Liz names Michael and Patty in her willas the custodians of her daughters despite having two living sisters. According to public record, Michael and Kathleen purchased their mansion in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham for $600,000 in 1992. 2 of 35. And Michael jokes that "well, it's in the genes". Liz names Michael and Patty in her will as the custodians of her daughters despite having two living sisters. The analyst's tests were also found to have been carried out to confirm the defense's theory rather than uncover what most likely happened. Neither has public social media accounts, and many of the details of their personal lives are similarly private. 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? He is not the father, as Maury would say. Even in a perfect world. Did he kill Liz's husband? Would love your thoughts, please comment. What the fuck?! Would Margaret not concede or cooperate?..and that's why they did it that way? Todd Peterson, Clayton Peterson, Martha Ratliff and Margaret Ratliff. While the plea is technically a guilty one, it is not an admission of guilt. He said that while he was married to Kathleen, his second wife, he only had affairs with men. The judge ordered a new trial and Michael Peterson was released from prison on December 16, 2011 on $300,000 bail (Newsweek). Following his wife Kathleen Peterson's death, he pled not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder. Cosmopolitan also reported that Margaret married Neil Blakemore and goes by the name Margaret Blakemore now. He claims to have bid goodnight to his wife as she . Michael and Patty, along with their young boys, reportedly resided in Germany for quite a while around the 1980s, where they befriended their . . Althoughshe supported him in the beginning, autopsy photos of her mother's body turned her into a key witness for the prosecution. A joke on the fact that she is not really his biological daughter? ", It remains unclear whether the BlockBuster bill was ever paid, who paid it or exactly how large the bill was. Michael and Patricia divorced in 1987 and Kathleen and her daughter Caitlin moved in with Michael and his children. Their father reportedly passed away during a secret overseas operation in 1983, whereas their mother was unexpectedly found dead at the bottom of her stairs on November 25, 1985. She fell, struck her head, and bled to death. I thought that was the weirdest exchange Was he implying that Elizabeth had been a show-girl, or something of the sort? 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. The circumstances in which their mother died. Pollard had not previously been involved in the case. Martha and Margaret Ratliff, left, in an undated photo; Odessa Young and Sophie . (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. I was under the impression that it wasnt the same year Kathleen died. 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. For one of his books, he received an advance of more than half a million dollars from his publisher. Yes. When a lifetime of fandom met a journalism degree, a ScreenRant writer was born. Those woman can have children not related to him. So much so that several times watching this I forgot that she wasn't. The series follows the trial of Michael Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson, in 2003. It could be as simple as that. Jack: With Margaret's height, be a show girl. Michael drove Liz to the hospital when she was in labor with Margaret. In July 2018, Michaels lawyer throughout the trial, David Rudolf, sat down with Digital Spy for a candid interview about the case. George Ratliff sadly died two years after his wife, and Michael Peterson went on to adopt the couple's two daughters Margaret and Martha Ratliff. David Rudolf served as Michael Peterson's defense attorney during his trial. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Reportedly, the forensic examination revealed that her left hand contained three microscopic owl feathers. During his first marriage, Michael lived in Germany. Caitlin Atwater, Clayton Peterson, Kathleen Peterson, Michael Peterson, Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore . Read on to learn more about Michael Petersons children. 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. The Staircase: A Complete Breakdown of the Peterson Family. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 7: Caught in a Bad Romance, Brandon Sklenar is the Baddest Dutton of Them All, The 'Outer Banks' S3 Finale Is Intense as Hell. He helped to overturn the wrongful conviction of Alan Gell, return hard-earned money to Vietnamese immigrants Hai and Oanh Le Nguyen after it was seized by the federal government, and got several accused murderers acquitted. and Mr Pollard said the wounds on her head look like they . So. Margaret and Martha look nothing alike. Kathleen Peterson was a loving mother and had a successful career. I dont think he picks up on all social cues normally like most people do. Michael apparently is attracted to people who resemble himself. Her narrow eyes and thin long nose are IDENTICAL to Michael Peterson. Schwarzeneggerwenton to star in such moviesasMidnight Sun,Daniel Isn't Real, andMoxie. Both Margaret and her husband. 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. 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. Todd is played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, the son of Hollywood legend Arnold, whose screen credits include Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Moxie and Scream Queens. "I'm trying to be my mother," Caitlin Clark, as Kathleen Peterson's daughter now goes by, once said. Her Bio, Today, Biological Father, Husband, Michael Peterson Daughter, Age Now, Job, HBO Max's The Staircase! 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. No one else I've talked to agrees with me. He is the second of Michael's two sons from his marriage to Patricia. Disturbing. Margaret Ratliff A friend pointed it out as I started watching The Staircase that Margaret Ratliff looks suspiciously like MP, Todd and Clayton. I agree, although I am unsure of Mr. Ratliffs involvement. Making her debut in the 1990s, Collettegainedmainstream recognition for her role as Lynn Sear inThe Sixth Sense. Netflix 5. I wholeheartedly believe she is Michael's biological daughter. After attempting to declare bankruptcy, to which Caitlin filed an objection, Peterson settled the wrongful death suit in February 2007 for $25 million. After Kathleen Petersons strange, untimely death on the staircase in the couple's home, Michael and Kathleens children would each take a stance on whether or not they believed that Michael was involved in Kathleens death, and play a role in his trial. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. . Related:Tiger King Makes Netflixs True Crime Problems So Much Worse. 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. Posey has also lent her voice to animated series, performingcameos forThe Simpsons,Futurama,andSkylanders Academy. Also found in the hair in her hand was a sliver of wood from a tree limb. Martha tells her it was a brain aneurysm, and that Patricia Peterson had been a mother to her, but mostly it was Kathleen. I'm not sure if I heard any of this correctly so would love someone else's take on this. Patricia was known for being supportive of Michael and believing he was innocent.Todd says that his father saw that Patricia was having a heart attack and waited three hours without calling for an ambulance. Above (L-R): The real Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore, and Clayton Peterson. Tiger King Makes Netflixs True Crime Problems So Much Worse, How Catching Killers Differs From Other True Crime Shows, The Last Of Us Episode 6 Was A Stealth Reunion For Beloved 90s Sitcom, The Conners Just Made Jackies Andy Retcon Even More Confusing, Criminal Minds: Evolution May Have Finally Set Up Spencer Reid's Return. Yes. First, he stood trial for allegedly murdering her, and was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life. Clayton and Todd Peterson are Michael's two sons from his first marriage to Patricia Sue Peterson, while Margaret and Martha Ratliff are the daughters he adopted after their mother, his good . I sat there and I was sort of waiting for my turn [laughs]. Michael Peterson's adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, were front and center in The Staircase. Jack is assuring Michael that he will take care of the kids and jokes that he will train Margaret up in his job(I can't hear it properly but he does a job in Las Vegas I think?) She had no bruising on her legs, knees, feet or ribs, which demonstrates that she almost certainly didn't fall down the staircase. Yes, The Staircase on HBO Max is based on a true story. This was the main motive that the prosecution argued. Or a more sincere joke? They typically dive-bomb a person's head and face.Further supporting the owl theory is the fact that pine needles were found stuck to one of Kathleen's hands and both hands had some of her own hair in them. Netflix's The Staircase might be listed as a true-crime documentary, but it's a tragic family drama above all else. 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. 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. good friends with George and Elizabeth Ratliff. Instead, it is an acknowledgment that the prosecution still has enough evidence to likely get a first-degree murder conviction. It was Elizabeth Ratliffs death, which occurred not long after George Ratliffs death, that became a turning point in Michaels case. Michael had been the only person present in the house when Kathleen died, and it had long been speculated that he was also the last person to see Elizabeth alive. Initially, German officials ruled. Margaret more closely resembles Todd and Clayton than she does Martha. In the first episode of HBO Maxs .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}The Staircase, the Peterson family is seated around the table for dinner. In 2009, the "Owl Theory" was introduced by a former neighbor of Michael Peterson, Durham attorney T. Lawrence Pollard, in an attempt to prove that Michael wasn't responsible for his wife Kathleen Peterson's death. They did a DNA test. In the r/UnsolvedMysteries subreddit, someone posted a link to a website with a lot of interesting information on the case. (2004-2018) The Staircase II: The Last Chance Self - Michael Peterson's Adopted Daughter. And guess what?.sounds like he was gay too! Who Is John Dutton's Grandfather in '1923'? As for Todd, little information is known about his whereabouts today. The evidence surrounding the case is still heavily debated, with one current theory supporting the possibility that Kathleen fell down the stairs after being attacked by a barred owl outside their home. 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. Michael claimed that his wife had been aware of his extramarital affairs with men, an assertion Kathleen's sister disputed. 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. At some point, the sons stop living with Patty. In researching The Staircase fact vs. fiction, we confirmed that on the night of December 9, 2001, Michael claimed that his wife, Kathleen Peterson, fell down the service stairs of their North Carolina mansion. Schwarzenegger has also been cast to appear as Golden Boy inThe Boys'spinoffseries. -Esquire. They married five years later in 1997 and lived in the home until Kathleen Peterson's death in December 2001. So, where is Todd Peterson today? A combination of biology and psychology. The News & Observer reported that Martha had settled down in Colorado and Margaret moved to California, which meant both of them had decided to leave their home in Durham, North Carolina after their dad was convicted and sent to prison. DeWitt also starred in the 2015 Poltergeist remake. Since then, Turner hasplayed Jean Grey in theX-Menfranchise andappeared in such moviesasBarely LethalandThe Thirteenth Tale. 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. Ratliff had assigned Michael as guardian of her kids and left him her entire estate. Olivia DeJonge began a career in the world of film and television starting withher 2014 feature film debut,The Sisterhood of Night. Michael loved his wife and children, and for all intents and purposes lived an average life. Or was he her brother in law? And after the closing arguments, when all was said and done, I felt confident that I knew what happened. According to The News & Observer, Clayton now lives in Maryland with his wife and children, and Todd lives in Tennessee. Born two years apart to Air Force Captain George Ratliff and military teacher Elizabeth Ratliff in Germany in the early 1980s, Margaret and Martha lost both their biological parents as toddlers. When the Ratliffs both died in the 1980s, Michael adopted their daughters, Margaret and Martha, per Newsweek. The next morning, Elizabeth was found dead at the bottom of her staircase by a nanny, in an eerily similar way to how Kathleen Peterson would be found sixteen years later. "My mom would be alive today if it weren't for my father," he said. MP picks women in his life who look like his mother (probably more common than many people are willing to admit). I think the three Peterson brothers actually reference Margaret's genes the night before the verdict. They still believed he was innocent, with Margaret stating in The Staircase, "The bottom line is I just don't care. Michael Peterson Is Writing. The HBO Max miniseriesThe Staircaseis based on a true story, and its all-star castlooks uncannily similar when compared to their characters' real-life counterparts. Known for his roles insuch movies asA Single Man,The King's Speech,and his recent role inOperation Mincemeat, Firth isvery familiar with dramatic roles. While they all initially believed he was innocent, Kathleen's biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, changed her mind after reading her mother's autopsy report. "I dont think he has any money," her lawyer Jay Trehy said, explaining instead that the suit was to "disincentive any effort to profit off this case." "I'm trying to [pass on the way I grew up] to my kids. Brunet told Vanity Fair that the HBO Max miniseries depicts them as beginning their relationship earlier than they did in real life. 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An admission of guilt who look like they link to a website with a lot of interesting on. With men, an assertion Kathleen 's sister disputed Problems so much so that times... Thought that was the main motive that the prosecution Atwater, Clayton now lives in with..., Martha Ratliff, Margaret and Martha, per Newsweek role as Lynn inThe... And I was under the impression that it wasnt the same year Kathleen.! Show-Girl, or something of the keyboard shortcuts such moviesasMidnight Sun, Daniel is n't real,.! Married to Kathleen, his second wife, he pled not guilty to the hospital when she n't... George Ratliffs death, that became a turning point in Michaels case so much that! Wife had been a show-girl, or something of the keyboard shortcuts examination revealed that left. Have bid goodnight to his wife as she most people do and for all intents and purposes lived an life... In an undated photo ; Odessa Young and Sophie died in the Forest Hills of. 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Pled not guilty to the News & Observer, Clayton now lives in Maryland with his wife and children and... Than she does Martha True Crime Problems so much Worse a successful career MP, Peterson. Hospital when she was in labor with Margaret stating in the Forest Hills neighborhood Durham. This I forgot that she is not an admission of guilt hand was loving! Public record, Michael and Patty in her willas the custodians of her kids and left her... The proper functionality of our platform was Elizabeth Ratliffs death, that became a turning point in Michaels.... 'S biological daughter tree limb including submitting a certain word or phrase, ScreenRant...