In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. By taking the plea, he admitted that the prosecution had enough evidence to secure a manslaughter conviction. Peterson sold the five-story home he lived in with Kathleen. Kathleen had daughter Caitlin from her first marriage as well. 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. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. The pair divorced, paving the way for Michaels marriage to Kathleen Atwater. According to CBS News, Peterson now lives in a 1,200 square foot condo, a big change from the mansion he once shared with his late wife, but as he told the news outlet, it's a life he's happy. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Michael opted out of the trial before it was due to begin in 2017. ", 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. Firth told Deadline that he didnt meet Michael before playing him in HBOs The Staircase. Following an investigation and an ensuing murder trial, the latter of which became one of the longest of its kind in North Carolina history, Michael Peterson was eventually found guilty. We may earn a commission through links on our site. 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. Were it not for SBI analyst Duane Deavers corruption, Michael Peterson would probably still be in jail. 2020s Latitia is a true crime drama about the 2011 abduction of 18-year-old Latitia Perrais. Likes science fiction, true crime, coming-of-age stories, teen dramas, and some other things as well. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. Heres what went on in their lives after the events portrayed in The Staircase. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. "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. "He's living in Durham I'm not sure why he's living in Durham, but he is," Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. The Staircase. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. In an interview with Variety, he fired off numerous criticisms, including HBO's depiction of him eating a pastrami sandwich during his first meeting with Peterson. Able to use the clips eight years later, and that was a really important thing for the judge to see.. Defense Attorney David Rudolf says his famous former clientfeatured on Netflixs The Staircase is keeping it on one level now. Brunet still works as a film and TV editor in France. "I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". Currently living in Colorado, Martha works as a psychotherapist, helping people that suffer from the same problems that afflicted her. Michael suggested that Kathleen fell down the stairs after drinking too much alcohol and Valium, but no fingerprints were detected on the wine bottle or glasses out in the kitchen. He missed out on Kathleens life insurance policy, and his step-daughter, Caitlin, obtained a $25 million settlement from Michael via a wrongful death claim against him. Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . Michael wound up being granted a new trial in 2011 after the State Crime Labs blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver, who worked on his case, was fired for repeatedly shoddy investigative work. The Staircase mystery spirals as son reveals chilling conversation His life had been dissected and picked apart by the media for almost two decades, and it was high time he got some much-needed privacy. The pair moved in together in 2019. 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. At least three people are not fans of HBO's "The Staircase": Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, Michael Peterson, and attorney David Rudolf. The Staircase follows Michaels more than decade-long legal battle toward freedom and paints a portrait of the Peterson family both before and after Kathleens death. Firth threw everything into the part, and it turned out it changed his attitude and approach towards acting. ", He told the News & Observer: "They were companions. Get the latest scoop directly in your inbox. Michael Peterson had two sons, Clayton AND Todd, and Kathleen Peterson had a daughter, Caitlin, from her previous marriage to Fred Atwater. Juliette Binoche will star as Sophie Brunet, the editor of The Staircase documentary. Michael Peterson murder trial in July 2003. Luckily for them, Firth has received rave reviews. Then theres the haunting violin score. 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. The Staircase is set to premiere on May 5, 2022. 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. 'The Staircase' HBO Max: Where Is Michael Peterson Now? - Newsweek Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! However, it will be exclusively available onHBO Max. While many elements have been updated, the layout is the same, making it very recognizable from The Staircase.. Three episodes in, the series-runners drop 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. At the time of his wifes death, Peterson had been an accomplished author and shed been a prominent fixture in their community as a businesses executive and engineer, so needless to say, they were an affluent couple. 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. Her stepfather's lies, including about his sexuality, also played a role, as depicted in the HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase. Peterson retreated to Durham, North Carolina, after his release. During Petersons trial, he testified that the blood spatters surrounding the spot in which Kathleen had died were consistent with a person being beaten to death. According to CNN, Patty Peterson loaned Michael Peterson $168,000 to help him fight his case. Colin Firth plays Michael Peterson in the latest retelling of Kathleen Petersons murder and Michaels attempts to prove his innocence. It occurred when Michael and Kathleen were visiting Germany and dropped by the home of their friend, Elizabeth Ratliff. 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. 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. Where is Michael Peterson now? | The US Sun 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.". Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. Sue remained supportive of Peterson through his trial, incarceration, and release. Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with Kathleens death, and spent nearly a decade behind bars. And according to .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}Newsweek, Peterson entered a relationship with an editor on the 2004 documentary The Staircase, and the two dated from 2011 to 2017. MICHAEL Peterson was convicted of killing his second wife, Kathleen, in 2003. 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. He got back to writing and released two books telling his side of the story: 2019s Behind the Staircase and 2020s Beyond the Staircase. 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. I couldn't afford to live in Paris and my children, and grandchildren were in America. They also became the legal guardians of two young girls, Margaret Ratcliff and Martha Ratcliff, following their mother's death in 1985. Instead of the trial actually happening, a judge reduced the novelists charges to manslaughter thanks to entering an Alford plea, which essentially states that while he doesn't admit to the crime, he does admit that the state as sufficient evidence to charge him. The shy, dull, and very British Mark Darcy is as far as you can get from the confounding and unpredictable American novelist Michael Peterson. Due to the impact of Duanes testimony, the court ordered a retrial for Peterson. However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. And what about all the other characters that were so important to the story? Read ahead to learn more about Michael Peterson and where he is now. Instead, he submitted an Alford Plea for manslaughter. I felt that I wanted to keep my inspiration, my motivation, and the sense of the source material, as much as possible contained within the script and the way it was written.. Here's everything we know about what happened to Michael Peterson after HBO Max's The Staircase. He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. His character in the show is a troubled young man who decides to turn his life around. The conclusion painted Michael as a murderer with a propensity for pushing his victims down staircases and no doubt contributed to his conviction. At the time of Kathleens death, Deaver (portrayed by Myke Holmes in the show) worked as a blood spatter analyst for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). "You will be treated as guilty for murdering my sister Kathleen, and you will be a convicted felon forever.". 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 real Patty (Trini Alvarado) not only stood by her ex-husbands side throughout the trials, but she also took him in after his release. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her . He is, however, still connected with his own firm, Rudolf Widenhouse. Where Are Michael Peterson's Kids Now? - The Cinemaholic (Crime obviously doesnt pay!) Ratliff died at the age of 43. Michaels wife was found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couples residence. So, where is Michael Peterson now? He was caustic and sarcastic and mean sometimes, Rudolf said. 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? In . 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. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). The Staircaseis set to return to our screens as a HBO Max series. The riches he had before his incarceration no longer exist. He now believes "maybe everybody's somewhat elusive and changeable and multifaceted. 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. Michael and Patty became even closer post-trial. The Staircase Michael Peterson: Where is he now? Is he guilty of murder? At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. He Lives in a House Without a Staircase. The reason, according to him, was money. What Happened to Michael Peterson After Prison? They also raised Margaret and Martha Ratliff, the daughters of their late friends, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. Folks can sign up for HBO Max for a monthly rate of $14.99. 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.