By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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?) In July 2018, Michaels lawyer throughout the trial, David Rudolf, sat down with Digital Spy for a candid interview about the case. In November of 1985, Michaels family had dinner with Elizabeth and her daughters, Margaret and Martha. 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. Neither has public social media accounts, and many of the details of their personal lives are similarly private. Yes. Michael and Patty, along with their young boys, reportedly resided in Germany for quite a while around the 1980s, where they befriended their . In 2002, she filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him, which they settled for $25 million in 2007. 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. Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret Ratliff, Clayton Peterson, and his wife and son. lol, I just made a thread titled "Margaret looks exactly like Clayton" then I saw this and deleted it. I did not believe until the jury clerk read the sentence that I would be convicted." They always sat right behind their dad in the courtroom where he was being tried for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen. It was reportedly covered in cobwebs and dust and had been unmoved for too long to have been the murder weapon. 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. His sons, Clayton and Todd, also appear in the show. The deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson were so similar that that prosecution had Ratliffs body exhumed during Michael Petersons trial in the death of Kathleen, and the nanny who discovered Ratliffs body testified against Peterson. I'm about 95% sure Michael is her real father. She was previously married to Neil Blakemore. Today, Margaret lives in California, and Martha lives in Colorado. 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. Collette has also earned a variety of awards throughout her career, including a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe. According to The News & Observer, Clayton now lives in Maryland with his wife and children, and Todd lives in Tennessee. Following his wife Kathleen Peterson's death, he pled not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder. After her death, Peterson raised Ratliff's two girls. Furthermore, the judge found that Deaver had exaggerated his professional experience and had lied a number of times before. And Michael jokes that "well, it's in the genes". In exploring how accurate is The Staircase on HBO Max, we confirmed that Peterson has never admitted to killing his wife Kathleen. They married five years later in 1997 and lived in the home until Kathleen Peterson's death in December 2001. So why does she look like him? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. How do we know if Margaret is the one who licked the envelope closed? 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Bringing out her birthday cake was tone deaf & weird AF, yes? 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. Perhaps to have all of the siblings together? Since then, shehas appeared inmovies across a wide variety of genres, such asRian Johnson's KnivesOut, as well asLittle Miss SunshineandHereditary. Click to reveal Thats not a definitive test considering the source isnt 100% for sure to have been Margarets DNA. Thanks to the Netflix series of the same name. But yeah I agree I think hes her father! Both Margaret and her husband. Minutes later, he called 911 a second time and stated that his wife was dead. Did he kill Liz's husband? However, underneath, that wasn't the case. MP's sexual selection of women explains it. I dont think he picks up on all social cues normally like most people do. 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. This response confuses me because Michaels first wife isnt blood related to himso how would that affect Margarets features being almost identical to Michael. Who Are Margaret and Martha Ratliff? Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a110e3c1ce407a7 Related:The Ripper: Does Netflix's True Crime Series Glorify Serial Killers? Aside from the obvious, striking, physical resemblance of Margaret to MP, Todd, and Clayton, here are five points that suggest that Margaret is MP's biological daughter. He continues to do so . - July 2016) (divorced) Trivia (4) Elder sister of Martha Ratliff. After Peterson was freed in 2017, Caitlin's lawyer filed another complaint against him. Would Margaret not concede or cooperate?..and that's why they did it that way? Lads. Michael and his first wife Patricia had been good friends with George and Elizabeth Ratliff throughout the 1980s, and George Ratliff died in a military operation in 1983. The HBO show seems to portray her as the favorite daughter so far. 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. 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. They did a DNA test. After his breakthrough role inA Serious Manin 2009, Stuhlbarg became well known for his performances in such movies asCall Me By Your Name andBest Picture winner The Shape of Water. Like her sister Margaret, Martha was not the biological daughter of the Petersons, but she too remains loyal to her adoptive father to this day. Here's what you need to know. Here is a look at how the real Michael Peterson, Kathleen Peterson, and other persons involved in the case compare physically to the actors portraying them in HBO Max'sThe Staircase. 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. Related:Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem. All I could do was sit there and tell myself that its really sad that she is so consumed by anger and hatred. According to his lawyer, David Rudolf, Peterson lives in Durham, North Carolina in a ground-floor apartment with no stairs. Cheek bones. As for Todd, little information is known about his whereabouts today. Why not just ask for a swab of her inner cheek like most DNA testers? (2007-2016) Yes. 's office pay an overdue BlockBuster Video bill for a rented copy of "America's Sweethearts." Pollard had not previously been involved in the case. 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. Michael, Kathleen, and their children toast to each otherseeming a happy, loving blended family. According to public record, Michael and Kathleen purchased their mansion in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham for $600,000 in 1992. Yes, The Staircase on HBO Max is based on a true story. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Soon after that, Michael and Patricia split up. There, he and his first wife became good friends with George and Elizabeth Ratliff. Therefore the children of the women he picks can look like him. This includes his popular 1990s novel A Time of War, which received interest from Hollywood. ", It remains unclear whether the BlockBuster bill was ever paid, who paid it or exactly how large the bill was. I have been thinking too, often times, a father's first daughter is a spitting image of him. But I wouldnt say I worry about my dad. Daisy Jones & The Six Is A Nostalgic Series Based On A Best-Selling Book, The 'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Trailer Is Finally Here & Fellas, It'll Give You Goosebumps, '1923' Will Deliver More Dutton Family Drama In Season 2 Of The 'Yellowstone' Prequel, 'Yellowjackets' Season 3 Is Officially Happening, What Parents Are Talking About Delivered Straight To Your Inbox, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. HBO Max's miniseries The Staircase details the death of Kathleen Peterson and the trial of her husband, Michael. While they all initially believed he was innocent, Kathleen's biological daughter, Caitlin Atwater, changed her mind after reading her mother's autopsy report. 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. Lead investigator, Art Holland was trying to find out if Ratliff, who was raised by Peterson, was his biological daughter, so he sent the letter to LABCORP to check Margaret Ratliff's DNA. 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). The point remains that it still is not definitive. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. I used to suffer a lot from really bad nightmares; I used to have really bad panic attacks in public spaces because of being in the trial, she said. Pinterest. Jean-Xavier de . This was the main motive that the prosecution argued. I was under the impression that it wasnt the same year Kathleen died. From what we can tell, Caitlin has done her best to move on from the past, but of course, she hasn't let go of her mother, her memories, or her legacy. Peterson admitted that he had affairs with both men and women when he was married to his first wife, Patricia Peterson. And why he originally only wanted to take Margaret in.. Its so fekking creepy. He tried to stress that he was never engaged in extramarital relationships, only sex. Defense attorney Mary Jude Darrow said that while it does appear that Kathleen Peterson's injuries could have been made by an owl's talons, "I would hate to risk my client's life or future on that argument." So could each kid be the result of parental swapping? She filed a wrongful death claim against Michael Peterson in October 2002. She had sustained a fracture to the superior cornu of the left thyroid cartilage of her throat, consistent with the type of wound a thumb could make if a hand had grabbed her throat to help control her head or try to strangle her. The drama series has stirred up a lot of controversy with the artistic license it takes, and the real Todd has opened up on social media recently about what it allegedly gets wrong about his family. What the fuck?! Caitlin Atwater, Clayton Peterson, Kathleen Peterson, Michael Peterson, Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore . Hewas by his father's side from the very beginning of the case, helping him navigate both the immediate aftermath of Kathleen's death and the trial process. where are Martha and Margaret Ratliff today? (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 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. Cosmopolitan also reported that Margaret married Neil Blakemore and goes by the name Margaret Blakemore now. What if they were swingers? Michael loved his wife and children, and for all intents and purposes lived an average life. Next:How Catching Killers Differs From Other True Crime Shows. Search Margaret and youll find a lot of posts about the undeniable resemblance between her and MP. After becoming the first woman to be accepted into the Duke University engineering program, shebecamea telecommunications executive. The Owl Theory was never heard in court and no motion for a new trial was filed because of it. Todd Peterson lives in Tennessee. In addition, Kathleen's prints were nowhere to be found on the two wine glasses that were sitting out on the kitchen counter next to a bottle of wine. The Staircase Self / Self - Michael Peterson's Adopted Daughter. Powered by. 'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Dropped Its First Trailer, 'Outer Banks' Season 4 Is Already In the Works, 'The Last of Us' Ep. Or was he her brother in law? 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.. Apologies I just finished watching and maybe I missed something. I sort of knew at some point she was going to turn her ire on me! As is portrayed in the HBO Max miniseries, the story was firstchronicled in a French documentary,also called The Staircase,whichwas later followed up whentwo new episodes were added to the original eight in 2013. He was later criticized for not answering all of the dispatcher's questions, which some say further points to his guilt in Kathleen Peterson's murder. 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. And first, Caitlin also believed in Michaels innocence. Martha and Margaret Ratliff, left, in an undated photo; Odessa Young and Sophie . 7: Caught in a Bad Romance, Brandon Sklenar is the Baddest Dutton of Them All, The 'Outer Banks' S3 Finale Is Intense as Hell. 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. Margaret Ratliff, Clayton Peterson, Todd Peterson, and Martha Ratliff in Dateline NBC (1992) Close. By that time in the mid-1980s, Michael's marriage to his first wife, Patricia Peterson, was in shambles. Per The News & Observer, Clay Peterson has two children and lives in Maryland. 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. Why? Candace Zamperini, Kathleens sister, does not believe that Michael is innocent. Although they did not share any biological children, their children from previous marriages and even a completely separate marriage allowed them to come together to form a family. Interesting reading. Freda Black was the former Durham County prosecutor who served as the main prosecutor against Michael Peterson. So much so that several times watching this I forgot that she wasn't. Prosecutors believe Mike Peterson not only killed his wife, but also Ratliff. At this point I don't know who anyone's kids are except that Margaret looks exactly like Liz as she gets older. Rosemarie DeWitt has appeared in many films and television series throughout her career, ranging from horror to comedy. Afterspending some timeinprison for attempting to firebomb the Duke University administration building, Clayton got out of trouble and is now married with two children. 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. Soon after that, Michael and Patricia split up. Michael apparently is attracted to people who resemble himself. 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The new HBO Max, we confirmed that Peterson has two children and lives in.. ' real Life Origins Create a Common True Crime series Glorify Serial Killers was n't case. Staircase details the death of Kathleen Peterson and the trial of her inner cheek like most people do happy loving... Now lives in Colorado first woman to be accepted into the Duke engineering! Crime Shows a wide variety of awards throughout her career, ranging from horror to comedy 2016 ) ( ). Michael apparently is attracted to people who resemble himself.. and that 's why they did it way! Motive that the prosecution argued received interest from Hollywood this point I do know. Too long to have been Margarets DNA in 2007 in an undated photo ; Odessa Young and Sophie against...