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However as Kathleen was not having any of it, I believe she decided to storm out and go to a relatives house or even a hotel, just to get out as some people do in the onset of a huge argument-just need to get out even to go for a drive. While looking for something in the study or den, Kathleen either stumbled upon the emails exposing Michaels bisexual desires either on the computer or possibly a hard copy of something. Some may criticize them as to why they cant see he did it. 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. The exhumation of Elizabeth Ratliff. As we see in The Staircase, it's very clear that Michael Peterson is distressed at the thought of his family friend's body being dug up and re-examined. Why?? Just like with Petersons wife Kathleen, she suffered lacerations to the head which were attributed to her fall. 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. It took weeks for all the blood to be cleaned up, according to "The Staircase. When he separated from his wife, he brought his sons and the Ratliff children to the United States. Hardin and his prosecution team (among them Mike Nifong) attacked Peterson's credibility, focusing on his alleged misreporting of his military service and what they described as a gay life he led and kept secret. "[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. Shortly before Elizabeth passed away, George died of a heart attack during the US invasion of Grenada. It's believed that Michael was the last. Elizabeth Ratliff, Mike Peterson's friend, was found dead at the bottom of a staircase. He pleaded not guilty. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Our people are our strength, and our differences are celebrated. "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.". 'The Staircase': Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? - Collider [31] In July 2014, Peterson's bond restrictions were eased.[32]. The staircase in Germany where Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead, Michael Peterson with Elizabeth Ratliffs daughter, Martha. 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). [22], In August 2010, following a series of newspaper articles critical of the SBI, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper led an investigation which resulted in the suspension of SBI analyst Duane Deaver, one of the principal witnesses against Peterson, after the report found his work among the worst done on scores of flawed criminal cases. U.S. Army doctor Dr. Larry A. Barnes carried out an autopsy on Elizabeth and confirmed that a cerebral haemorrhage was her cause of death. All Rights Reserved. 'The Staircase': Money, Sex and Secrets - ABC News What we do know is that he was found guilty of the first degree murder of his wife, Kathleen. The body was then transported from Texas to Durham. Like Peterson, Ratliff was found at the bottom of her stairs with injuries to her head. On February 24, 2017, Peterson entered an Alford plea (a guilty plea entered because sufficient evidence exists to convict him of the offense, but the defendant asserts innocence) to the voluntary manslaughter of Kathleen. Although the 13-part programme centres around the mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson at her home in Durham, North Carolina, she wasn't the only woman linked to Michael Peterson to have been found dead at the bottom of a staircase. So much so, that the court in Durham ordered the exhumation of Ratliff's body from her grave in Texas. Noticing the uncanny similarities with Kathleen's case, prosecutors took a closer look at Elizabeth's death in 2003. As Peterson was the only person at the residence at the time of Kathleen's death, he was the prime suspect and was soon charged with her murder. "There was no pool of blood.". ", "Novelist convicted of first-degree murder in wife's staircase death", Novelist Convicted of Beating Wife to Death, Three affidavits support Peterson's murderous owl theory, "Episode 1: Animal Instincts (1.31.2014)", Attorney wants owl theory reconsidered in Peterson murder case, "North Carolina vs Michael Peterson - Motion for order allowing transport of microslide to expert for inspection and testing", "DURHAM: Attorney forbidden from filing Michael Peterson motions | Crime", "Troubled SBI agent Duane Deaver fired - Politics - NewsObserver.com", Judge says Peterson must keep wearing ankle bracelet. I believe they had been around Michael long enough to possibly take on his ability of telling stories, the more they told themselves he did not do it or that he could not have done it, the more they believed it. 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. Elizabeth's Ratliff's sudden death in November 1985 became of great significance in the case against Michael Peterson during his trial for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. With two young children (Martha, the youngest, was just months old when her father passed away), Elizabeth relied on Michael and Patty's support more than ever. A+E Networks EMEA is an amalgamation of A+E Networks UK, Germany, Italy, Poland, Nordics, Benelux, Spain and Africa. [4][37][38], In November 2012, de Lestrade released a sequel, The Staircase 2: The Last Chance, which premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. When he separated from his wife, he brought his sons and the Ratliff children to the United States. The Staircase airs Thursdays on HBO Max and Sky Atlantic. 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. "I looked around and there was a lot of blood on the floor. But most of all, we will support you to develop and grow throughout your time with us. In her opinion, the seven lacerations on her head indicated blunt force trauma. Furious she confronts Michael with her findings. Several similarities exist between the death of Elizabeth Ratliff in Germany in 1985 and the subject of this trial, which is the death of Kathleen Peterson in Durham, North Carolina in 2001. Elizabeth Ratliff Autopsy - 4 His release on bond followed a judicial order for a new trial after Judge Hudson found that Deaver had given "materially misleading" and "deliberately false" testimony about bloodstain evidence, and had exaggerated his training, experience, and expertise. 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of theTerms and Conditions. The Durham M.E. [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. Autopsy Report Reveals Ratliff Was Homicide Victim - WRAL.com [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. Down The Staircase After Affair Uncovered | by Edward Anderson - Medium After receiving permission from Elizabeth's mother and sister, authorities went ahead with the exhumation. She continued: "Rather, they are indicative of multiple blunt force impacts, either from blows to the head caused by a blunt object or by the head being forcibly struck against a hard surface. Either of these scenarios give him time, time in which the blood to dry to the point it did when the EMTs got there and noticed it was not wet as it should be, had it just happened. T he death of Elizabeth Ratliff was brought into the Peterson case. George and Elizabeth's daughters, Margaret and Martha - now orphaned - were taken in by Michael and Patty, and the expanded family continued as normal until the parents split the following year. The defense countered these claims, arguing that half of Elizabeth's brain was missing during the new autopsy and pushing against the idea that Michael was the last person to see her alive. Peterson's case is the subject of the French documentary miniseries The Staircase, which started filming soon after his arrest in 2001 and followed events until his eventual Alford plea in 2017. Now at this time a few things couldve happened-whatever he struck her with at the front door, he now needed to get rid of, so as she lay dying at the bottom of the stairs, he changed out of any bloodied clothes and got rid of them with the item he struck her with. Investigators exhumed her grave in Bay City, TX. Elizabeth Ratliff -- "Soupons" -- Maha Documentary 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. The Creators Weigh In, The Bizarre True Story Behind Rachel Weisz's "Dead Ringers" Remake. After Vietnam, retired Marine Captain Michael joined Patty in Germany and the couple quickly became good friends with Elizabeth Ratliff and her husband George, also a Captain in the military. In response, Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, argued he had never seen such inflammatory wording used in an autopsy before. 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). Jurors Hear About Deaths Of Kathleen Peterson, Elizabeth Ratliff - WRAL.com Why I believe Michael Peterson killed Elizabeth Ratliff - Reddit Elizabeth Ratliff, 43, was a close Peterson family friend who died in Germany in 1985. It wasn't until after Kathleen's death in December 2001 that the circumstances surrounding Elizabeth Ratliff's fall and subsequent death were re-evaluated. [26] A bloodstain-analysis team that Deaver had trained was suspended and disbanded. Some speculate that Michael shared an illicit affair with Elizabeth. Registered in England 112955. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) 4 days ago, by Chanel Vargas Thus, all we can positively state is, whatever the case may be, both Elizabeth and Kathleens deaths were simply tragic. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by. As Peterson was being investigated for the staircase death of his wife in the early 2000s, Ratliffs body was exhumed in Texas in 2003. Together, Elizabeth and George Ratliff had two daughters, Margaret and Martha Ratliff, who Michael Peterson would adopt following their deaths. 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. There they befriended Elizabeth and George Ratliff and their two children, Margaret and Martha. Scan this QR code to download the app now. According to their analysis, the lacerations were not consistent with blows of any sort, because there was a lack of underlying injury, such as skull fractures or bruising, swelling and hemorrhaging of the brain. He was granted a new trial in 2011, which was scheduled to begin in May 2017. However, it was carried out by Durham-based state pathologist Dr. Deborah L. Radisch. Learning is part of the journey at A+E Networks EMEA and youll be offered personal and professional development opportunities throughout your career with us. It was one of America's most gripping murder trials of the last two decades. The 43-year-old died in 1985 in Germany, found at the bottom of her stairs by her children's nanny Barbara Malagnino. . 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. 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. [39][40] The film documents Peterson's family and his legal team's arguments in seeking a retrial, in which they succeed.[41]. But two years after George's death, as if the Ratliff family hadn't suffered enough trauma, Elizabeth too was found dead - at the bottom of the staircase at her home in Germany. There was a lot of blood on the walls . Years later, during the 1999 Durham mayoral election, Peterson claimed he had been awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Valor, and two Purple Hearts. 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. The Staircase Murder of Kathleen Peterson: What Really Caused Her Death 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. But, in February, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. After her passing, Michael adopted Elizabeth's two daughters, Martha and Margaret. Netflix's 'The Staircase': How did Elizabeth Ratliff really die? Just four days before her death, she was complaining of severe headaches. Odessa Young and Sophie Turner as Elizabeth Ratliff's daughters Martha and Margaret. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. When Elizabeth Ratliff died in 1985, Michael became the guardian of her two children. The Netflix series, originally a documentary produced by a French company, examines his original trial. The owl did it, and other reasons true crime fans love The Staircase - Vox Shortly before Elizabeth passed away, George died of a heart attack during the U.S. invasion of Grenada. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. I do feel that Michael was in a bit of shock as to what happened, it probably all happened very fast as it did back in 1985 with Liz. At the time, the German police ruled her death an accident and an autopsy concluded that she died of a brain hemorrhage. The deceased's injuries were "inconsistent with a fall down a set of stairs", state pathologist wrote in her report. But, in February, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. Peterson was housed at the Nash Correctional Institution near Rocky Mount until he was released on December 16, 2011. "It was a platonic relationship," she told documentary makers. 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. ), I believe Michael and Elizabeth were upstairs in her home, possibly having a romantic interlude, when the conversation turned more serious as Elizabeth asked Michael to leave his wife (Patty) at the time. The defense would go on to use Elizabeth Ratliff's death as part of their case against Michael Peterson, which also led to tensions within his own family, particularly between his adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff. Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's The Staircase alludes to the haunting centre of novelist Michael Peterson's infamous murder case. The defense disputed this theory. In shock of what just transpired, Michael returned home where he would await news of Liz being found dead. A Complete Timeline of The Staircase's Michael Peterson Murder Case When Elizabeth Ratliff died in 1985, Michael became the guardian of her two children. SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, Secret Chinese Police Stations in Europe Are 'Tip of the Iceberg', Trump's Attorney Just Blew Carroll Rape Case, King Charles Says Royals Require 'Acting Ability', Ukraine Will Regain 'Significant Territory' From Russia, Florida GOP Paves the Way to Help Ron DeSantis Challenge Trump. Netflixs new series The Staircase chronicles the trial of author Michael Peterson, whose wife Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her Durham, North Carolina home in November 2001. However, things changed once her embalmed body was exhumed nearly two decades later, in April 2003. The medical examiner, Deborah Radisch, concluded that Kathleen had died from lacerations of the scalp caused by a homicidal assault. Seeing Margaret everyday no doubt caused her much stress and probably was the reason for many arguments that eventually led to the divorce. "I've read 260 autopsies from blunt trauma to the head, and never once did I see any of your people say the inflicted trauma is clearly from a homicidal assault," Rudolf is heard saying in the documentary. 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. Both subsequently broke off from the rest of the family. AETNUK. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Patty described what she saw when she entered the house. She was found by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino, who sought help from Patty shortly after making the grim discovery.. At the time, her death was investigated by the U.S. military police in Germany and an autopsy concluded she had died from an intracerebral hemorrhage. Peterson Trial: Germany death in 1985 ruled homicide | Raleigh News During the retrial hearing, SBI Assistant Director Eric Hooks testified that Deaver had written only 47 reports. found sufficient evidence drawn from the results of the second autopsy, along with new witness statements describing the scene,[10] to overturn the earlier findings and list Ratliff's cause of death as "homicide". They wanted to reassess her injuries, to make sure her death really was the tragic accident it had been accepted as for 17 years. Who was Elizabeth Ratliff, and how did her 1985 death become part of Michael Peterson's trial? 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. 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 . He had all the medals, but said he did not have the documentation for them. I believe that Patty suspected Michaels infidelity with Liz, and with the girls left to Michael, this probably only reinforced her suspicions. They were 2 and 1 years old when Ratliff died. Media reports explained this by suggesting he probably changed his clothes, but investigators determined very early that he had not. On December 9, 2001, Peterson called emergency services on 911, to report that he had just found Kathleen Peterson unconscious in their Forest Hills neighborhood home in Durham, North Carolina, and suspected she had fallen down "fifteen to twenty, I don't know" stairs. The last person believed to see her alive was Michael Peterson the night before when their families had dinner together in her home. So Im sure there is some emotion heard in the 911 call, Im sure he did love Kathleen and Elizabeth. Toxicology results showed that Kathleen's blood alcohol content was 0.07 percent (70mg/100mL), her alcohol in urine was 0.11 and she had taken between 5 and 15mg of Valium. Woman's death in Germany 18 years ago enters novelist's murder trial - CNN They fought and it turned physical. Following Kathleen's death, which didn't look much like the accident Michael Peterson made it out to be, police almost immediately zoned in on him as the prime suspect. [citation needed]. Once the jury left for the day, testimony turned to a death scene from 18 years ago in Germany. Whether our stories challenge and inspire intellectually or simply entertain, we know that we are making a positive contribution to our audiences across the many diverse regions and countries in the UK, Europe, The Middle East and Africa.