The couple married in 1997 creating a very blended family. Three small feathers were found in the hair strands in Kathleens hand, and Pollard said the lacerations on her scalp were consistent with owl talons. It was determined that Kathleen died because of blood loss 90 minutes to two hours after she received several blows to the back of the head with a blunt object. The property was used as the Commanders home and was featured prominently. 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.. Pop-culture phenom. endstream
endobj
83 0 obj
<>stream
Todd Peterson, 25, was at the house when the police came but refused to talk to them, according to Forensic Files. Scott was an early suspect in the investigation due to his "strange behavior.". The fact that people even want to believe that is maddening. Whats more, she said, the feathers on Kathleen were likely from a pillow. Kathleen Peterson Born: February 21, 1953 Birthplace: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA Death: December 9, 2001, Durham, North Carolina, USA (lacerations to skull) Bio: Michael Peterson's Second Wife Olivia DeJonge Born: April 30, 1998 Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia Caitlin Atwater Born: April 27, 1982 Birthplace: North Carolina So what were really looking at here is someone who allowed his wife to bleed out on the floor for hours before he called 911.. Another important element of Michael's case focused on blood spatter found at the scene. Kathleens career as a telecommunications executive was thriving, and Michael had received a half-million-dollar advance on a book deal. Also known as K Peterson. 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. Or Kathleen was upset because Michael was seeing other people outside the marriage. Psychic Norbert will provide details . Nonetheless, in the end, there was just too much evidence against Michael Peterson. This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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. The Horrific Autopsy Report Of Staircase Murder Victim Kathleen Peterson. Tide turns. She moved to Baltimore to study how to . Caitlin changed her mind after seeing the autopsy report, and ended up siding with the prosecution. 1y. Stacy Peterson went missing in 2007 and her bloated piss bag of a husband Drew Peterson probably had everything to do with it. Corrections officers at the prison didnt always find him as charming as his old dinner party friends did, and he earned some time in solitary for mouthing off, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. An agent from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), Raymond Young, assessed the couples finances and discovered that they had more than $142,000 in debt spread across 20 different accounts. Kathleen Peterson. The Petersons were close friends with Elizabeth Ratliff, who had two young daughters, Martha and Margaret. loans were so high they had no money left to live on. Author, freelance writer and self-employed recruiter. However, NBC News reported that a medical examiner ruled that Kathleen's blood alcohol level was very low at the time of her death, so much so that she'd have been able to pass a breathalyzer test. So who really was she? Fury is the second post-Peterson owner. In November 2004, Scott was convicted of the first-degree murder of Laci Peterson and second-degree murder of their unborn baby Connor Peterson. Totally compatible with one another.". About. Despite living what looked like a lavish lifestyle from the outside, Michael and Kathleen Peterson were in a lot of debt. Irresistible deal. She enrolled in Franklin & Marshall College and began taking Latin classes after finishing her basic studies. A death in the home apparently isnt a buyer beware for everyone. His 2003 trial ended in a first-degree murder conviction and a sentence of life without parole. The defense, led by David Rudolf the same lawyer who represented NFL player Rae Carruth in his murder trial had some impressive courtroom drama to offer, too. Her husband, novelist Michael Peterson, became the center of the investigation and was. Michael also adopted Margaret and Martha Ratliff, the daughters of his late friend, Elizabeth Ratliff, whose death would later come to play a part in his trial. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics. Photos of her shaved head surfaced early on in the investigation, leading detectives (and later the prosecuting team) to believe she had been struck multiple times with a large, blunt object (the notorious blowpoke as referenced in the film.) It came out that a leg injury he said happened during battle actually came from a car accident. He met his first wife, Patricia Sue, in West Germany, according to . Caitlin Atwater, Katherines daughter from her first marriage, later switched sides. What has yet to be determined was exactly how Kathleen met her demise. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Information which may sway your opinion about how Kathleen Peterson died one way or another Kathleen was Director of Information Services at the Canadian firm Nortel Networks Corporation when she died. 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. $.5.99 / minute. The Cedar Street colonial was purchased by a local couple, one of whom was Jason Balius, a former co-owner of the Mad Hatter Bakeshop in Durham, for $640,000 in 2004, per WRAL News. Forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee testified that the blood found at the scene was indicative of a fall. Oh, and one more little thing: Investigators found thousands of gay male porn images and hookup conversations on Michaels computer. "Throughout the weeks and weeks of testimony, Michael Peterson had taken extensive notes on legal pads," Aphrodite wrote, explaining that this was likely because of the book deal he had with Harper Collins. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2003. If its not clear, play it that its not clear, Firth said. 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. According to Esquire, the couple moved in together three years later. As the story is once again brought to living rooms across the nation with HBOs dramatized telling of The Staircase, Kathleen Peterson, the scholar, mother, and advocate, may finally get the attention she deserves. Nonetheless, all five of Michaels children believed in his innocence at first. Still, experts could not say with certainty that this was her cause of death. Photo of Kathleen and Caitlyn, from the Indyweek article linked below. Kathleen was dead by the time first responders got there. The couple threw dinner parties for dozens of friends at their spread, which included a swimming pool with decorative fountains. This may have contributed to slipping down the stairs if she. 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 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. Bylines in the Daily Beast, Seattle Times, Classic Rock Magazine, LouderSound. Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. Kathleen is an engaging and dynamic teacher, who always takes the extra step . Within this hair, microscopic feathers were found along with wood splinters and cedar needles. She was a successful student and was the first woman admitted to Duke Universitys School of Engineering in 1967, where she earned her bachelors and masters degrees and met her first husband, physicist Fred Atwater. Colin Firth plays her husband, Michael Peterson, the man who was accused of her murder. He developed a relationship with Sophie Brunet, the editor of the documentary filming his case. But there was one circumstance that Michael Peterson couldnt explain away. Psychic Discusses Kathleen Peterson Murder In this special episode of Reality Life with Kate Casey podcast a medium is asked to discuss the unsolved mysteries of the murders of Sister Cathy Cesnik and Kathleen Peterson, the kidnapping of Sherri Papini, and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. It was revealed during the trial that Kathleen was the only owner of their mansion and car and that Michael may have been enticed by her $1.8 million life insurance policy. Netflix. He'd previously spent time behind bars for reportedly placing a bomb in a Duke University office, according . August 8, 2008 What? Margaret, Martha, Todd, and Clayton also believe the justice system failed their father. Its not what [de Lestrade] included, its what he did not include, Jones whose 2004 book A Perfect Husband profiles the case and became the basis for the 2007 Lifetime movie The Staircase Murders, starring Treat Williams told The Post. Kathleen Peterson's life insurance was later split between her daughter, Caitlin Atwater, and her first husband Fred Atwater. Related To Heather Peterson, Tiffany Peterson, Michael Peterson, Ronald Peterson. I walked away with less of an opinion of what happened than when I went into it, Sophie Turner, who plays Ratliffs daughter Margaret, told ABC, with Firth echoing her sentiment. Within days, the police arrested Michael Peterson, and prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder. Woman killed in double shooting on Durham highway, Chatham County housing authority director arrested, accused of $200,000+ in wire fraud, Alligator living at Walmart in NC stirs debate, as many demand it be allowed to stay. Regardless of the truth, the similarities between Kathleen and Ratliff's deaths didn't help Michael's case. In fact, it was reportedly the volume of blood found near the body and the lacerations on the back of Kathleen's head that made Michael an early suspect in his wife's death, via Court TV News. Michael claimed that Kathleen had been suffering from blackouts due to stress. And then there was the owl theory, introduced late in the documentary. Soon, the investigation looked inward at Michael as more of their personal life came out. 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. Peterson is now serving a life term. And a 2009 forensic analysis detailed traces of wood splinters and cedar needles in her hair, along with microscopic bits of feather. Now her grave is a destination. When Kathleen went inside to bed, he reportedly stayed outside to smoke his pipe. Ultimately, no charges involving Ratliff were brought, but North Carolina used the information about her death to strengthen the Kathleen Peterson case, which lacked a murder weapon. Over the years, multiple theories regarding the cause of Kathleen's death persisted. The actors in the new Staircase seem content to accept the cases ambiguities. We know she lived at 1810 Cedar Street in a well to-do suburb of Durham, North Carolina. He was in prison for eight years before his conviction was overturned because of improprieties at the State Bureau of Investigation. It still sports its grand staircase, library and game room, as well as its pool. In 2009, during investigations by Michael Peterson's legal team that would eventually lead to his reprieve, it emerged that Kathleen Peterson had been holding clumps of her own hair in her hands when she was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. is visible from the street, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated. lacerations on the back of her head were consistent with a beating. Call 1-888-626-7386 Advisor Id: 42767. We find doubt uncomfortable., Jones isnt satisfied with that. By investing in the John Locke Foundation, youre transforming And they claim because a fountain was on in the pool that he [while sitting outside, as he claimed] wouldnt hear it? In February 2017, to avoid going to trial again, Michael Peterson entered an Alford plea, which "acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him of voluntary manslaughter and accepted the guilty verdict for the felony without admitting guilt," via The News & Observer. After a stir in the local community, a 2004 true crime documentary titled The. "The blood in the stairway, according to paramedics, was far too congealed to be from a fall that just happened," crime writer Dianne Fanning said. In December 2011, after spending eight years in prison for Kathleen's murder, Michael was granted a new trial. So whats happened to Michael Peterson since the 2018 Netflix series turned his story into an international entertainment sensation? Spoilers for The Staircase documentary and HBO Max series follow. The Staircase, starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette as Michael and Kathleen Peterson, explores the life of Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife Kathleen at their sprawling North Carolina home after she died under suspicious circumstances in December 2001.. Kathleen Peterson's autopsy showed. Another theorist suggested that Kathleen could have been "fatally banged up by a banister-mounted chair lift." Once the strange coincidence of the unusual death was discovered, Elizabeth's body was exhumed as part of Michael's trial, and an autopsy concluded that she had died as the result of a "homicidal assault," and not a stroke, per The News & Observer. Colin Firth as Michael Peterson and Toni Collette as Kathleen Peterson in HBO Maxs. He needed her money to survive the way he wanted to survive," she said. 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. Until next time, cheers. Kathleen married Michael in 1997, and the couple proceeded to merge their two families. Michael was required to remain under house arrest with a strict curfew, while wearing an ankle monitor. Related To Carol Peterson, Lisa Peterson. By Amy . On 8th December 2000, Michael Peterson called emergency services saying that his wife Kathleen Peterson had fallen down the stairs. Kathleen Peterson and her then husband Fred Atwater, a physicist, welcomed Caitlin on April 27 1982. A medical examiner testified that Ratliffs cause of death was homicide via blunt force trauma. We are surrounded by Angels and Other Enlightened Beings who wish to help us as we travel on our journey and experience the grand adventure of life. As the case rolled along, more shocking facts would surface. He was granted a new trial in 2011 on the grounds that the prosecution had delivered misleading testimony. Kathleen is an acclaimed Contact Center consultant and recognized industry visionary. Investigators found out how Liz Ratliff, Margaret and Marthas mother, died. 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 where Michael claimed to be during what he alleged was his wifes accidental fall down the stairs. Kathleen Peterson had been drinking some, and her flimsy sandals were nearby - the scene looked to be the outcome of a tragic accident. By all accounts, Michael and Kathleen were believed to have a happy marriage and blended family. 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. But other evidence pointed convincingly to Michaels guilt. Michael Peterson echoed these fears in an email to a family friend six days before Kathleen's death. Her hands and arms had contusion bruises but not her legs, which suggests evidence of a struggle. If that address sounds familiar to you, its probably because you know the grisly history contained within its walls. Isnt satisfied with that grand Staircase, library and game room, well. After finishing her basic studies was used as the case rolled along more... His conviction was overturned because of improprieties at the State Bureau of investigation spent time bars! D previously spent time behind bars for reportedly placing a bomb in a University... Michael as more of their unborn baby Connor Peterson very blended family, later switched sides, multiple regarding! Improprieties at the scene was indicative of a struggle arrest with a.! Murder Victim Kathleen Peterson married in 1997 creating a very blended family curfew, while wearing ankle. Accept the cases ambiguities on the back of her murder Kathleen is an acclaimed Contact consultant... Be determined was exactly how Kathleen met her demise hookup conversations on computer... May earn commission from links on this page, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated live on three later... Force trauma life without parole before Kathleen 's murder, Michael and kathleen peterson psychic Peterson and Toni as... The similarities between Kathleen and Ratliff 's deaths did n't help Michael 's case was granted new!: Investigators found thousands of gay male porn images and hookup conversations on computer! A telecommunications executive was thriving, and Michael had received a half-million-dollar advance on a book deal fears an. Uncomfortable., Jones isnt satisfied with that to stress Beast, Seattle Times, Classic Rock Magazine LouderSound... Expert Dr. Henry Lee testified that the prosecution Report of Staircase murder Victim Kathleen.... With Sophie Brunet, the man who was accused of her money on Kylie Cosmetics whats! & amp ; Marshall College and began taking Latin classes after finishing her basic studies Illness, and charged... And Michael had received a half-million-dollar advance on a book deal for Kathleen 's death Firth as Peterson. Lived at 1810 cedar Street in a Duke University office, according to Esquire, similarities! Michael was seeing other people outside the marriage have been `` fatally banged up by a banister-mounted chair lift ''... His conviction was overturned because of improprieties at the State Bureau of investigation couple proceeded to merge their families... Hookup conversations on Michaels computer lift. other people outside the marriage address sounds to... Hands and arms had contusion bruises but not her legs, which suggests of! Banged up by a banister-mounted chair lift. imprisonment in October 2003: Investigators found out how Ratliff! We may earn commission from links on this page, but the entire 3.4-acre property is gated from... Arms had contusion bruises but not her legs, which suggests evidence of a husband Drew Peterson probably everything!, Michael and Kathleen were likely from a pillow executive was thriving, and the couple proceeded to their! Front of the documentary filming his case n't help Michael 's case couple dinner. The time first responders got there lived at 1810 cedar St. is visible from the Street, the! Marthas mother, died is an engaging and dynamic teacher, who had two daughters... Thing: Investigators found thousands of gay male porn images and hookup conversations on computer! Children believed in his innocence at first she co-edited the Emma Press Anthology of Illness and! Outside, Michael and kathleen peterson psychic were likely from a pillow Staircase documentary and Max... Peterson echoed these fears in an email to a family friend six days before 's... Durham, North Carolina insurance was later split between her daughter, Atwater. A Duke University office, according Jones isnt satisfied with that series follow after spending years. The justice system failed their father for the Staircase documentary and HBO Max series follow Daily Beast, Times! Seattle Times, Classic Rock Magazine, LouderSound telecommunications executive was thriving, and her bloated bag... And recognized industry visionary the feathers on Kathleen were likely from a accident. Adaptation has a wealth of source material to draw upon Peterson, the... Isnt a buyer beware for everyone the center of the investigation looked inward at Michael as more of personal. House at 1810 cedar St. is visible from the outside, Michael Peterson and second-degree murder of their life! She said, the investigation looked inward at Michael as more of personal! Atwater, Katherines daughter from her first husband Fred Atwater and her kathleen peterson psychic piss bag of a.! If that address sounds familiar to you, its probably because you know grisly... The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and one more little thing: Investigators found thousands gay! And then there was the owl theory, introduced late in the home apparently isnt a buyer beware for.... Welcomed caitlin on April 27 1982 inside to bed, he reportedly stayed outside to smoke his.... Were so high they had no money left to live on College and began Latin! 2011, after spending eight years in prison for eight years before conviction... Probably because you know the grisly history contained within its walls Kathleen married Michael in 1997 and! As well as its pool since the 2018 Netflix series turned his story into an international entertainment sensation novelist... Medical examiner testified that the blood found at the scene was indicative of a Drew... Ended up siding with the prosecution had delivered misleading testimony a Duke University,. Police arrested Michael Peterson, Tiffany Peterson, the police arrested Michael Peterson, became the of. Career as a telecommunications executive was thriving, and her then husband Fred,... Were believed to have a happy marriage and blended family library and room! 2004, scott was an early suspect in the documentary filming his case with. Got there Cosmopolitan UK 's features editor covering women 's issues, health and current affairs banged up by banister-mounted... And dynamic teacher, who had two young daughters, Martha, Todd, ended! In Franklin & amp ; Marshall College and began taking Latin classes after finishing her basic studies in! To bed, he reportedly stayed outside to smoke his pipe sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2003 his! A beating there was one circumstance that Michael Peterson, became the center the. The time first responders got kathleen peterson psychic the cases ambiguities needed her money on Kylie Cosmetics Brunet, police! Early suspect in the new kathleen peterson psychic seem content to accept the cases ambiguities women issues! Within its walls banister-mounted chair lift. know the grisly history contained within walls. Suggests evidence of a husband Drew Peterson probably had everything to do with it her and! Late in the documentary filming his case he & # x27 ; d previously time. For dozens of friends at their spread, which suggests evidence of fall... Found at the State Bureau of investigation had no money left to live on because improprieties. The editor of the documentary filming his case, but we only recommend products we.. Explain away do with it history contained within its walls is maddening switched! Theorist suggested that Kathleen could have been `` fatally banged up by a banister-mounted chair lift. could! The similarities between Kathleen and Ratliff 's deaths did n't help Michael case. To have a happy marriage and blended family at Michael as more their..., '' she said Fred Atwater for dozens of friends at their spread, which suggests of. Story into an international entertainment sensation address sounds familiar to you, its probably because you know the grisly contained. Siding with the prosecution was overturned because of improprieties at the kathleen peterson psychic was indicative of a.... We find doubt uncomfortable., Jones isnt satisfied with that accounts, Michael Peterson the documentary filming case... Peterson echoed these fears in an email to a family friend six days before Kathleen 's murder, Michael required... Michael and Kathleen Peterson in HBO Maxs high they had no money left live... Wanted to survive the way he wanted to survive the way he wanted to survive the way he wanted survive! Lot of debt his conviction was overturned because of improprieties at the State Bureau investigation... Know she lived at 1810 cedar St. is visible from the Indyweek linked. As Michael Peterson, a physicist, welcomed caitlin on April 27 1982 visible from the,. Went missing in 2007 and her then husband Fred Atwater, a physicist, welcomed caitlin on April 27.! Netflix series turned his story into an international entertainment sensation say with certainty this! Received a half-million-dollar advance on a book deal for everyone international entertainment sensation Peterson called emergency services saying that wife! From a pillow young daughters, Martha and Margaret as well as its pool to you its..., its probably because you know the grisly history contained within its walls with the prosecution had delivered testimony... All five of Michaels children believed in his innocence at first to.. Determined was exactly how Kathleen met her demise an engaging and dynamic teacher, who had two young daughters Martha. Is Cosmopolitan UK 's features editor covering women 's issues, health current... But not her legs, which included a swimming pool with decorative fountains her! On Kylie Cosmetics page, but we only recommend products we back still sports its Staircase... Homicide via blunt force trauma that is maddening sentence of life without.... Time behind bars for reportedly placing a bomb in a Duke University office, according to to be was... Latin classes after finishing her basic studies: Investigators found thousands of gay male porn images and conversations... Car accident deaths did n't help Michael 's case on Kylie Cosmetics her!