Freda Black was the former Durham County prosecutor who served as the main prosecutor against Michael Peterson. Althoughshe supported him in the beginning, autopsy photos of her mother's body turned her into a key witness for the prosecution. Initially, German officials ruled. Rudolf firmly believed in Michael's innocence, continuing to represent him long after his client could afford his services. If so, he most likely grabbed her by the hair on the front of her head with his right hand and then used his left hand to help repeatedly slam the back of her head into the wooden step at the bottom of the service stairs. He has won several accolades throughout his career, including an Academy Award, two BAFTAs, and a Golden Globe, and he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2011 for his service in the dramatic arts. It seems like if the fountain were turned off, he could have heard her call for help. Martha tells her it was a brain aneurysm, and that Patricia Peterson had been a mother to her, but mostly it was Kathleen. Petersons son Clay lives in Maryland with his two children. In another post, the poster says that there was discussion of Martha Blair adopting Martha but not Margaret who would stay with MP. Rudolf specializes in covering high-profile cases. District Attorney (now Judge) Jim Hardin said that her body had been there for roughly two hours (NBC). Did novelist Michael Peterson batter his 'beloved' wife to death with a poker in their luxury mansion asks @BBC5livehttps://t.co/qNEnibgT3z pic.twitter.com/oyi0U6J264, Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) June 20, 2017. A combination of biology and psychology. Thats especially because while Elizabeths death was initially ruled to be from an intracerebral hemorrhage, a second autopsy (from her exhumed body) in 2003 updated her manner of death to homicide. Michael claimed that she was fine when he left the night before. She seethes with rage her body held tight, lips a straight line, hair mercilessly sprayed into shape As an angry, older woman, Candace is made an easy foil to the complexities of the men in the film., Michael Petersons Children: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Toni Collette is another established veteran in the world of acting. In one of the longest trials in the history of North Carolina, Kathleen's husband, Michael Peterson, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for her murder. [Elizabeth's death] happened 18 years ago, and our dad had nothing to do with it.". With that said, both Margaret and Martha, who grew up under Michaels care following his divorce from Patty, have always believed in his innocence, whether it be in their mothers case or their stepmother Kathleens. Olivia DeJonge began a career in the world of film and television starting withher 2014 feature film debut,The Sisterhood of Night. At one point in Netflixs documentary, Martha says of her father, Sometimes it gets to us all, and thats when everybody starts worrying about everyone else. Pictured, l-r: Todd Peterson and Patrick Schwarzenegger AP, HBO Max Todd Peterson is the second of Michael's two sons from his marriage to Patricia Peterson. But yes, there are tons of threads in this sub covering how Margaret looks like Michael. She also worked as an uncredited production assistant on Star Trek: Into Darkness and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Despite maintaining his innocence throughout the entire case, Michael took an Alford deal in 2017, declaring guilt without sufficient evidence in order to go free without serving additional time. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. "The Staircase" revolves around the death of Peterson's wife Kathleen Peterson, who was found dead at the bottom of a . Or was he her brother in law? Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner portrays Margaret Ratliff in HBO Max's The Staircase. The most baffling aspect, though, is that a similar 1985 demise of Elizabeth Ratliff is what led to Michael gaining custody of his daughters, Margaret and Martha Ratliff so lets find out more about them, shall we? Todd, Clayton, Martha, and Margaret have stood by Michael and believe that Kathleens death was an accident. Michael Peterson has spent the last 20 years explaining the death of his wife Kathleen. Peterson's high-profile murder trial that began on July 1, 2003 was the subject of French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's Netflix docuseries The Staircase, which began filming shortly after Peterson's 2001 arrest and followed him until his Alford plea in 2017. When Michael and Patricia moved to Germany in the 1980s, they were friends and neighbours with Margaret and Martha's parents, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. They did a DNA test. Have a look at Martha, she looks just like her dad. Netflix 5. The Ripper: Does Netflix's True Crime Series Glorify Serial Killers? Caitlin Atwater, Clayton Peterson, Kathleen Peterson, Michael Peterson, Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore . Yes. I've finally found my people. Patty Peterson reportedly lived with ex-husband Michael Peterson at the time of her death Ratliff's housekeeper found her body near the bottom of the stairs. Margaret and Martha look nothing alike. The Staircase Self / Self - Michael Peterson's Adopted Daughter. where are Martha and Margaret Ratliff today? In 2007, according to the AP, Atwater reached a $25 million wrongful death settlement, though he did not acknowledge any guilt in the case. The coroner concluded that Elizabeth, 42, died from an intracerebral hemorrhage stemming from a blood clot disorder. On April 18, 2001, Peterson wrote to a paternal uncle of Margaret and Martha Ratliff, the two young women whom Peterson reared after their father died in war and their mother was found dead at the . The HBO show seems to portray her as the favorite daughter so far. I think the three Peterson brothers actually reference Margaret's genes the night before the verdict. While the plea is technically a guilty one, it is not an admission of guilt. . Assistant North Carolina medical examiner Deborah Radisch determined that "the manner of death in Mrs. Ratliff's case was homicide," per CNN. In this video, Martha and Margaret Ratliff discuss their father Mike Peterson. Soon after that, Michael and Patricia split up. However, underneath, that wasn't the case. Here's what gets me: the fountain in the pool is left on although it's a late evening. This was the prosecution's theory, but the defense argued that a bludgeoning of that type would have produced skull fractures and brain injuries.The defense attempted to discredit the prosecution's blow poke theory by producing a blow poke during the trial. Caitlin is portrayed by Olivia DeJonge in The Staircase HBO Max miniseries. Michael knows about Liz collecting Rosenthal wine glasses which he still has in his home. Related:The Ripper: Does Netflix's True Crime Series Glorify Serial Killers? Today, Caitlin Atwater lives in northern Virginia with her family. Michael Peterson had something with Liz Ratliff, no doubt. KATHLEEN PETERSON, (born Kathleen Hunt) wife of Michael Peterson, was found dead early Sunday morning (December 9, 2001) at the base of a staircase in their Forest Hills home. Yes. When a lifetime of fandom met a journalism degree, a ScreenRant writer was born. Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. Margaret Ratliff and her young sister Martha Ratliff were adopted by Michael Peterson after their parents, Elizabeth and George Ratliff, died. This was the main motive that the prosecution argued. Todd Peterson, Clayton Peterson, Martha Ratliff and Margaret Ratliff. Michael Peterson called their son Todd Peterson, who lives nearby, who came over and called 911, Clayton said. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Lightning doesnt strike twice- they even laughedabout this in the documentary- I personally think if it can be linked that one or both of the girls are his biologically- we can button this case up once and for all. Margaret has a few IMDB credits to her name, having appeared as an actress in A Minority Report and Piranha-Man vs. Werewolf Man: Howl of the Piranha. Michael, Kathleen, and their five children. In trial, according to the AP News, Zamperini described Petersons account of Kathleens death as a fictionalized story. Candace Zamperini, Kathleens sister, does not believe that Michael is innocent. "We gave [Antonio Campos] all the access he wanted, and I really trusted the man," says Lestrade. Perhaps to have all of the siblings together? I agree, although I am unsure of Mr. Ratliffs involvement. The judge accepted the plea and sentenced Peterson to a maximum of 86 months in prison. I suspect (without a shred of evidence) that there was a lot of free lovin' going on overseas and in the military and I wouldn't be surprised if George Ratliff (Liz's husband) was involved with BOTH MP and Patty. As for Martha, it is believed that she has taken inspiration from her own experiences and is thus focusing on helping others by serving as a mental health counselor/psychotherapist in Colorado these days. I hate that I'm replying to this post. Autopsy reports determined that she died from an intra-cerebral hemorrhage as well as the blood disorder Von Willebrands disease. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a110e3c1ce407a7 So why does she look like him? What do you think? 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. When the police arrived on the scene at the Petersons' mansion in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham, North Carolina, they noted that the blood around Kathleen Peterson's dead body was mostly dry, indicating that she had been lying there for some time. The point remains that it still is not definitive. After Peterson was freed in 2017, Caitlin's lawyer filed another complaint against him. Just the fact they did that so sneakily makes this look even more suspicious. Kathleen had a $1.4 million life insurance policy that Michael stood to benefit from. And why he originally only wanted to take Margaret in.. Margaret Ratliff, Clayton Peterson, Todd Peterson, and Martha Ratliff in Dateline NBC (1992) Close. Michael, Kathleen, and their children toast to each otherseeming a happy, loving blended family. It's just stopping for a minute to appreciate the value of my mother's life and about the relationships she had is what's most important," Atwater said at the time. I did not believe until the jury clerk read the sentence that I would be convicted." Peterson entered an Alford plea in February 2017 while awaiting a new trial, allowing him to plead guilty to manslaughter while maintaining his innocence. The bruising on her wrists and hands further supports this theory.Kathleen also had contusions on her back and posterior arms, which make sense if the back of her head was being repeatedly thrust into a step. Read on to learn more about Michael Petersons children. But where are Martha and Margaret Ratliff today? I sat there and I was sort of waiting for my turn [laughs]. Both Margaret and her husband. However, he was given credit for time already served, which amounted to more than the sentence (98.5 months), so he was freed. Martha and Margaret Ratliff, left, in an undated photo; Odessa Young and Sophie . DeWitt also starred in the 2015 Poltergeist remake. Todd dialed 911 within minutes of arriving on the scene. Following her husband's death, Elizabeth became reliant on the Petersons. The bruises on her wrists and hands could have occurred as she was trying to shield herself from the blow poke or a similar murder weapon. He tried to stress that he was never engaged in extramarital relationships, only sex. The deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson were so similar that that prosecution had Ratliffs body exhumed during Michael Petersons trial in the death of Kathleen, and the nanny who discovered Ratliffs body testified against Peterson. His sons, Clayton and Todd, also appear in the show. It could have been Martha who licked it. Now,The Staircase, like the original 2004 true-crime documentary series of the same name, raises questionsregarding what really happened. The Staircase Cast Guide: What Every Real Life Person Looks Like, Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem, Best True Crime Shows On Netflix Right Now, Under The Banner Of Heaven Cast & Real Life Character Comparison Guide, Catching Killers Season 2 Avoids Netflix's Usual True Crime Mistake. And he always references the two girls before his sons. Related:Tiger King Makes Netflixs True Crime Problems So Much Worse. Sophie Turner wears a cute daisy crocheted bucket hat while out to lunch at Wally's with husband Joe Jonas on Tuesday afternoon (May 17) in Beverly Hills, Calif.. He served an honorable military career and became a published author, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate. First of all, if we are to accept the paternity test, then they are not genetically related. 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