline has continually covered the case of how writer Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen, ended up dead at the base of a staircase in their 14-room house. lacerations on the back of her head were consistent with a beating. 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. While Ratliff's daughters stood by their adopted father throughout his trial and imprisonment, Kathleen's daughter, Caitlin Atwater sided with the prosecution. But at Target, a less affluent, more diverse crowd welcomes him because they know firsthand how unfair the law can be, he said. Menu Log In Sign Up About. Whats more, the raptors are known to dive-bomb humans when they feel threatened, almost always targeting the head.. What has yet to be determined was exactly how Kathleen met her demise. Today, Caitlin is married and is now known as . But first, heres a recap of A Novel Idea along with extra information drawn from internet research: Full house. However, despite the houses dark history, it remains occupied. 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. Peterson is now serving a life term. Licensed Professional Counselor providing individual mental health therapy to adolescents and adults. Investigators found out how Liz Ratliff, Margaret and Marthas mother, died. In 2017, the then-73-year-old avoided a second trial by taking an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter in return for six years of house arrest. In court and on camera, Peterson initially presented his marriage to Kathleen as an enormously happy one, but prosecutors unearthed evidence that he had been secretly seeing men and that the couple had argued about it shortly before her death; they also found a trove of male pornography on his laptop, which they used to further cast scrutiny on his claims of being content in the marriage. Cosmopolitan participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Around 2:40 a.m. on December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson called 911 to report finding Kathleen at the bottom of the back staircase in their million-dollar mansion. A Forensic Files Murder That Went on a Binge(A Novel Idea, Forensic Files), Note: You can listen to this post as a podcast. By using this site, you agree to the Terms . On October 10, 2003, the jury found Michael Peterson guilty, and the judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole. But Kathleen had life insurance worth $1.2 million to $1.8 million, with Michael as the beneficiary. Kathleen Peterson and her then husband Fred Atwater, a physicist, welcomed Caitlin on April 27 1982. Michael's sons, Clayton and Todd Peterson, were also in severe debt. But what's the real story behind The Staircase? Michael Peterson was a writer, and many said he has the kind of ego which craves the spotlight. On October 10, 2003, Michael Peterson was sentenced to life without parole for Kathleen's murder, via The New York Times. Kathleen Peterson later succumbed to her. 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. And a 2009 forensic analysis detailed traces of wood splinters and cedar needles in her hair, along with microscopic bits of feather. But there was one circumstance that Michael Peterson couldnt explain away. "It would be a huge relief off my [shoulders] because I am worried sick about them," Michael's email read. Michael placed two 911 calls, and emergency services attended the scene soon after. Todd Peterson, 25, was at the house when the police came but refused to talk to them, according to Forensic Files. NetflixMichael Peterson while incarcerated at Nash Correctional Institution, 2003. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . The man who claims hes 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. Toni Collette's emotional portrayal is bound to create even more interest in the real Kathleen Peterson. And some believe that Kathleen Peterson died of simple, malicious negligence that Michael chose not to help Kathleen after an accidental fall. Caitlin then moved in with her mum Kathleen and her new husband Michael Peterson after. "[Dr. Radisch, the state pathologist] moved her examination to the internal neck area, and discovered a bloodied fracture with haemorrhage on the small extension off of the left thyroid cartilage," the crime author wrote. This week Sandy and I tackle a cold case from 2007 of Missing Mom Stacy Peterson who went missing from the home she shared with her abusive husband, former police officer Drew Peterson, who was later convicted of murdering his third wife, Kathleen. 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