After a years-long legal battle post-prison, which included almost three years under house arrest, Peterson finally attained freedom by entering an Alford plea for manslaughter and was officially given time served in exchange. Elisa Guimares is a feature writer at Collider. In . Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. Colin Firth plays the writer in a new HBO Max limited series. RELATED: 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. After serving in the Vietnam War, he began to write novels and newspaper columns about his experiences following his honorable discharge in 1971. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. .css-13y9o4w{display:block;font-family:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-13y9o4w:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.3;}}Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether. Murdaugh sentencing live stream: Watch Judge Newman's decision However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. While many elements have been updated, the layout is the same, making it very recognizable from The Staircase.. He is portrayed in the Antonio Campos-created series "The Staircase" by actor Joel McKinnon Miller (best known as Scully from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"). "I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". Michael was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1943 before moving to work for the U.S. Department of Defense after college. Colin Firth plays Michael Peterson in the latest retelling of Kathleen Petersons murder and Michaels attempts to prove his innocence. The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . Her parents influence on her career, Where is Mary Roach from American Idol now? 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. Elizabeth Ratliffs death had a huge impact on her youngest daughter, Martha (Odessa Young). In addition to losing the civil suit his step-daughter, Caitlin Atwater, brought against him, Peterson also lost out on Kathleen's $1.4 million life insurance policy, per WRAL, and the home that they shared was put on the market in 2020, per The Sun. "That we dont cheat or invent evidence, that we actually care about truth and representing people as well as they can be represented. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said that Lestrades The Staircase cost her many job opportunities in the documentary world, including at Netflix. What are the Peterson children doing now? [Updated!] Nowadays, she prefers to stay away from the spotlight, living a quiet life in Alexandria, Virgnia. 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. On December 1, 2009, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their North Carolina home. 21. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. In July 2020, Michael and Kathleen Peterson's five-story mansion where Kathleen lost her life was put up for sale. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an. But part of the central pull of "The Staircase," aside from its various twists and turns (among which included the discovery that a close family friend of Peterson's had died under similar circumstances, also involving a staircase, nearly 17 years prior to Kathleen's death), was the central figure to the story. 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. 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. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. 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. 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. 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. However, back in 2002, streaming hadnt been invented yet, and young Margaret had no idea just how much her life would be in the public eye in the following decades. However, Colin Firth has won over critics, with the show earning a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Lestrade told Vanity Fair that he felt "betrayed" by show creator Anthony Campos' adaptation of his Peabody Award-winning docu-series and claimed the facts were altered for dramatic effect. His defense. The two lived together until Patty's deathfrom a massive heart attack in July 2021. The company had also begun massive layoffs at the same time and Kathleens job security seemed tenuous at best. Here's How Michael Peterson Was Freed From Prison As it turned out, thats what happened. At a time when true crime is easily one of the more popular TV genres, Netflix, home of the ever popular Making a Murderer series, is now set to premiere The Staircase on June 8. 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. HBO Max's 'The Staircase' True Story - Where Is Michael Peterson Now? Defense Attorney David Rudolf says his famous former clientfeatured on Netflixs The Staircase is keeping it on one level now. HBO Max's new drama The Staircase reenacts the entire story, documentary included, in a star-studded limited series out now. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. He admitted it made him question if there is actually no "fixed core to characters." 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. ", It turns out Firth landed the role out of pure Hollywood happenstance. She was 78 years old. And the fact that another woman very close to Peterson was also found dead at the bottom of a staircase 16 years before Kathleen. Speaking to The News & Observer, Michael Peterson shared their relationship came to an end because he did not want to live in Paris. He donated all of the proceeds to charity. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Since his release from prison on bond in 2011 and his official release in 2017, Peterson has returned to his passion for. Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. I can't live in Paris. And [Sophie] said, well, if you can't commit to live with me all the time, let's end it and it was a great blow to both of usI could not give her what she really needed and deserved.". Nowadays, Margaret lives in California and works in the entertainment industry as an actor, assistant director, and production manager, among other things. They had a real story, which lasted until May 2017. Can also be found at Delirium Nerd, writing in Portuguese. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. He published his first memoir, Behind the Staircase, in 2019 and went on to write a follow-up, which was released that same year, titled Beyond the Staircase. 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. As shown in the miniseries, Michael took the Alford plea in 2017, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. 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. Here's everything we know about what happened to Michael Peterson after HBO Max's The Staircase. After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Stalk It: Michael Petersons former house, featured in The Staircase, is located at 1810 Cedar Street in Durham, North Carolina. 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. Michael Peterson's first marriage was to Patricia "Patty" Sue (now Peterson), an elementary school teacher. 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. According to their son Clayton Peterson, Michael and Patricia lived together between 2019 and 2021 as "companions. 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. They lived together in Durham up until Pattys death from a heart attack in 2021. And so, instead of watching some fictionalized account, we see the real thing happening. The dried blood atop her head was a clue that she'd been there for a while, and since Michael was the only person in the house at that time, he was the only suspect. 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. "Michael Peterson, you are pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter," Zamperini said, according to local news sources. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Pattys death, however, is surrounded by its fair share of mystery and controversy. 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. Due to the impact of Duanes testimony, the court ordered a retrial for Peterson. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Hes in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was really important accommodation.. Meanwhile, Peterson said he felt "pimped out" by Lestrade for allowing HBO access to footage for a fee and co-executive producer credit. However, it might be his hopes of writing a new book that will give him a place in society once again. 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! 'The Staircase': Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? Originally built in 1940 by architect George Watts Carr, Sr. for wealthy Durham businessman John Adams Buchanan, the lavish five-bedroom, six-bathroom property had plenty of room for Kathleen and Michaels large blended family, which included Michaels two sons with his first wife and his two adopted daughters, as well as Kathleens daughter from a previous marriage. 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. Firth told Deadline that he didnt meet Michael before playing him in HBOs The Staircase. In April 2001, they took out a second mortgage to help with the squeeze in finances. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Michael J. Peterson Contributing Writer at Quora-active since 2013 , Former Indiana All State Choir Zone 3-B chairman 1989-2000, National Council of Japanese Language Teachers Association-board . It occurred when Michael and Kathleen were visiting Germany and dropped by the home of their friend, Elizabeth Ratliff. The jury found the evidence sufficient to convict Michael of first-degree murder and sent him to prison for life. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . Is 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Based on a True Story? Click back to the main page for more Dirt on the house. Kathleen was apparently bludgeoned to death after a medical examiner noticed several lacerations on her scalp. Where is Michael Peterson now? He lives in Durham in a - TheNetline The North Carolina medical examiner performed an autopsy and concluded that she died from blunt force injuries and that it was the result of a homicide. Hes still married to Becky (Hannah Pniewski), with whom he has two children. 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 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. Despite the couple eventually marrying, Rudolf insists their relationship had no bearing on her coverage nor granted her any special privileges. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Michael J. Peterson - Recording Artist - N1M international - LinkedIn Everything about Alla Bout. Michael and Patricia parted after she died due to a massive heart attack in July 2021. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. 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. 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.