Kathleen Peterson. Kathleen Peterson. 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. And an owl expert testified that the appearance of a trident with three limbs converging to a point at roughly 30 degrees from each other, and a fourth limb converging to the same point at nearly 180 degrees from the centre limb of the other three limbs.. Kathleen Peterson. And since 2017, he has been a free man after his charges were reduced to manslaughter and he was released on time served. Following the show's airing, though, some want to learn more about the real details of . Spoilers for The Staircase documentary and HBO Max series follow. We are all Light Beings who have chosen to experience life on the earth plane. He and his first wife, schoolteacher Patricia Sue Peterson, had sons Todd and Clayton then acquired two daughters, Margaret and Martha, when the couples friend Liz McKee Ratliff died. Sociological errands. The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. is visible from the street, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated. Todd Peterson, 25, was at the house when the police came but refused to talk to them, according to Forensic Files. But as circumstantial evidence . In addition to contending that Kathleen discovered information about Peterson's bisexuality the night of her death, prosecutors also contended that Peterson killed his wife to gain control of. The Staircase left out one very important plot twist: The Owl Theory. 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. Her husband, novelist Michael Peterson, became the center of the investigation and was. Furthermore, Jones said, a substantial amount of damning evidence was never included in the documentary. Per Lawrence Journal-World, the Petersons had accrued "credit card debt of $143,000" at the time of Kathleen's death. If its not clear, play it that its not clear, Firth said. This type of plea allows the accused to maintain their innocence while also acknowledging that the prosecution likely has sufficient evidence to convict. There was a bloody shoe print found on the back of her sweatpants, which was a match to Petersons shoe. Day 26: Alex Murdaugh jury to visit Moselle Wednesday before closing arguments, SC attorney general steps in to close out states murder case against Alex Murdaugh. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Michael Peterson was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder on December 20, 2001, via WRAL.com. According to the show's director, Jean-Xavier Lestrade, this relationship had no influence on how Brunet edited the series. Call 1-888-626-7386 Advisor Id: 42767. She offers a refreshing and sometimes challenging philosophy to positioning the Contact Center as the true lifeline of the enterprisebelieving that vision, brand . Lived In Santa Ana CA, Irvine CA, Corona CA. What has yet to be determined was exactly how Kathleen met her demise. That part of the prosecutions case doesnt seem impressive. Kathleen died on December 9, 2001, so she never reached the end of the year to find out her fate. Wikimedia CommonsIt has been theorized that a Barred Owl attacked Kathleen. On October 10, 2003, Michael Peterson was sentenced to life without parole for Kathleen's murder, via The New York Times. 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. Evidence was found of Peterson soliciting male escorts and was paying for sex when Kathleen was murdered. Fk2 0yl0S] n[IEz T It was her initiation as Healer and Guide into the Lineage of King Salomon that amplified Kathleen's natural ability to flow this Light and love energy. On top of that, there had been reports of owl activity in the neighborhood only weeks prior. Her life insurance would have ensured Peterson would be able to maintain his public persona. This content is imported from {embed-name}. Michael placed two 911 calls, and emergency services attended the scene soon after. He mentioned receiving a chilly reception from the primarily white upper middle class shoppers at Whole Foods. Toni Collette's emotional portrayal is bound to create even more interest in the real Kathleen Peterson. Kathleen is an engaging and dynamic teacher, who always takes the extra step . North Carolina released Michael Peterson on bond in 2011. Now her grave is a destination. Homicide detectives were called to the Peterson residence. Deaver further made a convincing argument that the missing blow poke could have been a possible murder weapon. He suggested that Kathleen had been the victim of an attack by a barred owl, which had swooped down and sunk its talons into her scalp; she had gone inside after fighting it off, drunkenly, and had fallen. The house was owned by nationally recognized scholar and author Henry Louis Skip Gates Jr., who lived there while teaching at Duke. This, they said, led to a heated argument that ended with Michael pushing Kathleen down the stairs. Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. As noted by the publication, it was suggested that, while waiting for a work email on the night of her death, Kathleen could have discovered Michael's secret correspondence and the illicit imagery. Ever since Kathleen Peterson was found at the bottom of a staircase in 2001, her mysterious death has been the subject of much media attention. For nearly 20 years, the mystery surrounding Kathleen Peterson's death has only grown, especially in the wake of Michael's trialwhere he was found guilty, but later managed to walk free . Friends of Liz Ratliff, who lived on the same German military base as Michael and his first wife, testified about the bloodiness of the scene of her demise. At least one person was swayed by the physical evidence: Kathleens daughter Caitlin, who had initially supported Petersons claims of innocence, along with his children. 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. We've received your submission. Lestrade's access to Michael Peterson means the HBO Max adaptation has a wealth of source material to draw upon. 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. 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 . Gates is the host of Finding Your Roots on PBS. Investigators found out how Liz Ratliff, Margaret and Marthas mother, died. He claimed he found her after lingering outside for several hours after dinner, but the police soon arrested him, and he was found guilty of Kathleens murder in 2003. You can read more in depth information about the owl theory here. Michael was sentenced to 64 to 86 months in prison; having already spent 89 months in prison, he was deemed a free man. Now, the case becomes a dramatization on HBO Max as a miniseries titled, once again, The Staircase. Premiering May 5, it stars Colin Firth as Michael, Toni Collette as Kathleen, Michael Stuhlbarg as defense attorney David Rudolf and Parker Posey as prosecutor Freda Black. In November 1985, Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home. The actors in the new Staircase seem content to accept the cases ambiguities. Though one of their sons was at the scene before police, and the tree branch would have been easy to dispose of and could explain the needles and feathers, many of these and other theories do not have enough evidence to hold up to scrutiny. When the jury found Michael Peterson guilty of first-degree murder in October 2003, however, the offer was immediately withdrawn. She enrolled in Franklin & Marshall College and began taking Latin classes after finishing her basic studies. Kathleen M. Peterson is the Founder and Chief Vision Officer of PowerHouse Consulting. Brainy bunch. And it looked as though someone had tried to clean up blood from the wall near the stairs. According to Cosmopolitan, barred owls are native to the area and known to attack joggers with some frequency. Throughout the entire tragic ordeal, the Peterson home remained occupied. Kathleen Hunt was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, on February 21, 1953. His explanation to cops, that she had been drinking and had likely taken a sleeping pill and fallen, was deemed unconvincing; he was arrested for her murder shortly thereafter. As a young man, he divided his time between North Carolina and Germany. Clayton Peterson. But public interest in the case didnt really explode until the following year, when Netflix expanded and updated a documentary by French director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade to create a 13-part bingefest called The Staircase. On Nov. 25, 1985, when Michael was living in Germany and married to his first wife, Ratliff turned up dead at the bottom of a staircase just as Kathleen Peterson did 16 years later. The home was originally built in 1940 by architect George Watts Carr, who constructed the house for a wealthy businessman by the name of John Adams Buchanan. But in spite of Kathleen's lucrative salary, the Peterson family had reportedly gotten itself into dire straits, with the matriarch fearing redundancy at her workplace. He stayed outside to smoke for 45 minutes or so and found her at the bottom of the stairs when he came back in. About. .css-o05pt{display:block;font-family:Didot,Didot-fallback,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-shadow:0 0 0 #000,0 0 0.01em transparent;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-o05pt:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-o05pt{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}35 Classic Photos from the Academy Awards, 46 of the Coolest Set Photos in Movie History, 'Last of Us' Star Pedro Pascal Posts Upsetting IG, Everything to Know About the 95th Academy Awards, Storm Reid Knows How to Create Heartbreaking TV, Believe It: 'Ted Lasso' Returns This March, Ashley Park Joins 'Only Murders in the Building', Carrie & Aidan Go on a Beach Date in New Set Pics, Sam Smith Is Joining 'And Just Like That' S2, Elizabeth Banks on Cocaine Bear's Brilliant Chaos. RR, Watch the Forensic Files episode on YouTube, a rogue owl played a role in Kathleens death, NFL player Rae Carruth in his murder trial, The Lindbergh Kidnapping: Forensic Files Lost Episode, Dawn Fehring: A Missionary Dies Too Young, Ron Gillette: An Air Force Man Who Didnt Exactly Aim High. Kathleen Hunt grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and was so bright that she took advanced Latin classes at a nearby college while still in McCaskey High School, according to the Lancaster New Era newspaper. True-crime author Aphrodite Jones, who covered the case, hasnt seen the new series but thinks it isnt likely to tread any new ground if it follows the beats of the documentary. During his initial 911 call, Michael said that Kathleen was still breathing, per official court documents. The ending of Netflix's Triptych explained, Khlo Kardashian is living her best life on TikTok, Period-proof activewear to stop the leakage fear. Kathleen Peterson's autopsy showed. Her husband was the prime suspect. Her husband, Michael Peterson, found her. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. A death in the home apparently isnt a buyer beware for everyone. The NBC series most recently broadcast an update of Down the Back Staircase in 2017. "It would be a huge relief off my [shoulders] because I am worried sick about them," Michael's email read. There is even a scene filmed on the back staircase where Kathleen Peterson died. A male escort even testified in court that he'd engaged in an email exchange with Michael mere months before Kathleen's death, with the pair planning to meet in person, via CNN. We know he stepped in her blood and stepped on her. Michael Peterson and David Rudolf in court in 2017. A 2009 motion for a new trial based on the owl attack theory was unsuccessful. He told the operator she was still breathing. 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. Before marrying Kathleen, Michael Peterson was married to Patricia Peterson. Novelist Michael Peterson told police he was sitting by the pool at the house at 1810 Cedar St. on the night of Dec. 9, 2001, and when he went inside around 2:30 a.m., he found his wife at the bottom of a back staircase, where she bled to death. While strictly circumstantial, the prosecution still achieved a guilty verdict, but many who have followed the case or have now learned about it from the series were never convinced that her husband Michael killed her OR that she fell down a flight of stairs. Nortel had forced her to lay off some well-liked employees, according to an AP account from May 22, 2002. During one of Michael Petersons appeals, an unusual theory emerged about Kathleen Petersons death: she was not murdered at all, but died after being attacked by a barred owl. Michael Peterson echoed these fears in an email to a family friend six days before Kathleen's death. endstream endobj 84 0 obj <>stream On October 10, 2003, the jury found Michael Peterson guilty, and the judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole. While Michael was a novelist and newspaper columnist of varying success, Kathleen was an executive at communications firm Nortel, earning around $150,000 per year, via NBC News. Upon seizing Michael's computer, investigators found as many as 2000 images of naked men, along with email exchanges between Michael and a male escort, via NBC News. Michael Iver Peterson "Mike" to his friends is a 78-year-old novelist and decorated military veteran who once ran for mayor of Durham, North Carolina. The Petersons were heavily in debt, owing over $100,000 in credit debt. Off he went to North Carolinas Correctional Facility in Nash. Kathleen Peterson and Michael Peterson in an undated photograph. But nothing could have prepared the family for what would happen shortly before Christmas in 2001. her blood-alcohol level was just below 0.08, the level at which a person in North Carolina is considered too drunk to drive. He and Patricia split up, and he began a relationship with his neighbor Kathleen Hunt Atwater in Durham, North Carolina, in 1992. Kathleen Peterson later succumbed to her. 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. The last thing anyone wants to see is one of these fierce-looking tree-dwellers flying straight towards them, sharp talons extended as it prepares to latch onto the scalp. It was in 1986 that Kathleen first met novelist Michael Peterson. While he'd been outside smoking his pipe, his wife of 14 years had taken a fall down the stairs. Tide turns. So what about the owl? The report also noted that she had been found holding clumps of her hair when she died. She was an executive at Nortel, mother to Caitlyn, step-mother to Clayton and Todd (Mike's kids from a previous marriage . The accident scene was a bloodbath inconsistent with a tumble down the stairs. At addition, she enrolled in Duke University's engineering school. 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. Then 68-years-old, Michael was released from prison pending a new trial, and after posting a $300,000 bond, via The News & Observer. Includes Address (6) Phone (4) Email (4) See Results. The police were out to get him because he criticized them in columns he wrote for the Herald-Sun before Kathleens death, he told Dateline. Here are some of the random interesting facts we know about the house at 1810 Cedar St.. The house is currently owned by clairvoyant and medium Biond Fury, who paid $1.3 million for it in 2008. Regardless of the truth, the similarities between Kathleen and Ratliff's deaths didn't help Michael's case. Kathleen Peterson in Indiana We found 32 records for Kathleen Peterson in Nappanee, Columbus and 21 other cities in Indiana. His 2003 trial ended in a first-degree murder conviction and a sentence of life without parole. A novelist couldnt have written Petersons story any better, full of outrageous twists as it is. 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. Kathleen M Peterson, 74. Peterson said he was out by the pool, and when he finally went inside at about 2:30 a.m., he found his wife at the bottom of. Another motive suggested by the prosecution hinged on the Peterson family's tenuous financial situation. But those are just the basic facts. If she was attacked by an owl, she would have been screaming her head off, she said. Shortly afterwards, Peterson, then still Kathleen Atwater, moved to Durham, North Carolina, and met Michael Peterson, a local novelist and occasional columnist for The Durham Herald-Sun who had served in Vietnam with the Marines. The ensuing case would become the subject of one of the defining true-crime documentaries in the genre: Jean-Xavier de Lestrades The Staircase. The eight-part series debuted in France in 2004 and in America in 2005, then arrived on Netflix in 2013 with additional episodes shot by de Lestrade in the years after the initial case. Within days, the police arrested Michael Peterson, and prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder. The prosecution put forth several possible motives for Kathleen's murder. Kathleen was also a successful lady. But when paramedics arrived on the scene 10 minutes later, Kathleen was dead - and it appeared to them that she had been dead for far longer than just a few minutes. In response, the prosecution also argued that the motive could have been money. Bylines in the Daily Beast, Seattle Times, Classic Rock Magazine, LouderSound. And as CNN reported, Kathleen apparently had a $1.8 million life insurance policy, and prosecutors argued that Michael might have killed his wife for financial gain. Michael continues to live in Durham, North Carolina, having moved into a two-bedroom condo, via The Independent. Marked man. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Missing murder weapon. If that address sounds familiar to you, its probably because you know the grisly history contained within its walls. She was the first woman accepted into Duke Universitys school of engineering. his wifes accidental fall down the stairs, used for the construction of the original. Chief among them: A close friend of Petersons, Elizabeth Ratliff, had also been found dead at the bottom of a staircase, in 1985. Ratliff had assigned Michael as guardian of her kids and left him her entire estate. Scott was an early suspect in the investigation due to his "strange behavior.". "When we started shooting in February 2002 and when David Rudolf gave us access and the judge gave us access in the court room and we started to shoot and shoot and shoot then we realized how big it could be," the director told Metro in 2018. "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. 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