True-crime enthusiasts have taken a renewed interest in Michael Peterson and the death of his wife, Kathleen, with the premiere of the mini-series "The Staircase". "He's living in Durham I'm not sure why he's living in Durham, but he is," Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. Here's Where The Staircase Subject Michael Peterson Is Now - Men's Health Since Deavers testimony was what eventually led the jury to agree upon Michaels guilt, the writer was released in 2011 under a $300,000 bail and placed under house arrest. They dated until 2017. "He is living in Durham. According to him, Michael waited three hours to call 911 while Patty was having a heart attack. Where does Michael Peterson currently live? However, since the release of the HBO miniseries, his Instagram profile has been deleted. And the fact that another woman very close to Peterson was also found dead at the bottom of a staircase 16 years before Kathleen. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . 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.. Despite the couple eventually marrying, Rudolf insists their relationship had no bearing on her coverage nor granted her any special privileges. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. And what about all the other characters that were so important to the story? 'The Staircase': Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? Michael Peterson has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. However, Caitlin's opinion changed after she saw her mother's autopsy photographs that depicted horrific injuries. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). 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 prison. 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! Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether. Brunet still works as a film and TV editor in France. As The News & Observer noted, the former columnist's Alford plea was distinctly tied to the charge of manslaughter, which means that Peterson asserted his opinion of his innocence while simultaneously accepting charges (via Metro). Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? 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. His guilty plea notwithstanding, Michael still asserts that he did not kill Kathleen Peterson. Life is really full of surprises. 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! 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. "He visits his grandchildren; he's writing. Michael Peterson murder trial in July 2003. In 1983, George died from a military accident, and in 1985, Elizabeth was found dead at the foot of her staircase with head injuries. 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. Defense Attorney David Rudolf says his famous former clientfeatured on Netflixs The Staircase is keeping it on one level now. 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. We are not sleazy, we are not drunks, we dont sell our clients out," Rudolf said. "But we parted ways because he had to go do an 'Indiana Jones.'" In light of new developments surrounding the case, de Lestrade made a new installment to The Staircase saga in 2012, entitled The Last Chance.In this new installment, Peterson's legal team appeal to the courts for a new trial after it comes out that bloodstain analyst Duane Deaver, who was a key witness for the prosecution, had given false and . Fact vs Fiction: The Staircase did Michael Peterson kill Kathleen and 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.. Where is Michael Peterson Now? He Lives in a House Without a - Linefame 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. 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. 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. Kathleen left early; Michael stuck around. 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. Patty was also a staunch defender of Michael. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her . Since Michael cant profit from his crime, the proceeds from the books sales go to charity. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. After Michael Peterson and Patricia Sue divorced in 1985, Clayton and his younger brother Todd went to live with their mother. In this case, the house was an innocent bystander. Buyers didnt agree, though. Following Elizabeths death, Margaret and her younger sister Martha (Odessa Young) were adopted by the Petersons. Where is Michael Peterson now? 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. They separated in the 1980s and divorced in the early 1990s. In an odd twist, before the Petersons called the place home, it was featured in the 1990 dystopian drama The Handmaids Tale, based upon Margaret Atwoods 1985 novel of the same name. 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. Hes living in Durham Im not sure why hes living in Durham, but he is, Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. But since it's been some time since the 2001 alleged crime and initial trial in 2003, where is Michael Peterson now? Can also be found at Delirium Nerd, writing in Portuguese. Like Patty's father, Michael Peterson was a military man, having served in Vietnam as part of the U.S. Marine Corps from August 1968 until September 1969. Clayton and Todd chose to live with their mom, while Martha and Margaret moved to North Carolina with Michael. 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. 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. They took care of each other.". He was sentenced to time served and is today a free man. The woman who The Staircase viewers may be mistaking for Peterson's new wife could well be Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche), an executive producer of the Jean-Xavier de Lestrade documentary, also titled The Staircase. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michael's sprawling Colonial home, located in Durham's tony Forest Hills neighborhood. The TV drama miniseries focuses on the real-life 2003 murder trial that saw Michael accused of . It was a huge financial blow to Michael. Michael Peterson's first marriage was to Patricia "Patty" Sue (now Peterson), an elementary school teacher. In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. They took care of each other.. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, 'Glaring error' left 'habitual liar' Alex Murdaugh 'boxed in' during trial, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life after disgraced lawyer guilty of murder, Murdaugh sentenced to LIFE in prison after being found guilty of double murder, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Michael Peterson was convicted of killing his wife Kathleen in 2003, A new HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase, will follow Peterson's murder trial. Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps. Wanted folks like you to see what we, criminal defense lawyers, actually do. 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 tried to fight it, but his firing was upheld in court in 2014. Most eerie of all, though, is the fact that a segment took place on the infamous back staircase! Reprieve for Michael came in the form of prosecutorial impropriety, which forced the judge to grant him a new trial in 2011. Michael and Patty, along with their young boys, reportedly resided in Germany for quite a while around the 1980s, where they befriended their closeby neighbors, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. However, it was nearly a very different ending. 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). The pair are believed to have formed a relationship whilst Peterson was in prison and following his release in 2011. 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. Here's everything we know about what happened to Michael Peterson after HBO Max's The Staircase. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of their staircase with severe injuries. 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. Where Is Cary Stayner from Hulu's Captive Audience Now? Michael, who has maintained his innocence, spent nearly a decade behind bars after being . Elisa Guimares is a feature writer at Collider. Because in fact, the story didn't really end there. However, de Lestrades involvement with the Peterson story didnt end there, as he was the one to sell the story to Campos. 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. The prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. 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. After serving in the Vietnam War, he began to write novels and newspaper columns about his experiences following his honorable discharge in 1971. According to CNN, Patty Peterson loaned Michael Peterson $168,000 to help him fight his case. The True Story Behind Netflix's New Docuseries Bad Vegan, The Tinder Swindler True Story: Everything to Know About Netflix's New True Crime Documentary, Anna Delvey, German Con Artist Who Scammed N.Y.C. Who are Michael Peterson's Children and Where Are They Now? - Newsweek They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. We may earn a commission through links on our site. He's published at least one, maybe two books, since he's been out and, and he goes to the gym, and he sort of lives a normal life," the attorney told Newsweek. 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. Alex Murdaugh trial live stream, updates: Sentencing set for double murder charge. Luckily for them, Firth has received rave reviews. Juliette Binoche will star as Sophie Brunet, the editor of The Staircase documentary. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. Their son, Clayton, shared that the former spouses cohabited an apartment in Durham, the same town in which Michael and Kathleen had lived. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. Murdaugh trial live stream, updates: Sentenced to life Firth threw everything into the part, and it turned out it changed his attitude and approach towards acting. Peterson was charged with her murder, convicted at trial, and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. He concluded her death to be a homicide caused by blunt force trauma. Read ahead to learn more about Michael Peterson and where he is now. In the final episode of the miniseries, we see Michael Peterson starting to get his life back on track as a free man. 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. 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.. 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. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." Peterson sold the five-story home he lived in with Kathleen. As a result, he was re-sentenced to time served and released from prison at that time. Her most high-profile works have been in the critically acclaimed movie Blue Is the Warmest Color and in the Netflix series Call My Agent! Taking a cue from O.J. The Staircase airs on Thursdays on HBO Max and Sky Atlantic. He also stated that he had worked on 500 bloodstain cases. Todd also claims his father cheated on Patty with Kathleen. Michael J. Peterson - Recording Artist - N1M international - LinkedIn Hes in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was really important accommodation.. 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. 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. 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. 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. So the ill-fated lovebirds went their own ways. Michaels wife was found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couples residence. Is 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Based on a True Story? 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. 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. The topic is also at the center of Rudolfs 2022 book, American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System. The pair moved in together in 2019. 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. His defense. He also opines that by agreeing to pay, he would be admitting to murdering Kathleen. ", He told the News & Observer: "They were companions. 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. 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. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in 2001. Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. Margaret and Michael are both featured in the movie as interviewees. Her son, Todd, has accused Michael of waiting over three hours to call 911 after realizing that Patty was feeling sick.