Heres what went on in their lives after the events portrayed in The Staircase. 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. Dad Sentenced to Life in Prison After Jury Finds Him Guilty of Murdering His 5-Year-Old Son, Juror Who Helped Convict Scott Peterson Is Accused of Hiding Bias Against Him, Paving Killer's Path to Retrial, N.C. Man Sentenced to Death for 'Atrocious' Murder of Teen Daughter Who Was Tortured for 22 Hours, Before He Murdered Pregnant Wife, Mo. Michael Peterson listens as his defense attorney David Rudolf makes opening statements in Peterson's request for a new trial on December 6, 2011, in Durham, North Carolina Advertisement The original Staircase docuseries is largely told from Peterson's perspective, and there is an undeniable appeal to witnessing him in action. Above (L-R): Tim Guinee, Sophie Turner, Colin Firth, Olivia DeJonge, Patrick Schwarzenegger appear as the Peterson family in "The Staircase" on HBO Max. 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. The prosecution at Michael Peterson's trial alleged Kathleen had found thousands of pornographic images of men on his computer and several emails between him and a man named Brad, where they discussed sex in detail. Firth threw everything into the part, and it turned out it changed his attitude and approach towards acting. Before going AWOL, however, he changed his mind about his dads involvement in Kathleens death. Michaels wife was found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couples residence. In Lestrades docuseries, she speaks at length about her mental health issues. 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. Game of ThronesactressSophie Turnerwill appear as one of Michael's adopted daughters, Margaret Ratliff. They took care of each other.". The story behind The Staircase. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. "He visits his grandchildren; he's writing. Were it not for SBI analyst Duane Deavers corruption, Michael Peterson would probably still be in jail. Michael Peterson's conviction and life sentence in 2003 was only some of the story. No, Michael Peterson does not have a new wife today. After her death, however, and during Petersons time behind bars, he was forced to file for bankruptcy. They had a real story, which lasted until May 2017. He was less than pleased with the HBO Max miniseries and claimed to feel betrayed by documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. He also opines that by agreeing to pay, he would be admitting to murdering Kathleen. After Michael and Pattys divorce, they went to live with Michael and Kathleen, whom they called mom, in the United States. According to a June report by The Sun, Peterson continues to live in Durham and has self-published two books about his life during the murder trial and his life following his release from. They married in 1987 and together they raised a large, blended family with children from previous relationships. Deavers ethics and expertise were first put into question regarding the wrongful conviction of Greg Taylor, in 1993, for the murder of Jacquetta Thomas. Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. Much like Peterson and Brunet, he was also not happy with the fictional adaptation of his docuseries and claimed that Campos misinterpreted facts in a way that paints him as an unethical filmmaker. Alex Murdaugh trial live stream, updates: Sentencing set for double murder charge. Her son, Todd, has accused Michael of waiting over three hours to call 911 after realizing that Patty was feeling sick. 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. Petersons overall nonchalant demeanor and regular giggling over aspects of the case are certainly perplexing. So the ill-fated lovebirds went their own ways. Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, and Sophie Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michaels adopted daughters. He donated all of the proceeds to charity. On the flip-side, Petersons former sister-in-law, Candace Zamperini, said during the hearing in 2017 that shell always see him responsible for her sisters death. And the fact that another woman very close to Peterson was also found dead at the bottom of a staircase 16 years before Kathleen. ), who in turn put it on the market this past July for $1.9 million. 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. 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. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by Michaels long and public battle against the justice system. They also became the legal guardians of two young girls, Margaret Ratcliff and Martha Ratcliff, following their mother's death in 1985. In April 2001, they took out a second mortgage to help with the squeeze in finances. Here's everything we know about what happened to Michael Peterson after HBO Max's The Staircase. In July 2020, Michael and Kathleen Peterson's five-story mansion where Kathleen lost her life was put up for sale. However, Caitlin's opinion changed after she saw her mother's autopsy photographs that depicted horrific injuries. According to him, Michael waited three hours to call 911 while Patty was having a heart attack. It was a huge financial blow to Michael. Peterson's defense attorney David Rudolf told Oxygen in 2019 that Peterson is currently living in Durham in a ground floor apartmentso no staircase. In 2017, Michael submitted an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. Since Michael cant profit from his crime, the proceeds from the books sales go to charity. ", It turns out Firth landed the role out of pure Hollywood happenstance. His guilty plea notwithstanding, Michael still asserts that he did not kill Kathleen Peterson. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michael's sprawling Colonial home, located in Durham's tony Forest Hills neighborhood. HBO Maxs true crime drama The Staircase is no exception to this rule. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Hes still married to Becky (Hannah Pniewski), with whom he has two children. Disclaimer: Please remember this is a private home. HBO is yet to announce a release date forThe Staircase. 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." 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. Despite not being an official member of the defense team, Bill Peterson (Tim Guinee) played a huge role in getting his brother Michael out of jail. 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. Where is Michael Peterson living now? ", He told the News & Observer: "They were companions. We may earn a commission through links on our site. 'The Staircase': Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? 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. According to the News and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. Simpson, Peterson wrote a book about the crime titled Behind the Staircase and his website claims its a best-seller! The film, which examines the ethics of documentary filmmaking, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. And, from what it seems, things have turned out for the best for the real Clayton. 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. But that proved a tad more challenging in this case. In July 2020,. The pair divorced, paving the way for Michaels marriage to Kathleen Atwater. Peterson was charged with her murder, convicted at trial, and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Taking a cue from O.J. It's unclear where, exactly, Peterson is currently living, but signs point to Durham. Featuring a library, game room, a whopping five fireplaces, fourteen-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring throughout, and a large master wing, theres no arguing that the couple and their children lived in style. In the final episode of the miniseries, we see Michael Peterson starting to get his life back on track as a free man. He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. 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. Kathleen Peterson's death became a national, long-standing mystery with the 2004 documentary The Staircase. ViaThe Independent, The Associated Press reported Michael moved into a two-bed condo in 2018. His defense. It soon came to light that not only had Deaver exaggerated the number of cases in which he had worked, he also had no proper forensics training and was guilty of lab misconduct. Where does The Staircase's Michael Peterson live now? . "They were companions," he told The News & Record. 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. In 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the . He explained: These are created characters but we all know what the source is. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. No, not that staircase. 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 . 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 riches he had before his incarceration no longer exist. 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. However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. Following his release from prison, Michael Peterson, 78, has written two books detailing a behind-the-scenes account of his trial, imprisonment, and life after jail. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. As the later episodes of "The Staircase" covered, Peterson was eventually granted a retrial hearing in 2011 after it was discovered that Duane Deaver a blood-spatter analyst for North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation who had testified under oath at Peterson's initial trial that evidence pointed towards his guilt had covered up evidence in other trials that would've benefited the defense. According to News and Observer, Peterson sold the house in 2004. She's a journalist, a translator, a linguist, an aspiring author, a lover of trivia games, and a first time cat owner. She said: "My mother and Mike had an absolutely loving relationship and there is no way that either of them would ever wish any sort of harm on the other one.". He's in a ground-floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation," Rudolf shared. He stated Kathleen Peterson was aware of his interest in men and his first wife, Patricia Sue, was also there to support Michael Peterson's bisexuality claims. They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. Patty was also a staunch defender of Michael. The house was showing signs of wear, too, with many expensive much-needed repairs awaiting completion. Prosecutor Says, Scott Peterson Will Be Re-Sentenced to Life in Prison After Death Sentence Was Overturned in 2020, Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison, the limited series is very much a true story, the jury found Michael guilty of Kathleen's murder. According to CNN, Patty Peterson loaned Michael Peterson $168,000 to help him fight his case. I don't speak French," Peterson admitted to The News & Observer. I guess the steps were just destined to be onscreen. And so, instead of watching some fictionalized account, we see the real thing happening. 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. The pair moved in together in 2019. Who is Viktor Bouts wife? The new series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette retells Michael Peterson's now-infamous 2001 murder charge. Created by Antonio Campos, the eight-episode long miniseries stars Colin Firth and Toni Collette as novelist Michael Peterson and his second wife, Nortel executive, Kathleen Peterson. Wanted folks like you to see what we, criminal defense lawyers, actually do. 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. 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. 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. I couldn't afford to live in Paris, and my children and grandchildren were in America." He was released in 2011 on bond ahead of a retrial but in February 2017, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter, meaning he admitted the evidence against him would likely lead to a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but the did not have to admit he committed the crime. The new owners renovated the property and relisted it in 2007. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. Luckily for them, Firth has received rave reviews. At the moment, very little is known about Peterson's private life. 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. Todd also claims his father cheated on Patty with Kathleen. Still, she agreed to meet with Juliette Binoche and told Vanity Fair that her relationship with the actress was an unexpected happy ending to my painful story.". Kathleen Peterson, seen above, died on December 1, 2009. In Michael Peterson's case, however . 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. The newlyweds were captured gloriously posing for photos on the homes staircase. He said that when he previously prepared for a role, he liked to delve right in and get "to the heart" of the character. We are not sleazy, we are not drunks, we dont sell our clients out," Rudolf said. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Currently, he resides in Durham, North Carolina but has since sold the house where Kathleen died. Their son, Clayton, shared that the former spouses cohabited an apartment in Durham, the same town in which Michael and Kathleen had lived. It wasnt about the crime it was about the process.. Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. 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. 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. The documentary follows Michael Peterson from his wifes death in December 2001 to his release in 2017. 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. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . Alongside Pfeiffer, Rudolf is the owner of the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, the same type of plea, contrary to the assertion Peterson has made in his books about his experience following his release, is not synonymous with his conviction being overturned. While there have been several retellings of the chilling case, like Netflix's take on it in 2018, HBO Max's rendition strives to reveal untold sides and different angles of the harrowing story, with Colin Firth as the lead. 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. This means that the person accused of murder can admit that there's enough evidence to convict them, but not admit guilty for committing the crime. "He's living in Durham I'm not sure why he's living in Durham, but he is," Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. MICHAEL Peterson was convicted of killing his second wife, Kathleen, in 2003. Life is really full of surprises. What Happened to Michael Peterson After Prison? As shown in the HBO Max miniseries, de Lestrade went into fiction after working on The Staircase. Michael Peterson married Patricia Sue in 1968 and they later welcomed two boys: Todd and Clayton. 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. 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. At least three people are not fans of HBO's "The Staircase": Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, Michael Peterson, and attorney David Rudolf. 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. Can also be found at Delirium Nerd, writing in Portuguese. 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. Instead, he submitted an Alford Plea for manslaughter. 2020s Latitia is a true crime drama about the 2011 abduction of 18-year-old Latitia Perrais. The 9,400-square-foot mansion at 1810 Cedar St. in Durham, North Carolina was listed for $1.9 million on Tuesday, according to local outlet WRAL. That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. 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. Her parents influence on her career, Where is Mary Roach from American Idol now? Milan Polk is an Editorial Assistant for Men's Health who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle reporting, and has worked for New York Magazine's Vulture and Chicago Tribune. "Michael Peterson, you are pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter," Zamperini said, according to local news sources. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. Where is Peterson's Durham house? Returning to the Scene of the Crime. Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. Speaking to the French publication L'Express, de Lestrade shared: "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. Judge Clifton . 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! It also chronicles the work of French documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, who, from 2003 to 2018, worked on a docuseries about the case also titled The Staircase. Nonetheless, he admits that his case has all the makings of a good true crime drama: Now we have the real thing: sex, money, and murder: The Michael Peterson case. Then there was Kathleens $725,000 life insurance policy (which doubled to $1.4 million in the case of accidental death) of which Michael was the beneficiary (not to mention the almost $400,000 in deferred compensation benefits he was owed from Nortel upon her passing). Newsweek has everything you need to know about his relationship history: No, Michael Peterson does not have a new wife today. Since his release from prison on bond in 2011 and his official release in 2017, Peterson has returned to his passion for writing, publishing two books about his trial, his life behind bars, and the taste of freedom. But she never let her own feelings affect the course of editing.". However, de Lestrades involvement with the Peterson story didnt end there, as he was the one to sell the story to Campos. He concluded her death to be a homicide caused by blunt force trauma. (The house was on the market for $1.9 million, according to ABC 11 News.). Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Like other members of her family, Margaret hasnt received a dime from HBO and claims to have been deceived by Campos, who allegedly told her he would be focusing more on the documentarists than on the Petersons. Most eerie of all, though, is the fact that a segment took place on the infamous back staircase! "We originally had been to Harrison Ford," the HBO show's creator Antonio Campos told Entertainment Weekly. 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. However, it might be his hopes of writing a new book that will give him a place in society once again. They lived together in Durham up until Pattys death from a heart attack in 2021. Michael Peterson had two sons, Clayton AND Todd, and Kathleen Peterson had a daughter, Caitlin, from her previous marriage to Fred Atwater. Due to the impact of Duanes testimony, the court ordered a retrial for Peterson. The docu-series follows Petersons trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen. Kathleen had daughter Caitlin from her first marriage as well. The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . However, it was nearly a very different ending. While The Guardian proclaimed Firth to be "brilliant" and that "you cannot help watching to see if and which way he will fall," CNN called his acting skills "riveting work.". Though the rear stairway isnt featured in MLS images, the entrance to it is. "I didn't know if Michael Peterson's presentation of himself was going to be helpful to me in terms of finding out what lies underneath, and I found it kept moving," Firth explained to The Wrap. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. After serving in the Vietnam War, he began to write novels and newspaper columns about his experiences following his honorable discharge in 1971. Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? They were companions, Clayton told News & Observer. Michael Peterson is the subject of one of Netflixs most riveting and polarizing true crime documentaries,The Staircase. Michael Peterson's first marriage was to Patricia "Patty" Sue (now Peterson), an elementary school teacher. Kathleen was apparently bludgeoned to death after a medical examiner noticed several lacerations on her scalp. She was 78 years old. Rudolf, sick of negative depictions of criminal defense lawyers, got on board. Colin Firth plays the writer in a new HBO Max limited series. Michael Peterson has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. The docu-series follows Petersons trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen,who was found dead at the bottom of their staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home on December 9, 2001 as well as the aftermath. "He is innocent of any involvement in Kathleen's death," she insisted to The News & Recordin 2014. His character in the show is a troubled young man who decides to turn his life around. 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. He also wasn't a fan of the portrayal of himself and his client regularly fighting, the implication Peterson kept important information secret from him, and the depiction of his relationship with reporter Sonya Pfeiffer. Peterson had a different rationale, Rudolf said. Juliette Binoche will star as Sophie Brunet, the editor of The Staircase documentary. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her . Peterson's lawyers took issue with the examiner's assessment. Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps. "Michael hasn't made a penny from the documentary," he insisted. In 2019, he self-published two books Behind the StaircaseandBeyond the Staircase that detail his side of the story. The last person to see her alive was Michael Peterson. They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. "I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". He currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he works as an engineer. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. The filmmakers had explored the American justice system in a case with a public defender, and wanted to explore a case with a wealthy defendant. 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? The two lived together until Patty's deathfrom a massive heart attack in July 2021. The novelist spent the past almost eight years in prison after a jury found him guilty of murdering his wife, but in 2011, he was released and since then hes been living a quiet life in Durham, North Carolina, the same city he once lived with his second wife at the time of her death. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. I don't speak French. He later met his first wife Patricia Sue, an elementary school teacher, in West Germany.