Powered by. In November of 1985, Michaels family had dinner with Elizabeth and her daughters, Margaret and Martha. A joke on the fact that she is not really his biological daughter? Given the evidence, it seems plausible that Michael Peterson murdered his wife Kathleen with his bare hands. DeJonge is also slated to star inBaz Luhrmann's ElvisbiopicportrayingPriscilla Presley. Cheek bones. Who Is John Dutton's Grandfather in '1923'? Caitlin would go on to file a wrongful death claim against Michael Peterson, and she was awarded $25 million in 2008. Basically twins. In another post, the poster says that there was discussion of Martha Blair adopting Martha but not Margaret who would stay with MP. (2013) Dateline NBC Self. I sat there and I was sort of waiting for my turn [laughs]. 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. Since then, Turner hasplayed Jean Grey in theX-Menfranchise andappeared in such moviesasBarely LethalandThe Thirteenth Tale. His, Todd's, and Margaret's very strong resemblance is what tipped the scales for me. I would prefer that all personal/private/intimate details be declared irrelevant and therefore off-limits for discussion. They did an inconclusive surreptitious one where they confiscated an apparent envelop Margaret allegedly licked. There, he and his first wife became good friends with George and Elizabeth Ratliff. David Rudolf served as Michael Peterson's defense attorney during his trial. After Peterson was freed in 2017, Caitlin's lawyer filed another complaint against him. I'm about 95% sure Michael is her real father. Apologies I just finished watching and maybe I missed something. "I'm trying to [pass on the way I grew up] to my kids. I only came upon the site last night, so I cant vouch for its credibility. While they all initially believed he was innocent, Kathleen's biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, changed her mind after reading her mother's autopsy report. Cosmopolitan also reported that Margaret married Neil Blakemore and goes by the name Margaret Blakemore now. I'm not sure if I heard any of this correctly so would love someone else's take on this. Michael drove Liz to the hospital when she was in labor with Margaret. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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). 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. 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. Yes. 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. Soon after that, Michael and Patricia split up. What the fuck?! Netflix's The Staircase might be listed as a true-crime documentary, but it's a tragic family drama above all else. Thanks to the Netflix series of the same name. Bringing out her birthday cake was tone deaf & weird AF, yes? Your IP: MP's sexual selection of women explains it. I knew what happened to my mom. 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. Unlike her stepsiblings, Caitlin did not stand by Michael's side. Strangely, she looks like him, like her bio mom and also like Peterson's first wife. Police said Peterson told 911 operators his wife had been injured in a fall. 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. CNN reported that Kathleen had been found at the foot of the stairs in the Peterson home with seven lacerations on the back of her head, bruising on her arms that might have been defensive wounds, and fractured thyroid cartilage in her throat that may have been a sign of attempted strangulation. Stuhlbarg has alsoplayedroles in various television series, including Sy Feltz inFargoand Richard Sackler inDopesick. 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. Both Margaret and Martha appeared frequently in interviews and documentaries in support of their father. 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. 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. In 2011, a judge found that testimony given by blood splatter analyst Duane Deaver at the original trial was false and misleading, as it focused only on the droplets that fit the defense's theory while failing to address the blood at the scene that didn't. The series follows the trial of Michael Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson, in 2003. "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." Though Martha and Margaret struggled with allowing their biological mother to be exhumed, the information didn't alter their opinion of Michael. 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. Why not just ask for a swab of her inner cheek like most DNA testers? But I wouldnt say I worry about my dad. Though neither young woman testified during the trial, they were both integral to the case, because the circumstances of their adoption were brought up by the prosecution to point towards Michael's possible guilt. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Maxs new series. Michael Peterson's adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, were front and center in The Staircase. I think the three Peterson brothers actually reference Margaret's genes the night before the verdic. He tried to stress that he was never engaged in extramarital relationships, only sex. The HBO show seems to portray her as the favorite daughter so far. Family (1) Spouse Neil Blakemore (? 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. Here is a cast and character guide. They always sat right behind their dad in the courtroom where he was being tried for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen. Because, call me a conspiracy nut but Clayton looks a LOT like Martha. It could have been Martha who licked it. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. District Attorney (now Judge) Jim Hardin said that her body had been there for roughly two hours (NBC). The true story confirms that he dated Sophie Brunet, who is portrayed by Juliette Binoche in HBO's The Staircaseseries. Her narrow eyes and thin long nose are IDENTICAL to Michael Peterson. He is at the pool, it's late evening. (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. Peterson was also a journalist, writing a column for Durham's Herald-Sun newspaper. However, he was given credit for time already served, which amounted to more than the sentence (98.5 months), so he was freed. Assistant North Carolina medical examiner Deborah Radisch determined that "the manner of death in Mrs. Ratliff's case was homicide," per CNN. [Elizabeth's death] happened 18 years ago, and our dad had nothing to do with it.". "My mom would be alive today if it weren't for my father," he said. Many opinions on this subject here. Afterspending some timeinprison for attempting to firebomb the Duke University administration building, Clayton got out of trouble and is now married with two children. where are Martha and Margaret Ratliff today? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Wait - there was a DNA test done in Margaret? However, the medical examiner determined that her blood alcohol level was so low she would have passed a breathalyzer test at the time of her death. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It's crazy sometimes . 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. The Staircase: A Complete Breakdown of the Peterson Family. From her first marriage to Fred Atwater, Kathleen had a daughter named Caitlin. 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. Shealso lent her voice to the HBO Max Original animated seriesThe Prince. So much so that several times watching this I forgot that she wasn't. Press J to jump to the feed. 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. Neither has public social media accounts, and many of the details of their personal lives are similarly private. I truly think the Germany link is KEY to this- I truly believe hes guilty. Kathleen's sister, Candace Zamperini, changed her mind about his innocence after learning of his bisexuality.More recently, Michael Peterson's son, Todd Peterson, released a video in December 2021 in which he states that he changed his mind about his father's innocence. No one else I've talked to agrees with me. It appeared as if Kathleen had used her hands to try and free her hair from her killer's hand. Related:Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem. Freda Black was the former Durham County prosecutor who served as the main prosecutor against Michael Peterson. Allegedly adopted children slightly take on the looks of those who raise them. How do we know if Margaret is the one who licked the envelope closed? The hemorrhage caused her to fall down the stairs. They always sat right behind their dad in the courtroom where he was. Since then, shehas appeared inmovies across a wide variety of genres, such asRian Johnson's KnivesOut, as well asLittle Miss SunshineandHereditary. She filed a wrongful death claim against Michael Peterson in October 2002. If true, this is something that must be weighed when evaluating the Germany murder.

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