The coroner determined that she fell down the stairs after the brain bleed caused her immediate demise. In 1968, Peterson was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War. However, Judge Hudson barred Pollard from filing further motions on behalf of Peterson because he did not represent him. Netflix's 'The Staircase': How did Elizabeth Ratliff really die? The exhumation of Elizabeth Ratliff - bbc.co.uk She often ate dinner with the Petersons, and Michael would help her clean up and tuck in her children at bedtime. Here's the OTHER Death at the Center of Netflix's The Staircase. Will King Charles III get a coronation medal? And as far as the girls, Margaret and Martha, Michael was the only parent they had been around the longest, they knew of their birth mothers death but couldnt associate with it as they were so young when it happened. He later adopted Ratliff's two daughters, Martha and Margaret. German investigators ruled Ratliff had died due to a cerebral hemorrhage. Warning: This article contains spoilers about The Staircase on HBO Max. Upon examination, forensic pathologist Deborah Radisch, who also worked on Kathleen's case, said that Elizabeth's injuries were inconsistent with an accident. Shortly before Elizabeth passed away, George died of a heart attack during the US invasion of Grenada. Just like with Petersons wife Kathleen, she suffered lacerations to the head which were attributed to her fall. When the Petersons resided in Germany, Elizabeth had worked in the same school as Michael's then wife Patty. The Bizarre True Story Behind HBO Max's The Staircase The prosecution contended that the Petersons' marriage was far from happy, suggesting that Kathleen had discovered Michael's alleged secret gay life and wanted to end their marriage. On October 10, 2003, after one of the longest trials in North Carolina history, a Durham County jury found Peterson guilty of the murder of Kathleen,[11] and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. With offices in London, Rome, Madrid, Warsaw, Munich and Johannesburg, we are a truly international company that celebrates difference and diversity. I completely feel for his family, especially the kids. [27], On December 16, 2011, Peterson was released from the Durham County jail on $300,000 bail and placed under house arrest with a tracking anklet. It was a unanimous decision by all 12 jury members. Michael Iver Peterson was born near Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Eugene Iver Peterson and Eleanor Peterson (ne Bartolino). Now fast forward to 2001-the night Michaels second wife, Kathleen dies. In 1989, Michael moved in with Kathleen Atwater, a successful Nortel business executive. Our people are our strength, and our differences are celebrated. An autopsy report released Monday says Elizabeth Ratliff, a friend of novelist Mike Peterson who died 18 years ago, was the victim of a homicide and not a stroke as originally thought. The Staircase vs. the True Story of Kathleen Peterson's Death The Staircase launches on Netflix on 8 June. I do however wished that Michaels lawyer wouldve let him testify because the jurors would've seen his true colors, but as seen in The Staircase on Netflix, even his lawyers knew his personality as they stated it would not be in his best interest to take the stand because his personality would be off-putting to the jury (Im not quoting, but basically they knew the jury would hate him). Despite the jury accepting the murder as a "spur-of-the-moment" crime, they also found it was premeditated. Later in the trial the defense team produced the missing blow poke, which they said had been overlooked in the garage by police investigators. The court case generated widespread interest, in part because of a televised documentary series variously named Soupons (Suspicions), Death on the Staircase, and The Staircase, which detailed Peterson's legal and personal troubles. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. What will the King Charles era be called? Despite Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, requesting that a "neutral" pathologist from Texas carried out the autopsy, the District Attorney had Dr. Deborah L. Radisch, the state pathologist, do it instead. Michael Peterson reacts to the news that his old friend Elizabeth's body is to be exhumed and examined as part of his murder trial. How Did Elizabeth Ratliff Die in The Staircase? - POPSUGAR It's believed that Michael was the last person to see her alive. However, things changed once her embalmed body was exhumed nearly two decades later, in April 2003. Following the guilty verdict, de Lestrade interviewed the jurors to find out why they reached their verdict. I feel here is where things took a turn. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. At the time, the German police ruled her death an accident and an autopsy concluded that she died of a brain hemorrhage. He later admitted his war injury was not the result of the shrapnel wound in Vietnam, but was the result of a car accident in Japan, where he was stationed after the war as a military police officer. Spittle testified that he could not recall mentoring Deaver who, since completing a two-day training course in the 1980s, had testified in only four cases, the Peterson case being the third. In the 2003 Peterson trial, Deaver testified that he had been mentored by SBI bloodstain specialist David Spittle, worked 500 bloodstain cases, written 200 reports, and testified in 60 cases. After Michael and Patricia divorced in 1987, Clayton and Todd lived with Patricia, and Margaret and Martha stayed with Michael, who then moved to Durham, North Carolina. The News & Observer, Durham's local news outlet, reported how "Margaret and Martha Ratliff wrapped their arms around each other and mourned" upon hearing their father's guilty verdict. The defense disputed this theory. "Even from this distance I could see that it did not look clear, and that's when he made the statement, right there by her body in my presence, that she had died of a cerebral haemorrhage.". "There was no pool of blood.". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The documentary offers an intimate depiction of defense preparations for the trial. In shock of what just transpired, Michael returned home where he would await news of Liz being found dead. Under no circumstances would they have had a sexual relationship.". Michael Peterson is believed to have been the last person to see her alive. In the first three episodes of The Staircase on HBO Max, there have been subtle mentions of a woman named Elizabeth Ratliff, and in Episode 4, audiences learn a little bit more about her. 3 days ago, by Kelsie Gibson Fear of this realization getting out, Michael possibly grabbed and shook Liz, his anger finally caused him to push her hard and she fell down the stairs to her demise. When re-examined, Elizabeth's relationship with Michael's family and the details of her passing thicken the plot of this engrossing true crime case. We understand the opportunity to grow engagement with new audiences of all ages and through new partnerships with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, along with our podcasts and on-demand SVOD services, we ensure our programming and unique stories reach audiences across the full demographic spectrum. The 43-year-old died in 1985 in Germany and was found at the bottom of her stairs by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino. Now as both Elizabeth and her husband were both deceased, the girls Margaret and Martha would surely be left in the care of one of their relatives? What's the deal with Pret's new club subscription? ( Note: Ratliff's cause of death at the time was listed as natural causes by "spontaneous intracranial hemorrhages." During Michael Peterson's 2003 trial, Ratliff's. Elizabeth was just 43 years old when she died on November 27, 1985. Ratliff, a. In her opinion, the seven lacerations on her head indicated blunt force trauma. When Elizabeth Ratliff's body was exhumed from a Texas grave and autopsied by the North Carolina medical examiner's office in 2003, it was determined she had been murdered. [35] The judge sentenced him to a maximum of 86 months in prison, with credit for time previously served. Im also sure as he is a master storyteller, that he convinced himself the story he told was the truth and his mind believed it, thus giving his consciousness the ability to feel he was innocent and then able to act the part of the victim as well. The author's ex-wife Patty maintains that their relationship was platonic and that her ex-husband is innocent. Pollard subsequently filed affidavits[23] to support a motion that Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson order the state Medical Examiner's Office to turn over all documentation related to Kathleen's autopsy to Peterson's attorneys. Everyone has a voice and should feel proud and free to run with their ideas, enjoying their successes and journey with us. Elizabeth Ratliff, a friend of the Petersons, who died in Germany in 1985, had also been found dead at the foot of her staircase with injuries to the head. Her life was thus incredibly different from her Rhode Island farm upbringing, especially as shed eventually found herself working at an elementary school at the Rhein-Main Air Force Base in West Germany. The autopsy report found that Elizabeth Ratliff had died in 1985 from “blunt force trauma to the head” by a “homicidal attack,” rather than of a brain hemorrhage while . But they need to put themselves in their shoes, think if you already came from a broken home, wouldnt you try to believe in every last possibility that your parent could not do something so horrific, even if similar circumstances also involved that parent many years before? He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in October 2003. On November 25, 1985 Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of her staircase with injuries to her head. How Accurate Is 'The Staircase' on HBO Max? - Newsweek Elizabeth Ratliff and her husband, George Ratliff, were close friends of Michael Peterson and his first wife Patricia Peterson when they lived in Germany in the 1980s. He was sentenced to time already served and freed. Forensic neuropathologist Jan Leestma testified Kathleen Peterson had likely sustained four blows to the head, not seven as the medical examiner testified. Peterson also worked as a newspaper columnist for The Herald-Sun, where his columns became known for their criticism of police and of Durham County district attorney James Hardin Jr., who would later prosecute Peterson for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen. Elizabeth's updated autopsy report indicated that she died from homicidal assault. Peterson's lawyers took issue with the examiner's assessment. The coroner determined that she fell down the stairs after the brain bleed caused her immediate demise. So much so, that Elizabeth Ratliff's body was exhumed and a second post mortem carried out by the Durham Medical Examiner. Just like with Peterson's wife Kathleen, she suffered lacerations to the head which were attributed to her fall. The trial drew increasing media attention as details of Peterson's private life emerged. "[8], The defense argued that Kathleen accepted Michael's bisexuality and that the marriage was very happy, a position supported by Michael and Kathleen's children and other friends and associates. Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. Elizabeth Ratliff Autopsy - 4 Michael moved back to the United States, taking his adopted daughters with him, and met Kathleen Peterson in 1986. A second autopsy was performed by the same medical examiner who had done Kathleen Peterson's autopsy. Or anyone else for that matter-NO ONE knows exactly what someone has in their home-their own or someone elses) he then went into self-preservation mode-his mind took him back to what happened with Elizabeth Ratliff and so he carried Kathleen or even helped guide her up the stairs, if she was still conscious, telling her he would help her and not to worry, however after climbing a certain amount of stairs, he then ended up heaving her down the stairs. Those who were there in the aftermath of Elizabeth's death were called as witnesses, and the the state pathologist took to the stand to confirm Elizabeth Ratliff had sustained similar injuries to the ones Kathleen Peterson suffered. [28][29][30] Former North Carolina Attorney General Rufus L. Edmisten said that any evidence gathered after Deaver arrived at the scene might be deemed inadmissible in a new trial. Despite speculation that Peterson may have killed Elizabeth Ratliff 16 years before Kathleen's death, something he has always strongly denied, the prosecution in Michael Peterson's trial didn't accuse Peterson of being responsible for Elizabeth Ratliff's death. Both Peterson and his wife raised his two daughters, Margaret and Martha,as if they were their own. But as Michael, again could not have this harmful information that could ruin his reputation get out, he flew into a rage again striking Kathleen as she was headed out the door, thus leaving the drops of blood on the porch which was what initially led to the owl theory (an owl latched onto Kathleens head with its sharp talons-crazy I know). So is Michael Peterson guilty? True story behind The Staircase: The marriage of Michael and Kathleen The Durham M.E. Together, Elizabeth and George Ratliff had two daughters, Margaret and Martha Ratliff, who Michael Peterson would adopt following their deaths. I do not think that the girls could mentally handle it if they allowed their minds to go to the place of believing he did it. Michael's adopted daughters also believe that he did not kill their biological mother. The. At the age of 43, Elizabeth Liz Ratliff had created a good life for herself as a teacher for military children, signifying that she often got the chance to travel across the globe for work. Scan this QR code to download the app now. Elizabeth Holmes has 11-year jail sentence delayed, Woman leaves husband over 'inattentive parenting', Women awoke to naked man beside her on the train, Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. The autopsy report concluded that the 48-year-old woman sustained a matrix of severe injuries, including a fracture of the superior cornu of the left thyroid cartilage and seven lacerations to the top and back of her head, consistent with blows from a blunt object, and had died from blood loss ninety minutes to two hours after sustaining the injuries. He was released on bond in 2011 pending a retrial. 1987-United States-Michael and Patty have now since divorced (funny how so soon after this all happened) And in the divorce, the Petersons boys went with Patty while the Ratliff girls remained with Michael. We anticipate change, identify future opportunities and are excited by the potential that tomorrow brings. Elizabeth's death is a tragedy, but whether it was brought upon by an ill-fated accident or contemptuous murder, we'll never know. There are theories he had been in an illicit relationship with Elizabeth, although this is something his first wife Patty strenuously denies. Sixteen years prior, Ratliff's birth. In the documentary, Michael remembers he and his then-wife, Patricia, had dinner at the Ratliff home and he stayed behind to help Elizabeth put Martha and Margaret to. 'The Staircase': Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? - Collider Clayton and Todd later also joined their father. I believe that Kathleen excused herself to go get ready for a meeting the next morning. Well do everything we can to see you thrive and grow. Instead, they used her death as an example of an incident that could have helped him "fake" Kathleen's accident. So much so, that the court in Durham ordered the exhumation of Ratliff's body from her grave in Texas. Elizabeth Ratliff Autopsy - 4 Autopsy Report -- Elizabeth Ratliff The Staircase Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? - Collider The medical examiner found Kathleen Peterson and Elizabeth Ratcliffe suffered similar blows to the head, including seven lacerations which were sustained by blunt force trauma. r/TheStaircase - Michael Peterson killed Elizabeth Ratcliff and While there, Peterson was president of Sigma Nu fraternity and was editor of The Chronicle, the daily student newspaper, from 1964 to 1965. At its heart was a seemingly perfect marriage. The similarities between the deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson raised eyebrows among the Durham authorities. Peterson's attorneys had determined that the SBI crime lab report listed a microscopic owl feather and a wooden sliver from a tree limb entangled in a clump of hair that had been pulled out by the roots found clutched in Kathleen's left hand. It's believed that Michael was the last. WildBlue Press", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Peterson_trial&oldid=1152187173, 20th-century American non-fiction writers, United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War, American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, Duke University Trinity College of Arts and Sciences alumni, Overturned convictions in the United States, People convicted of murder by North Carolina, Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by North Carolina, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Motion for new trial denied by Durham County Superior Court on March 10, 2009, "The Staircase Murders" - 2007 TV Movie written by Aphrodite Jones, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 18:49.
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