An autopsy on the body of Elizabeth Ann McKee Ratliff, 43, was performed by the state medical examiner's office April 16 at the request of Durham District Attorney Jim Hardin, who contends that. Rudolf is highly skeptical of the documentary crew following their every move but eventually has to relent. Michael Peterson and his first wife, Patricia Peterson, were among the many people who filled the foyer that Monday morning 18 years ago, the witness testified. } else if ( host.indexOf("asia.cnn.com") != -1 ) { In the footage, Michael also admits Kathleen never knew about his affairs with men or that he was bisexual. Elizabeth now feeling frustrated and not wanting to continue being alone with 2 small children told him she was going to go tell his wife that her daughter Margaret was Michael's daughter (as you can see the incredible similarities between she and Michael as well as his boys Todd & Clayton with Patty) https://flic.kr/p/JR7p1K 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. "Her injuries are indicative of multiple blunt force impacts". And you can quote me on that. DA Hardin and ADA Black really hammer home that they found it difficult to believe that Kathleen knew anything about this, alleging that upon discovery of photos and messages on his computer, it led to a confrontation that ended in Michael brutally beating Kathleen to death at the bottom of the staircase. A quick recap for those who arent familiar with the case: He wasconvicted of first-degree murder in 2003 and spent nearly a decade behind bars. 11 hours ago, by Monica Sisavat As both their families grew, so did the bonds between them. There is also an alternate theory put forth by Petersons neighbor Larry (Joel McKinnon Miller) that Kathleen was viciously attacked by an owl. (We dont know if this is factual or just a dramatized coincidence.) Investigators exhumed her grave in Bay City, TX. He hires David Rudolf (Michael Stuhlbarg) whose price tag is as big as his reputation. Peterson agreed to an Alford plea, which enables him to maintain his innocence in the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001. Despite a large amount of blood, witness Cheryl Appel-Schumacher testified Monday, Ratliff's death didn't pique the interest of German and U.S. investigators, and they left the house without the body and without taking any photographs. Editor Sophie Brunet (Juliette Binoche) finds herself so entranced with Peterson she begins reaching out to him via letters to prison. At least, until tragedy struck. He was sentenced to time already served and freed from prison. Sophie remained the editor for several months on the out-of-court stuff. 1 week ago, by Joely Chilcott defense lawyer Thomas Maher asked. Who was Elizabeth Ratliff, and how did her 1985 death become part of Michael Peterson's trial? 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). Why would you do that just to sort of create a negative impression about Michael Peterson?". Todd, who has always been the responsible one, starts to unravel under the pressure of the trial. There are theories he had been in an illicit relationship with Elizabeth, although this is something his first wife Patty strenuously denies. Michael and his ex-wife, Patty (Trini Alvarado), had become the legal guardians of Margaret and Martha after both of their parents died. Peterson had been at her house the night before her death. In 1985, a few years after George Ratliff's death, Elizabeth was found at the bottom of the stairs by the nanny, Barbara Malagnino. But . However, he maintains adamantly that Kathleens death was an accident. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? The medical examiner rules that the cause of death was blunt force trauma. Warning: This article contains spoilers about The Staircase on HBO Max. First, her death was ruled natural After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. We charge Michael a fee for the trial. 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. 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. When watching The Staircase, it might be hard to keep track of the complicated Peterson family tree. "For another year, she was gone. She filed a . Elizabeth now feeling frustrated and not wanting to continue being alone with 2 small children told him she was going to go tell his wife that her daughter Margaret was Michaels daughter (as you can see the incredible similarities between she and Michael as well as his boys Todd & Clayton with Patty). He was sentenced to time already served and freed from prison. "It was a platonic relationship," she told documentary makers. At the hearing for the Alford plea, the courtroom is noticeably less full. "My opinion is that this is the scene of a beating, that this scene is not unlike many scenes I've been to," Deaver concluded. In shock of what just transpired, Michael returned home where he would await news of Liz being found dead. 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 couples lived close; just down the road from each other in the town of Graefenhausen. 1 day ago, by Njera Perkins 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. The Staircase launches on Netflix on 8 June. Appel-Schumacher said the blood was mostly on a wall adjacent to the staircase and it stretched from the top landing to the bottom. Michael is having a rough time in prison. OR after heaving her down the stairs to make sure she indeed was dead, struck her again a few times with the same item as at the front door-he may not even have had to hit her fast, he could do it more slowly which would not end up leaving castoff on the ceiling, which was an issue at the trial-if he had struck her surely there would be castoff on the ceiling, but they were figuring on it being done in a fast frenzy-he then changed clothing and got rid of the clothing and the item he struck her with. In her opinion, the seven lacerations on her head indicated blunt force trauma. Although the original autopsy concluded Ratliff died of a brain aneurysm, the coincidence of Peterson being the last known person to see two different women alive before they both wound up dead. Story goes there was a lot of blood at the scene of Liz's death, according to the three women who testified at the trial I'm too old. In April 2003, a second autopsy was carried out by a Durham medical examiner, who concluded Ratliff's cause of death was "homicide." Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! They were 2 and 1 years old when Ratliff died. Although Ratliff lost a lot of weight and mourned her husband's death deeply, Appel-Schumacher said Ratliff's mood lifted during 1985. Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's The Staircase alludes to the haunting centre of novelist Michael Peterson's infamous murder case. 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. 13 hours ago, by Chanel Vargas Together, they go to the Durham Herald Christmas Ball. A retrial is granted, and Michael is released from prison and sentenced to house arrest with an ankle bracelet. , Awesome, Youre All Set! The North Carolina medical examiner performed a second autopsy and concluded that Ratliff was beaten to death and that the German authorities missed the signs. 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. The Scene of Her Death. Michael, a Vietnam War vet, bonded with Elizabeth's husband George, who was a captain in the military. Furious she confronts Michael with her findings. Tragedy struck, however, in 1983, when Elizabeth's husband George was killed in a secret military operation overseas. The similarities between the deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson raised eyebrows among the Durham authorities. Killen ordered attack on civil rights worker, jury hears, Father convicted of murdering 9 of his children, Gov. During her testimony, Appel-Schumacher told Hudson that Ratliff was happily married to George Ratliff, who died in a secret military operation overseas in 1983, and was devastated when he died. He said: "I went to Germany, I investigated that whole thing. They call him "Dad" and have supported him without wavering since the second woman they called "Mom"--Kathleen Peterson--was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Wouldnt it make more sense to leave them with a relative.unless Elizabeth wanted Michael to know and raise his daughter along were her sister together. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. if ( host.indexOf("europe.cnn.com") != -1 ) { The family gathers in the courtroom for the retrial hearing. Occasionally wiping tears from her eyes, Appel-Schumacher testified about the large amount of blood she and her husband cleaned up after Ratliff's body was moved. After Kathleen's death, her two sisters, Candace (Rosemarie DeWitt) and Lori (Maria Dizzia) firmly believe Michael at first, but quickly switch sides, along with Caitlin, and stand with the prosecution. he spits. Michael had also been caught in a lie in the press when he claimed he won a Purple Heart in Vietnam when he had not. When he separated from his wife, he brought his sons and the Ratliff children to the United States. His analysis of the crime scene suggested that most of the blood splatter on the . The defense will cross-examine Deaver Tuesday. DURHAM, North Carolina (Court TV) -- Author Michael Peterson is charged with killing his wife in their home here 18 months ago, but it was the death of a neighbor in Germany 18 years ago that took center stage at Peterson's first-degree murder trial Monday. So why would you? Although she died in 1985, the death of Elizabeth Ratliff played a key role in Michael Peterson's trial after he was accused of murdering his wife Kathleen Peterson on December 9, 2001. What we do know is that he was found guilty of the first degree murder of his wife, Kathleen. Its construction of the case emphasized prejudicial aspects, like the judge allowing evidence of Ratliff's death, which a state medical examiner also deemed a homicide, and the prosecution exposing Peterson's sex life so as to use jurors' potentially anti-gay attitudes against him. It was after she left the project that she first sent him a letter. The prosecutors have also hypothesized that Elizabeths perplexing 1985 passing inspired Michael to fake Kathleens accident in 2001, yet there has never been any direct evidence to back it up. They wanted to reassess her injuries, to make sure her death really was the tragic accident it had been accepted as for 17 years. The coroner determined that she fell down the stairs after the brain bleed caused her immediate demise. , Let's Break Down The Staircase's Deeply Frustrating 13 Episodes, The "Bel-Air" Cast Weren't Surprised by the Show's Success: "A Huge 'I Told You So' Moment", "Outer Banks" Had No Business Making Rafe Look This Fine With a Buzz Cut, Jazz Catches Hilary in a Lie in This Exclusive "Bel-Air" Season 2 Sneak Peek, Selena Gomez Says She Avoided Her "Wizards of Waverly Place" Costars After Series Due to Shame, "The Last of Us" Stars Storm Reid and Bella Ramsey Hit Back at Homophobes: "Don't Like It, Don't Watch", Jessica Chastain Tripped Over Her Dress at the SAG Awards, but It Didn't Take Away From Her Big Win, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "Because I know all aspects of his personality. Colin Firth & Toni Collette on 'The Staircase' and What They Hope Audiences Take Away From It. The SBI, the organization that recreated the crime scene, is placed under investigation for unethical practices, which opens up another opportunity for an appeal in Michael's case. Upon examination, forensic pathologist Deborah Radisch, who also worked on Kathleen's case, said that Elizabeth's injuries were inconsistent with an accident. Three, she never wrote to Michael while she was working on the project, never ever, ever. . Elizabeth was just 43 years old when she died on November 27, 1985. document.write('Tuesday, August 19, 2003 Posted: 10:40 AM EDT (1440 GMT)
<\/span>'); Nearly two decades before Michael's wife, Kathleen, was found lifeless at the bottom of a staircase, there was a woman named Elizabeth Ratliff, whose death would become crucial to the prosecution's story. Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. The Innocence Project gets involved and approaches Freda Black, now working at a dry cleaner, for information. Three episodes in, drops a major bombshell: Peterson was the last person to see another woman who was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in Germany in 1985. Prosecutors say the similarities are too many to be coincidental. Rudolf first took issue with some of the smaller details in the series. Peterson has to hire a high-powered defense team for his trial. He paid that, or his brother paid it and that was it. Just four days before her death, she was complaining of severe headaches. Kathleen even has a brief run-in with Freda Black. She was found by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino, who sought help from Patty shortly after making the grim discovery. He has since insisted she was completely okay when he walked out the door, yet the following morning, the girls nanny found her dead at the bottom of the stairs Elizabeth passed away on November 25, 1985. Michael placed two 911 calls, and emergency services attended the scene soon after. Elizabeth Ratliff's children Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore and Martha Ratliff. Michael, a Vietnam War vet, bonded with Elizabeth's husband, George, who was a captain in the military. two adorable daughters into their lives Margaret and Martha Ratliff. Michael Peterson took charge of all the details, and friends of Elizabeth Ratliff were grateful that he did, she said. 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. Since his guilty conviction, much has happened in Michael Peterson's case, from a retrial in 2011 to being officially released from prison in 2017 after entering an Alford Plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. Rudolf pointed out how in one scene, Peterson's brother is seen selling the Peterson family belongings in order to pay for his appeal, an "offensive" detail Rudolph wants to correct. As Todd tries to explain social media followers to Clay and Martha finally comes out to Margaret, the family tries desperately to maintain a sense of normalcy. The prosecution also discovers that back when Michael and Patty lived in Germany, Michael found ANOTHER woman at the bottom of a staircase Elizabeth Ratliff, the biological mother of Margaret and Martha. 1 week ago, Here's the OTHER Death at the Centre of Netflix's The Staircase, A Tragic Twist in Part 2 of the "The Last of Us" Video Game Could Tease What's to Come on the Show, 12 Bone-Chilling Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix Now, Selena Gomez Says She Avoided Her "Wizards of Waverly Place" Costars After Series Due to Shame, Eugene Levy Says a "Schitt's Creek" Movie Is Very Possible: "We're Open to Anything", "The Last of Us" Stars Storm Reid and Bella Ramsey Hit Back at Homophobes: "Don't Like It, Don't Watch", Jessica Chastain Tripped Over Her Dress at the SAG Awards, but It Didn't Take Away From Her Big Win. At the time of the exhumation, Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, requested that a "neutral" pathologist from Texas carry out the second autopsy. On the night of her death, Todd pops by and sees Michael and Kathleen watching a movie and having a lovely evening together. Clayton has been in some trouble in the past, but has since been trying to turn his life around. 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? "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," Radisch concluded. 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). Their blended family included Michaels two sons from his first marriage, Clayton Peterson (Dane DeHaan) and Todd Peterson (Patrick Schwarzenegger), Kathleens daughter from her first marriage, Caitlin Atwater (Olivia DeJonge), and Michael's two adopted daughters, Margaret Ratliff (Sophie Turner) and Martha Ratliff (Odessa Young). Did Michael Peterson Kill Elizabeth Ratliff? Inside, he and Kathleen have quite a makeup session after their own argument the night before at dinner. document.write('Tuesday, August 19, 2003 Posted: 1440 GMT
<\/span>'); Michael Peterson and his wife Kathleen were first married in 1997. In the end, Michael Peterson was convicted of murdering Kathleen Peterson. In April 2003, a second autopsy was carried out by a Durham medical examiner, who concluded Ratliff's cause of death was "homicide". In 2001, Kathleen calls Candace to apologize for their argument over Thanksgiving and Michael notices a bunch of owls above their home. He said they wanted the same medical examiner who claimed that Peterson's wife wasn't accidental to perform the autopsy rather than a neutral pathologist in Texas as he suggested. Since her husband's death, Peterson would come over to visit her every evening after dinner, according to "The Staircase." So much so, that the court in Durham ordered the exhumation of Ratliff's body from her grave in Texas. Additionally, at the beginning of each episode, there is a disclaimer stating the show is "a dramatization based on certain facts. What happened to Elizabeth Ratliff? Elizabeth's death is a tragedy, but whether it was brought upon by an ill-fated accident or contemptuous murder, we'll never know. Netflix's 'The Staircase': How did Elizabeth Ratliff really die? His appeal is rejected, but the documentary is a huge hit and renews interest in his case. When they meet, they fall in love, and she leads the charge on the Owl Theory. Michael's adopted daughters also believe that he did not kill their biological mother. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. She was found dead at the bottom of a staircase, Ratliff was found tilted sideways at the bottom of a wooden staircase inside her home, according to "The Staircase.". 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. Peterson lived next door to Ratliff when she died. The DAs case focuses mainly on Michael Petersons lifestyle. When the Petersons resided in Germany, Elizabeth had worked in the same school as Michael's then wife Patty. Seeing Margaret everyday no doubt caused her much stress and probably was the reason for many arguments that eventually led to the divorce. The jury finds Michael guilty and sentences him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. So Im sure there is some emotion heard in the 911 call, Im sure he did love Kathleen and Elizabeth. At the time, the German police ruled her death an accident and an autopsy concluded that she died of a brain hemorrhage. Stuhlbarg is seen above with Tim Guinee and Colin Firth in a scene from "The Staircase" in which the men prepare for Peterson's trial. Michael had two biological sons, Todd and Clayton, with his first wife, Patty. Todd, who used to be the responsible son, now seems to be falling apart as Clay, who used to be the irresponsible one, has fallen into the role of caretaker. 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. A few people have suspected an affair between Michael and Elizabeth turning sour as his motive for murder, but the novelists former wife Patricia has always vehemently backed him up. The 43-year-old died in 1985 in Germany, found at the bottom of her stairs by her children's nanny Barbara Malagnino. 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. I couldn't afford to live in Paris and my children, and grandchildren were in America," he said. The neighbour, Karin Hamn, testified that she saw MP hurrying away from ER's house at 12.50 am on November 25th. The nanny who found Elizabeth Ratliff's body in 1985 also took to the stand at Michael Peterson's murder trial and testified to witnesses about a large amount of blood at the scene. The critically acclaimed documentary of the same name came out in 2004 a few years after the trial and is now available to stream on Netflix, while this fictionalized version tells the tale of The. Just like with Peterson's wife Kathleen, she suffered lacerations to the head which were attributed to her fall. Some may criticize them as to why they cant see he did it. Newsweek has everything you need to know. If you've reached episode three of Netflix's latest true crime addition, The Staircase, you'll have discovered one of many plot twists in the documentary series. Appel-Schumacher recalled that Ratliff had a severe headache four days before she died, severe enough that she made an appointment to see a doctor the following week. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Patricia has always vehemently backed him up. Shortly after Michael and Patty married, Michael went to fight in Vietnam while Patty headed to the Rhein-Main Air Base near Frankfurt, where she worked as a second-grade teacher. 1 week ago, by Eden Arielle Gordon Repeating testimonythe judgeheardThursday and Friday without the jury being present, witness Peter "Duane" Deaver said he concluded that Kathleen Peterson was beaten with a blunt object and was struck a minimum of four times. Regardless, Rudolf believes the damage has been done, describing it as "defamation" towards Brunet and de Lestrade. Michael struggles with life outside of prison and sees his children are struggling as well. 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. It is unknown if their disagreement happened in real life. Now, if you wish to learn more about this nearly four-decade-old matter, including the undeniable suspicions surrounding the same, dont worry; weve got all the essential details for you. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The pair "had a loving, almost familial relationship," Patty described. The defense maintains that the deaths are only similar on the surface, and Peterson plans to prove that to the judge--and the jury, if he rules against them--if necessary. We didn't get paid anything for the appeal. Elizabeth's death was initially ruled an accident, but when her body was exhumed during the trial for a second autopsy in April 2003, the coroner found sufficient evidence to categorize it as a . 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