When re-examined, Elizabeth's relationship with Michael's family and the details of her passing thicken the plot of this engrossing true crime case. As Todd tries to explain social media followers to Clay and Martha finally comes out to Margaret, the family tries desperately to maintain a sense of normalcy. Lestrade appears throughout the series, filming Michael in the most mundane and dramatic of moments, capturing his family and his entire trial, appeal, and release. It was a unanimous decision by all 12 jury members. But, in February, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. Right about the time the trial ended, they didn't start putting the cuts together," Rudolph explained. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver deceased's injuries were "inconsistent with a fall down a set of stairs", "Margaret and Martha Ratliff wrapped their arms around each other and mourned". Scott Stevenson was the editor on the in-court stuff, she had nothing to do with it. She was found by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino, who sought help from Patty shortly after making the grim discovery. At their request, Ratliff's body was exhumed in Texas in April. Now at this time a few things couldve happened-whatever he struck her with at the front door, he now needed to get rid of, so as she lay dying at the bottom of the stairs, he changed out of any bloodied clothes and got rid of them with the item he struck her with. Killen ordered attack on civil rights worker, jury hears, Father convicted of murdering 9 of his children, Gov. Like Kathleen, she'd been found at the bottom of a staircase. Now fast forward to 2001-the night Michaels second wife, Kathleen dies. Michael, a Vietnam War vet, bonded with Elizabeth's husband George, who was a captain in the military. In response, Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, argued he had never seen such inflammatory wording used in an autopsy before. He hires David Rudolf (Michael Stuhlbarg) whose price tag is as big as his reputation. I believe that Patty suspected Michaels infidelity with Liz, and with the girls left to Michael, this probably only reinforced her suspicions. host = new String(location.hostname); The couples lived close; just down the road from each other in the town of Graefenhausen. For example, when prosecutor Jim Hardin is presenting his case to the grand jury ahead of the trial, Rudolf is seen standing in the same grand jury room, something that he said would never happen in a U.S. courtroom. Authorities in Germany had determined that Ratliff's death was the result of a fatal stroke that sent her toppling down the stairs. Occasionally wiping tears from her eyes, Appel-Schumacher testified about the large amount of blood she and her husband cleaned up after Ratliff's body was moved. Two Ukrainian women look back at one year of war, Why you shouldn't go into TikTok's "monk mode". In the footage, Michael also admits Kathleen never knew about his affairs with men or that he was bisexual. He was sentenced to time already served and freed from prison. Did Michael Peterson Kill Elizabeth Ratliff? So you know, I'm sorry that I have to say this, but I think Antonio Campos [The Staircase on HBO Max director] went way beyond what was ethical for him as a filmmaker to do just in order to either sell this film, or to pump its ratings, and that in my judgment is despicable. "There was nothing out of place, except that she was no longer living," she recalled almost two decades later. She'd reportedly died from an intracerebral hemorrhage, secondary to a blood clot disorder. Regina Green, an old family friend of Peterson pointed out in "The Staircase" how much Ratliff and Petersons first wife Patricia looked alike. A one-stop-shop for all things video games. A quick recap for those who arent familiar with the case: He wasconvicted of first-degree murder in 2003 and spent nearly a decade behind bars. The critically acclaimed documentary of the same name came out in 2004 a few years after the trial and is now available to stream on Netflix, while this fictionalized version tells the tale of The Staircase through flashbacks to the Petersons' lives before the murder, the night of the murder, the times leading up to the trial, the trial, and beyond. Elizabeth died in 1985. Sophie is skeptical hearing about this theory at first, but soon leans in and pushes for a re-examination of the body. Regardless, Rudolf believes the damage has been done, describing it as "defamation" towards Brunet and de Lestrade. , Awesome, Youre All Set! I'm too old. The 43-year-old died in 1985 in Germany and was found at the bottom of her stairs by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino. Con Girl: Where is Samantha Azzopardi now? A retrial is granted, and Michael is released from prison and sentenced to house arrest with an ankle bracelet. And no questions were raised when her close friend Michael Peterson adopted her daughters, Margaret and Martha. Investigators exhumed her grave in Bay City, Texas. The 43-year-old died in 1985 in Germany, found at the bottom of her stairs by her children's nanny Barbara Malagnino. To begin with, he said that the scene where he was introduced to Michael Peterson (played by Colin Firth) in a diner while eating pastrami did not happen in real life. Both Peterson and his wife raised his two daughters, Margaret and Martha,as if they were their own. Rudolf is highly skeptical of the documentary crew following their every move but eventually has to relent. And you can quote me on that. Jennifer McHugh is a Los Angeles-based writer. Now as both Elizabeth and her husband were both deceased, the girls Margaret and Martha would surely be left in the care of one of their relatives? In 2011, a retrial hearing is granted after Duane Deaver, the analyst that had given the damning evidence against Michael at the first trial, finds himself under investigation. Elizabeth was just 43 years old when she died on November 27, 1985. The series takes great inspiration from de Lestrade's documentary and even includes the director (played by Vincent Vermingon) and his documentary team. She agrees to help them and tips them off that the SBI is very corrupt and should be looked into. 10 votes, 25 comments. The Scene of Her Death The 43-year-old died in 1985 in Germany and was found at the bottom of her stairs by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino. His analysis of the crime scene suggested that most of the blood splatter on the . Three episodes in, drops 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. Her life was thus incredibly different from her Rhode Island farm upbringing, especially as shed eventually found herself working at an elementary school at the Rhein-Main Air Force Base in West Germany. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. He was an out bisexual man who had continuous affairs with men outside his marriage. Michael struggles with life outside of prison and sees his children are struggling as well. This meant he admitted the evidence against him would likely lead to a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but he did not have to admit he committed the crime. A friend of Elizabeth Ratliff's also testified about a bloody death scene. But they need to put themselves in their shoes, think if you already came from a broken home, wouldnt you try to believe in every last possibility that your parent could not do something so horrific, even if similar circumstances also involved that parent many years before? Elizabeth was just 43 years old when she died on November 27, 1985. During her testimony, Appel-Schumacher told Hudson that Ratliff was happily married to George Ratliff, who died in a secret military operation overseas in 1983, and was devastated when he died. Although the original autopsy concluded Ratliff died of a brain aneurysm, the coincidence of Peterson being the last known person to see two different women alive before they both wound up dead. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. So that's why today I'm very uncomfortable because I feel that I've been betrayed in a way.". "Prosecutors spent thousands of dollars transporting her boy 12,000 miles from Bay City, Texas to Chapel Hill," Defense AttorneyDavid Rudolf said on "The Staircase." Her name was Elizabeth Ratliff (shown above in the blue shirt) and she died at the age of 43. Why would you do that just to sort of create a negative impression about Michael Peterson?". It wasn't until after Kathleen's death in December 2001 that the circumstances surrounding Elizabeth Ratliff's fall and subsequent death were re-evaluated. Peterson lived next door to Ratliff when she died. (We'll get back to that.). Although I do feel that the police did not act in all honesty with some of their actions, I do feel that no matter what, the jury saw through the shoddy case and found him guilty anyway. The pair "had a loving, almost familial relationship," Patty described. Noticing the uncanny similarities with Kathleen's case, prosecutors took a closer look at Elizabeth's death in 2003. Lawyer David Rudolf (L) and Michael Peterson (R) address reporters after his court hearing in Durham, North Carolina, on February 24, 2017. After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. As HBOs hit limited series The Staircase comes to a close, it is time to take a look back and assess what we just witnessed. Despite Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, requesting that a "neutral" pathologist from Texas carried out the autopsy, the District Attorney had Dr. Deborah L. Radisch, the state pathologist, do it instead. Furious she confronts Michael with her findings. Viewers new to The Staircase story may have been surprised to learn Peterson dated Sophie Brunet, the editor of Lestrade's first documentary. At the age of 43, Elizabeth Liz Ratliff had created a good life for herself as a teacher for military children, signifying that she often got the chance to travel across the globe for work. Elizabeth's updated autopsy report indicated that she died from homicidal assault. The similarities between the deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson raised eyebrows among the Durham authorities. Some speculate that Michael shared an illicit affair with Elizabeth. To quote, 'help him' on his appeal. Elizabeth Ratliff became good friends with Michael Peterson after meeting his first wife, Patty, when the women worked together at a school in Germany. Judge Orlando Hudson Jr. will rule on whether the similarities between Ratliff's death and Kathleen Peterson's are sufficiently similar that jurors should hear the evidence. Elizabeth's updated autopsy report indicated that she died from homicidal assault. Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. Michael is having a rough time in prison. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! That was then confirmed by another doctor and the military police. No, the will of the Ratliffs stated the girls would be left in the care of Michael Peterson. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. The DA contracts the SBI (North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation) to recreate the scene and figure out exactly how the murder took place. The next morning, the nanny, Barbara, discovered Elizabeth's body. "I've read 260 autopsies from blunt trauma to the head, and never once did I see any of your people say the inflicted trauma is clearly from a homicidal assault," Rudolf is heard saying in the documentary. They argued as he would not agree to this. The SBI, the organization that recreated the crime scene, is placed under investigation for unethical practices, which opens up another opportunity for an appeal in Michael's case. She often ate dinner with the Petersons, and Michael would help her clean up and tuck in her children at bedtime. Repeating testimonythe judgeheardThursday and Friday without the jury being present, witness Peter "Duane" Deaver said he concluded that Kathleen Peterson was beaten with a blunt object and was struck a minimum of four times. However, back in Germany Michael Peterson's BFF Elizabeth Ratliff also happened to die in another "freak staircase accident" in 1995. Peterson agreed to an Alford plea, which enables him to maintain his innocence in the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001. Candace makes an impassioned plea for a dismissal, but the judge overrules her. He also has the option of pleading not guilty and again facing a new trial in front of a jury. Ok so here is my theory for the Michael Peterson case-while I do not think he is a serial killer who always plans to kill women by the same method of throwing them down the stairs, I do think he has the personality of flying into a rage which ended with the deaths of 2 women and here is how I think it happened: 1985-Germany-Michael was carrying on an affair with family friend, Elizabeth Ratliff (he claims they never did but then he did look elsewhere who knows how many times during his marriages for other partners to satisfy his sexual desires, and as we cannot ask Elizabeth, I would say his ability to lie and tell stories, definitely does not add anything to his credibility. Around that same time, Elizabeth and George grew close to the Petersons, their neighbors, bonding over Michael being a Vietnam War veteran and his then-wife Patricia being her coworker. 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The defense maintains that the deaths are only similar on the surface, and Peterson plans to prove that to the judge--and the jury, if he rules against them--if necessary. They fought and it turned physical. 1 day ago, by Chanel Vargas Liz Ratliff also died under mysterious circumstances. But the autopsies were enough to convince Kathleen Peterson's daughter Caitlin to change her mind about her stepfather. He paid that, or his brother paid it and that was it. All Rights Reserved. Elizabeth Ratliff and her husband, George Ratliff, were close friends of Michael Peterson and his first wife Patricia Peterson when they lived in Germany in the 1980s. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. On November 25, 1985, Elizbeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in an eerily similar way to the way Kathleen Peterson was found on December 9, 2001. Instead, they used her death as an example of an incident that could have helped him "fake" Kathleen's accident. With two young children (Martha, the youngest, was just months old when her father passed away), Elizabeth relied on Michael and Patty's support more than ever. Following Kathleen's death, which didn't look much like the accident Michael Peterson made it out to be, police almost immediately zoned in on him as the prime suspect. Although the 13-part programme centres around the mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson at her home in Durham, North Carolina, she wasn't the only woman linked to Michael Peterson to have been found dead at the bottom of a staircase. So much so, that the court in Durham ordered the exhumation of Ratliff's body from her grave in Texas. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. In her report, Dr. Deborah L. Radisch concluded that Elizabeth Ratliff's injuries were "inconsistent with a fall down a set of stairs.". A widow, Elizabeth raised two daughters and her family grew close with the Petersons. Colin Firth & Toni Collette on 'The Staircase' and What They Hope Audiences Take Away From It. Just four days before her death, she was complaining of severe headaches. "We made plans to live in Paris. I do not think that the girls could mentally handle it if they allowed their minds to go to the place of believing he did it. Their lead analyst, Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) leads the charge in recreating the scene to prove the prosecution's case. She was not close to her sisters, Appel-Schumacher said on cross-examination, and thought it would be good for the girls to live with the Petersons in Europe if anything ever happened to her. Elizabeth Ratliff's Time of Death According to David Rudolf, the biggest flaw in the prosecution's theory regarding ER's death is the timeline and moreover that no one observed rigor mortis when they arrived on the scene. . As both their families grew, so did the bonds between them. It's all in the documentary, it's there. Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's The Staircase alludes to the haunting center of novelist Michael Peterson's infamous murder case. Elizabeth's Ratliff's sudden death in November 1985 became of great significance in the case against Michael Peterson during his trial for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. Elizabeth had been complaining of severe headaches in the weeks before her death, and it was believed she suffered the haemorrhage while on the staircase, causing her to fall. Raised his two daughters, Margaret and Martha his wife Kathleen Peterson & # x27 ; reportedly. Was the reason for many arguments that eventually led to the stand, and she tears a... 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