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. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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. A graduate from Columbia College in Chicago, as of 2018, she resides in California and goes by her. Rudolf specializes in covering high-profile cases. Like most of his siblings, Clayton remained loyal to his father during the murder trial and prison sentence, just as his fatherhad been loyal to him. Petersons sons have always stood by their father, who has maintained his innocence for the past twenty years. ", It remains unclear whether the BlockBuster bill was ever paid, who paid it or exactly how large the bill was. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It should also be noted that Colin Firth is not as physically imposing as the real Michael Peterson was, who certainly had the strength to confidently commit the murder without a weapon. 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. I would prefer that all personal/private/intimate details be declared irrelevant and therefore off-limits for discussion. Margaret and Martha Ratliff have since tried their best to move on with their lives while also maintaining strong relationships with their father as well as their siblings (except Caitlin Atwater). (Netflix) (2013-2017) WRAL Murder Trials Self - Audience Member / Self. His sons, Clayton and Todd, also appear in the show. And after the closing arguments, when all was said and done, I felt confident that I knew what happened. Lestrade said that HBO's The Staircase falsely depicts him and editor Sophie Burnet (portrayed by Juliette Binoche) as being opposed to including in the documentary courtroom footage discussing possible strangulation attempts, despite their producer pushing for the footage to be included. I'm innocent. Prosecutors believe Mike Peterson not only killed his wife, but also Ratliff. They did an inconclusive surreptitious one where they confiscated an apparent envelop Margaret allegedly licked. She had no bruising on her legs, knees, feet or ribs, which demonstrates that she almost certainly didn't fall down the staircase. Michael Stuhlbarg is a well-known character actor with avery successful career. Clayton and Todd, meanwhile, are Michaels biological children from his first marriage to Patricia Sue Peterson. He said that his father's books "were getting rejected left and right" and weren't bringing in much money. Elizabeth's daughters, Margaret and Martha Ratliff, were adopted by the Petersons and they moved back to the United States with Michael, settling in North Carolina. When rescue workers arrived at the home, Peterson's wife was lying dead on the floor. Margaret Ratliff A friend pointed it out as I started watching The Staircase that Margaret Ratliff looks suspiciously like MP, Todd and Clayton. The four-part series is a dramatic retelling of the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson and the emotional legal aftermath that followed. As the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger is no stranger to Hollywood. After all, just like The Staircase illustrates, while her husband Michael Peterson alleged her passing was the direct result of an accidental fall, the officials soon accused him of definite murder. Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. 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. The defense team maintained that an accidental fall killed Kathleen, but the fact that the Ratliffs' biological mother died in a very similar way raised suspicions. Clayton is one of Peterson's two sons from Peterson's first marriage to Patricia Sue Peterson. Today, Martha lives in Colorado and Margaret lives in California. - July 2016) (divorced) Trivia (4) Elder sister of Martha Ratliff. They claimed that Kathleen had attempted to walk up a poorly lit stairwell after drinking wine and taking valium. Kathleen had one biological daughter, Caitlin, and acted as an adoptive mother to Michael's two sons, Clayton and Todd. Although Margaret Ratliff was not the biological child of either Michael or Kathleen Peterson, she loved her adoptive mother and remained loyal to her adoptive father throughout the trial. Barred Owl attacks are not uncommon and there had been other attacks in the area. Margaret and Martha, who were in full support of their father throughout his trial, were adopted. Little did anyone know at that time that on December 9, 2001, it would all fall apart. Therefore the children of the women he picks can look like him. He was eventually released on bail and wore an ankle monitor in 2011 after the validity of the trial was brought into question. It looks like Todd eschews the public eye, so there isn't much information available . He appears often in The Staircase in which he supports his father's innocence. Would Margaret not concede or cooperate?..and that's why they did it that way? Though Martha and Margaret struggled with allowing their biological mother to be exhumed, the information didn't alter their opinion of Michael. Unlike her stepsiblings, Caitlin did not stand by Michael's side. The Staircase true story reveals that Michael Peterson and Kathleen Atwater, a telecommunications executive, were introduced to each other by Michael's adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha, who were playmates of Kathleen's daughter, Caitlin. Making her debut in the 1990s, Collettegainedmainstream recognition for her role as Lynn Sear inThe Sixth Sense. Todd said that while his father did have good news about a possible movie, the chance it was actually going to happen was very slim. Perhaps to have all of the siblings together? The prosecution also brought up how Martha and Margaret Ratliff's mother Elizabeth, a friend of Michael, had been found dead at the bottom of a staircase too. Lads. The next morning, the girls' nanny found Elizabeth's body at the bottom of the stairs. Kathleen Peterson was a loving mother and had a successful career. Defendant Michael Peterson uses a magnifying glass to look at an evidence photo Monday, Aug. 18, 2003, during his murder trial in Durham, N.C. Peterson is accused in the . Celebrity Net Worth reports that the sisters' loving father, Michael Peterson's net worth is $500k from his writing career. Kathleen had a $1.4 million life insurance policy that Michael stood to benefit from. The cute couple were spotted . In another post, the poster says that there was discussion of Martha Blair adopting Martha but not Margaret who would stay with MP. It was Elizabeth Ratliffs death, which occurred not long after George Ratliffs death, that became a turning point in Michaels case. But they're not all irrelevant. The biological parents of Margaret and her sister, Martha,died when the girls were young, and they were taken in by Michael and his then-wife, Patricia Peterson, while the couple was living in Germany. Clayton "Clay" Peterson is his eldest, followed by Todd Peterson both from Michael's first marriage with Patricia Sue Peterson, which once made their domestic quartet an undeniably happy one. Explaining why Margaret Ratliff looks like Michael Peterson First of all, if we are to accept the paternity test, then they are not genetically related. Also, Patty goes back to Germany with Clayton and Todd but not the girls. And why he originally only wanted to take Margaret in.. Todd Peterson with father Michael Peterson in an undated photo, left; Patrick Schwarzenegger as Todd on HBO's "The Staircase," right. 7: Caught in a Bad Romance, Brandon Sklenar is the Baddest Dutton of Them All, The 'Outer Banks' S3 Finale Is Intense as Hell. In November of 1985, Michaels family had dinner with Elizabeth and her daughters, Margaret and Martha. The Kathleen Peterson murder case was also explored by a number of popular American true-crime television series, includingForensic Files, Dateline NBC, andCold Case. Yes. Michael claimed that she was fine when he left the night before. Todd is in Tennessee, according to Romper. "I'm trying to be my mother," Caitlin Clark, as Kathleen Peterson's daughter now goes by, once said. According to The News & Observer, Clayton now lives in Maryland with his wife and children, and Todd lives in Tennessee. (Source: www.esquire.com) Kathleen's Death: On the night of Kathleen's death, according to Peterson, the two had eaten dinner, watched a movie and then sat by the pool. Michael then married Kathleen. At the time of the incident, Toddran a websitecalled Futazi, which provided advice on various topics to teenagers. Clayton Peterson is Michael Peterson's eldest son. I did not believe until the jury clerk read the sentence that I would be convicted." Kathleen was only 48 years old when she died of blood loss at the bottom of the stairs in the Petersons' mansionin North Carolina. Related:Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem. Allegedly adopted children slightly take on the looks of those who raise them. "She took care of us," Martha says. He is at the pool, it's late evening. Patricia was Elizabeth's coworker at the elementary school and the Petersons were also Elizabeth's neighbors. From her first marriage to Fred Atwater, Kathleen had a daughter named Caitlin. Martha Ratliff Born: January 3, 1983 Birthplace: Germany Bio: Michael Peterson's Adopted Daughter Trini Alvarado Born: January 10, 1967 Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA Patricia Peterson Born: March 12, 1943 Birthplace: Paris, Arkansas, USA Death: July 8, 2021, Durham, North Carolina, USA (heart attack) Bio: Michael Peterson's First Wife "My mom would be alive today if it weren't for my father," he said. The Owl Theory was never heard in court and no motion for a new trial was filed because of it. 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. He said that while he was married to Kathleen, his second wife, he only had affairs with men. Although Margaret Ratliff was not the biological child of either Michael or Kathleen Peterson, she loved her adoptive mother and remained loyal to her adoptive father throughout the trial. Schwarzenegger has also been cast to appear as Golden Boy inThe Boys'spinoffseries. A combination of biology and psychology. 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. Related:Best True Crime Shows On Netflix Right Now. The eyes. The coroner concluded that Elizabeth, 42, died from an intracerebral hemorrhage stemming from a blood clot disorder. Margaret and Martha's involvement with the Peterson family is a key part of the storyline, including Kathleen's death. A possible scenario is that he knocked up Margaret's mom (Liz), who gave birth to Margaret but not Martha. Police said Peterson told 911 operators his wife had been injured in a fall. The Ratliff sisters, Margaret and Martha lived quite a good life due to their parents' influence while their respective net worth still intrigues the public today. By that time in the mid-1980s, Michael's marriage to his first wife, Patricia Peterson, was in shambles. The prosecution asserted that the murder weapon was a missing blow poke, a fireplace tool similar to a metal fire iron except that a blow poke is hollow so that you can blow through it to send oxygen to precise points of the fire. 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? They did a DNA test. Margaret and Martha Ratliff were adopted by Michael Peterson after their mothers death, and actually introduced him to his next wife Kathleen, who was their friend Caitlins mother. Sophie Turner made her acting debut in 2011 playing Sansa Stark inGame of Thrones. First, he stood trial for allegedly murdering her, and was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life. Heres a breakdown of the family members, how they sided during Michael Petersons trial, and where each person is now. He is not the father, as Maury would say. First of all, if we are to accept the paternity test, then they are not genetically related. Yes. The HBO show seems to portray her as the favorite daughter so far. According to Michael, they did. Martha had left for college in San Francisco shortly before their lives were turned upside down by Kathleen's death and the resulting fallout. Press J to jump to the feed. They married five years later in 1997 and lived in the home until Kathleen Peterson's death in December 2001. While the plea is technically a guilty one, it is not an admission of guilt. 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. The National Audubon Society explained that according to the theory, a Barred Owl, which is common in the area, became entangled in Kathleen's hair and its talons are what caused the lacerations to Kathleen's scalp. 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. Netflix Together, Elizabeth and George Ratliff had two daughters, Margaret and Martha Ratliff, who Michael Peterson . Todd and Clayton are the sons of Patricia Peterson. This theory is supported by the fact that hairs from the front of her head were found on her hands, as well as on Michael Peterson's Diet Coke can discovered on the patio. The Ripper: Does Netflix's True Crime Series Glorify Serial Killers? So. Yes. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Michael was coincidently the last person to see Elizabeth alive, leading many to speculate an affair or some conflict between the two once Kathleens case came around over 15 years later. Wait - there was a DNA test done in Margaret? Candace Zamperini, Kathleens sister, does not believe that Michael is innocent. Martha's going home to Durham for. Since MP picks women who looks like his mom, their children can look like his mom also. Even in a perfect world. Not much is known about their lives outside of the glimpses provided in The Staircase. She fell, struck her head, and bled to death. At this point I don't know who anyone's kids are except that Margaret looks exactly like Liz as she gets older. District Attorney (now Judge) Jim Hardin said that her body had been there for roughly two hours (NBC). Brunet told Vanity Fair that the HBO Max miniseries depicts them as beginning their relationship earlier than they did in real life. The outlet also reports Clay as saying it has been surreal to still be dealing with the question of whether his father is guilty or innocent. Yes. The December 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson at the bottom of her stairs is a case that is as messy and intriguing as it is brutal and dramatic, especially considering the ambiguous evidence involved. His bond restrictions were eased in July 2014.As we explored The Staircase fact vs. fiction, we discovered that he remained on bail until February 2017 when he entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter. Thats confusing. 2 of 35. She can be found on Twitter @ejclute. 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. Here's a breakdown of the family depicted in the new HBO Max series. The couple also were legal guardians to Margaret and Martha, who lost their . Jump To Who Is Margaret Ratliff? The series follows the trial of Michael Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson, in 2003. Later, Kathleen's sister, Candace, said that the blow poke produced by the defense was not the one she had gifted the Petersons, which was still missing. 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. Growing up, Caitlin was close with Martha and Margaret. In 2003, however, information related to Elizabeth Ratliff that was brought up in court persuaded her to think otherwise about her stepfathers role in her mothers death. Strangely, she looks like him, like her bio mom and also like Peterson's first wife. Michael Peterson was connected to the 1985 death of Elizabeth Ratliff, an elementary school teacher who taught military children on Rhein-Main Air Force base in West Germany. 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. 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