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 . The new series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette retells Michael Peterson's now-infamous 2001 murder charge. 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. Where are the real-life people of 'The Staircase' now? Pattys death, however, is surrounded by its fair share of mystery and controversy. Email us atexclusive@the-sun.comor call212 416 4552. It's the story of novelist Michael Peterson and the trial that followed his arrest for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. 24 Chilling Facts About The Staircase And The Michael Peterson Trial ViaThe Independent, The Associated Press reported Michael moved into a two-bed condo in 2018. 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. Where is Michael Peterson living now? Since the release of the docuseries three final episodes, he has directed two fictional series in France. Her partnership with de Lestrade is still going strong, with Brunet having edited his two TV series after The Staircase, true crime drama Latitia, and the political thriller Jeux dInfluence. While an Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, it signifies that the defendant agrees there is enough evidence in any given case to result in a guilty verdict. "He released his archive to Campos, who then created a fictional account of events, most of which trashed me (which I really don't care about) and my children which I really do care about," Peterson told Variety. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Lestrades documentary played an important part in the Peterson affair and served as the main inspiration for Campos show. Elisa Guimares is a feature writer at Collider. After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. Her son, Todd, has accused Michael of waiting over three hours to call 911 after realizing that Patty was feeling sick. Taking a cue from O.J. Before the new trial commenced, Peter submitted an Alford plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was set free as hed already served time for murder. In a recent interview with the Wrongful Conviction podcast, he talked about the role of the documentary in his trial and criticized the HBO miniseries, calling it an abomination and stating that Campos trashed his familys life. 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. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor apartment in Durham, North Carolina, and has since sold the house he shared with Kathleen. 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. First off, in 1985, Peterson was the last person to see yet another woman alive just before she died from head injuries from falling down a staircase. Another constant during the lengthy legal ordeal was Michael Peterson's first wife, Patricia "Patty" Peterson. Located in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham, the house boasts a patio with an outdoor fireplace, a library, a game room, five bedrooms, and five-and-a-half bathrooms, not to mention the pool. Michael and Kathleen led an extravagant lifestyle and were, by all accounts, happy. 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). 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. According to him, Michael waited three hours to call 911 while Patty was having a heart attack. Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether Michael Peterson, the subject of the Netflix docu-series The Staircase, killed his wife Kathleen. The Staircase Michael Peterson: Where is he now? Is he guilty of murder? Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. 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. He later met his first wife Patricia Sue, an elementary school teacher, in West Germany. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in 2001. Still married to journalist Sonya Pfeiffer (Teri Wyble), defense attorney David Rudolf (Michael Stuhlbarg) relocated to Toronto in 2021, where he works for litigation and corporate law firm Brauti Thorning LLP. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. The riches he had before his incarceration no longer exist. From the comments Ive gotten from a lot of people, it [The Staircase] achieved that purpose; it opens eyes to what criminal defense lawyers do.. Selling the house at its [original $1.175 million] asking price would still not cover all of Petersons debts.. In a big twist that fans of the original documentary, The Staircase, wouldn't have seen coming, Peterson dated Sophie Brunet, an editor of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary series. At least three people are not fans of HBO's "The Staircase": Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, Michael Peterson, and attorney David Rudolf. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. Much like his client, Rudolf took issue with Campos version of events, especially with scenes that implied Michael kept information from him and that his professional relationship with Pfeiffer was unethical. Though the majority of the time it was captured by de Lestrades cameras, it was open for all to see with the family regularly enjoying meals together, laughing over cocktails and pasta, just a few literal steps away! Rudolf said,"To suggest I assisted [Pfeiffer] with any interviews, that would be as much fiction as it is that a criminal defense lawyer is allowed in a Grand Jury proceeding. At the moment, very little is known about Peterson's private life. Peterson was released while awaiting a new trial but ultimately decided not to take any chances (even with that oh-so-veritable owl theory in his arsenal) and in 2017 entered an Alford plea, whereby asserting his innocence but admitting the evidence would likely lead to a guilty verdict. Everything about Alla Bout. Because in fact, the story didn't really end there. 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. Where is Michael Peterson now? | The US Sun 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. Petersons wood-paneled office (which Aphrodite Jones describes as an imposing, ominous and intimidating space, saying It was understood that Michael Peterson didnt want people in there.) had a prominent role in the film and in a macabre foretelling was the site of a very bloody murder scene. Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. Sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Kathleen Peterson, Michael was granted a new trial in 2011 when it was brought to light that a key prosecution witness had given misleading information under oath. 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. Sophie and Michael were together from 2004 to 2017. And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Petersons new living situation: Hes in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation.. "Its not fair, Its not right. Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. Deavers ethics and expertise were first put into question regarding the wrongful conviction of Greg Taylor, in 1993, for the murder of Jacquetta Thomas. No, not that staircase. Defense Attorney David Rudolf says his famous former clientfeatured on Netflixs The Staircase is keeping it on one level now. I'm too old. Now Judge Clifton Newman will hand down the sentencing in the double murder trial Friday, March 3, at 9:30 a.m. Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison in his conviction on the murder count . However, Caitlin's opinion changed after she saw her mother's autopsy photographs that depicted horrific injuries. 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. Peterson, who shared a fortune with his wife Kathleen Peterson up until the time of her death, referred to himself as "indigent" during the later episodes of "The Staircase," which were filmed following his 2011 release from prison. The listing photos show the changes that have been made since Petersons departure. Though the rear stairway isnt featured in MLS images, the entrance to it is. And, from what it seems, things have turned out for the best for the real Clayton. In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. 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. Likes science fiction, true crime, coming-of-age stories, teen dramas, and some other things as well. 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. While the multi-part true-crime docuseries "The Staircase" might not be the gold standard of the genre like it once was at the time of its 2004 debut, it's become the go-to source for the strange case of Michael Peterson, a North Carolina novelist who may or may not have murdered his second wife, Nortel executive Kathleen Peterson. However, it will be exclusively available onHBO Max. Where does Michael Peterson currently live? With The Staircase, de Lestrade embarked on a project that took him 15 years to finish, with the final episodes of the documentary coming out only in 2018. Now aged 74, Michael Peterson is still living in North Carolina - but no longer in the 3.4-acre property in which is wife died. I can't live in Paris. Does Michael Peterson Have a New Wife? Inside His Relationship - MSN He was convinced it was going to be payback time once he got charged., While some viewers saw Peterson in the film and thought he was a narcissist, Rudolf said he wanted the film to be made for simple self-preservation on his part., He was making it hard for anyone to cheat, or at least to cheat without being caught, Rudolf said. Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Patricia Peterson died in July 2021 of a heart attack when she was 78 years old. In 2001, Kathleen died on the staircase of the Peterson home in Durham, North Carolina. 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. Kathleen was the first woman to attend Duke University's School of Engineering and throughout her marriage to Michael Peterson, she worked for Nortel, a telecommunications company. 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. Does Michael Peterson Have a New Wife? Inside His - Newsweek Currently, Rudolf is in "occasional" contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. 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. 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. The reason, according to him, was money. 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 couple discussed moving to France and settling in the capital once the trial was finally over. Returning to the Scene of the Crime. Instead, he submitted an Alford Plea for manslaughter. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." Peterson's adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha, live in California . 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. The woman who The Staircase viewers may be mistaking for Peterson's new wife could well be Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche), an . He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. She didnt like the idea of being a character in Campos miniseries and felt betrayed by the showrunner. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. Murdaugh sentencing live stream: Watch Judge Newman's decision He was less than pleased with the HBO Max miniseries and claimed to feel betrayed by documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. As it turned out, thats what happened. The miniseries will draw on the2018 Netflix documentarythat followed the same case. 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 same film crew began following Peterson yet again to make the multi-part docuseries for Netflix that will air on June 8 and follow the events that transpired with his 2017 plea deal and the aftermath. 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. Patty was also a staunch defender of 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. 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. Fact vs Fiction: The Staircase did Michael Peterson kill Kathleen and Heres what went on in their lives after the events portrayed in The Staircase. We may earn a commission through links on our site. "He's in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation," Defense Attorney David Rudolf said of his former client at CrimeCon in New Orleans, per Oxygen. It's unclear where, exactly, Peterson is currently living, but signs point to Durham. Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. 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. And in addition to the unanswered questions around her death, there were also unanswered questions on the guilt or innocence of her husband, Michael Peterson. "We made plans to live in Paris. Peterson's sons have always stood by their father, who has maintained his . The prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. Kathleen Peterson, ne Hunt, and Michael Peterson became acquainted when Kathleen Peterson moved to Durham and became one of Michael's neighbors. The most vocal of Kathleens sisters, Candace (Rosemarie DeWitt) was the one to present the prosecution with the alleged murder weapon, a fireplace poker, or blow poke, that she had given the Petersons for Christmas. Since his release from prison on bond in 2011 and his official release in 2017, Peterson has returned to his passion for. The Staircase: Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? - MSN In April 2001, they took out a second mortgage to help with the squeeze in finances. The house was showing signs of wear, too, with many expensive much-needed repairs awaiting completion. Simpson, Peterson wrote a book about the crime titled Behind the Staircase and his website claims its a best-seller! Hopewell Junction, NY 12533-5516 Parris Island, SC 29905-1070 Pleasant Valley, NY 12569-7731 HBO Maxs true crime drama The Staircase is no exception to this rule. 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. But, as Peterson was being investigated for the staircase death of his wife in the early 2000s, Ratliffs body was exhumed in Texas in 2003. They did, however, use her death as an example of an incident that could help him "fake" Kathleen's accident. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way. 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. The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. in Durham, now on its third post-Peterson owner, is visible from the street, but the entire 3.4-acre property is. The true extent of Michael Peterson's physical relationships with men remains unknown. According to CNN, Patty Peterson loaned Michael Peterson $168,000 to help him fight his case. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. 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. A retrial was later ordered after the judge vacated the jury's verdict in 2011, finding that the blood splatter analysts gave a false and misleading testimony in the first trial, resulting in an unsound conviction. I couldn't afford to live in Paris, and my children and grandchildren were in America." On Oct. 10, 2003, the jury found Michael guilty of Kathleen's murder and sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole. Disclaimer: Please remember this is a private home. 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. 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. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. 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." Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. He currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he works as an engineer. "You will be treated as guilty for murdering my sister Kathleen, and you will be a convicted felon forever.". While many elements have been updated, the layout is the same, making it very recognizable from The Staircase.. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. "They took care of each other." Above (L-R): Tim Guinee, Sophie Turner, Colin Firth, Olivia DeJonge, Patrick Schwarzenegger appear as the Peterson family in "The Staircase" on HBO Max. He was fired from his job in 2011. They didnt really care whether he did it or not, Rudolf said Friday at CrimeCon in New Orleans. (The house was on the market for $1.9 million, according to ABC 11 News.). "He is living in Durham. Where is 'The Staircase's Michael Peterson Now? Books, Net Worth Inside Michael Peterson's Life Today - NickiSwift.com Todd also claims his father cheated on Patty with Kathleen. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. "He's living in Durham I'm not sure why he's living in Durham, but he is," Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. Kathleen Peterson's death became a national, long-standing mystery with the 2004 documentary The Staircase. What Happened to Michael Peterson After Prison? After Michael Peterson and Patricia Sue divorced in 1985, Clayton and his younger brother Todd went to live with their mother. "He is innocent of any involvement in Kathleen's death," she insisted to The News & Recordin 2014. Despite her words and the fact that Peterson will be considered a convicted felon for the rest of his life, he apparently plans on trying to live out the rest of his years at home in North Carolina. The political thriller Jeux dInfluence had two seasons released between 2018 and 2022 in the European streaming service Arte. 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. They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. Michael Peterson has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. His defense. He concluded her death to be a homicide caused by blunt force trauma. Im innocent. Yes, The Staircase on HBO Max is based on a true story. Police also uncovered transactional emails the supposedly devoted husband had exchanged with a male prostitute in the months before the killing, as well as a plethora of pornographic images on his computer. Rudolf said he agreed to participate in the documentary because the filmmakers had won an Academy Award in 2001 for Murder on a Sunday Morning, about a 15-year-old boy wrongfully accused of murder. 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