Clayton Peterson is Michael Peterson's eldest son. When Michael and Patricia moved to Germany in the 1980s, they were friends and neighbours with Margaret and Martha's parents, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. Related:Catching Killers Season 2 Avoids Netflix's Usual True Crime Mistake. My body and my whole nervous system will think that something like the trial is happening. Sophie Turner made her acting debut in 2011 playing Sansa Stark inGame of Thrones. Search Margaret and youll find a lot of posts about the undeniable resemblance between her and MP. Michael Peterson and his first wife, Patricia Peterson, were living in West Germany at the time. Family (1) Spouse Neil Blakemore (? So. Its so fekking creepy. Candace became an integral force in the case against Michael, even raising the possibility herself that the fire poker she had gifted her sister had been used as a murder weapon. Therefore, the plea to the reduced charge is the better option. Both Margaret and her husband. According to Michael, they did. Because, call me a conspiracy nut but Clayton looks a LOT like Martha. It is possible that the claw-like hook at the end of a blow poke could have torn into Kathleen Peterson's scalp without causing fractures to her skull, which are normally associated with a bludgeoning. One major presence is Todd Peterson, one of Michael's children from his first marriage, who is played by Patrick Schwarzenegger in the HBO show. Although DNA testing seems to show shes not his biological daughter, he might be especially caring toward her BECAUSE she reminds him of himself and hes a bit of a narcissist. However, his attorney David Rudolf denied that when speaking with the News and Observer, saying: Elizabeth's alleged murder remains unsolved, but the coincidences in both cases might have swayed the jury. An initial autopsy ruled her death an "accident." Initially, German officials ruled. Todd Peterson 5 of 35 Michael Peterson , Margaret Ratliff , Todd Peterson , Martha Ratliff , Jim Dornfried , and Mary Jude Darrow in WRAL Murder Trials (2003) People Michael Peterson , Margaret Ratliff , Todd Peterson , Martha Ratliff , Jim Dornfried , Mary Jude Darrow (2013) Dateline NBC Self. Netflix 5. Michael, Kathleen, and their five children. The next morning, the girls' nanny found Elizabeth's body at the bottom of the stairs. Todd Peterson with father Michael Peterson in an undated photo, left; Patrick Schwarzenegger as Todd on HBO's "The Staircase," right. -Inside the Staircase. The Bizarre True Story Behind 'The Staircase', Caitlin's lawyer filed another complaint against him, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. The analyst's tests were also found to have been carried out to confirm the defense's theory rather than uncover what most likely happened. Here's what you need to know. Many opinions on this subject here. It seems like if the fountain were turned off, he could have heard her call for help. In 2007, according to the AP, Atwater reached a $25 million wrongful death settlement, though he did not acknowledge any guilt in the case. Though Michael Peterson's adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, . Rudolf firmly believed in Michael's innocence, continuing to represent him long after his client could afford his services. In 2003, however, information related to Elizabeth Ratliff that was brought up in court persuaded her to think otherwise about her stepfathers role in her mothers death. At some point, the sons stop living with Patty. Harry Lynch File photo. Did novelist Michael Peterson batter his 'beloved' wife to death with a poker in their luxury mansion asks @BBC5livehttps://t.co/qNEnibgT3z pic.twitter.com/oyi0U6J264, Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) June 20, 2017. . "She took care of us," Martha says. The eldest of Michael and Kathleen Peterson's two adopted daughters, Margaret, now 36, got married in her late twenties and is now known as Margaret Blakemore. It was Elizabeth Ratliffs death, which occurred not long after George Ratliffs death, that became a turning point in Michaels case. 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. Though they had divorced decades ago, Michael and Patricia had been living together in an apartment for the two years up until her death. Rewatching the documentary Im really noticing that he seems obsessed with Margaret. Young is also known for playing Frannie Goldsmith in the recent television adaptation of Stephen King'sThe Stand. And shes incredibly cold and lacking in empathy for her birth mother to the point of saying she didnt care about the circumstances of her death. Yes. He is not the father, as Maury would say. Michael then married Kathleen. Apologies I just finished watching and maybe I missed something. Bringing out her birthday cake was tone deaf & weird AF, yes? She was neighbors with Peterson and his ex-wife and they adopted the girls after her death. Her Bio, Today, Biological Father, Husband, Michael Peterson Daughter, Age Now, Job, HBO Max's The Staircase! Peterson admitted that he had affairs with both men and women when he was married to his first wife, Patricia Peterson. Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. "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." Im at a talk by David Rudolph and he states that they had them DNA tested and he is NOT her father!!! Therefore the children of the women he picks can look like him. Margaret and Martha, who were in full support of their father throughout his trial, were adopted. Michael drove Liz to the hospital when she was in labor with Margaret. District Attorney (now Judge) Jim Hardin said that her body had been there for roughly two hours (NBC). At the time, it was determined that a cerebral hemorrhage caused her fall, but during Michael's trial her body was exhumed and autopsied again. Todd says that his father is not only responsible for Kathleen Peterson and Elizabeth Ratliff's deaths, he is also responsible for the death of Patricia Peterson, Todd's mother and his father's first wife who passed away in July 2021 after suffering a massive heart attack. Rudolph never questions if the fountain is ever turned off or if it was turned off that night. Though Martha and Margaret struggled with allowing their biological mother to be exhumed, the information didn't alter their opinion of Michael. I thought she looked like his biological daughter too. The HBO show seems to portray her as the favorite daughter so far. Emily is an avid fan of Marvel, anime, and horror (especially Stephen King), and is always willing to discuss Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Assistant North Carolina medical examiner Deborah Radisch determined that "the manner of death in Mrs. Ratliff's case was homicide," per CNN. 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. Margaret has a few IMDB credits to her name, having appeared as an actress in A Minority Report and Piranha-Man vs. Werewolf Man: Howl of the Piranha. Since then, her filmography has expanded to include roles insuch movies asA Million Little Pieces, Shirley,andThe Professor. Since MP picks women who looks like his mom, their children can look like his mom also. In 2009, the "Owl Theory" was introduced by a former neighbor of Michael Peterson, Durham attorney T. Lawrence Pollard, in an attempt to prove that Michael wasn't responsible for his wife Kathleen Peterson's death. The point remains that it still is not definitive. 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. I'm about 95% sure Michael is her real father. First, he stood trial for allegedly murdering her, and was convicted in 2003 and sentenced to life. The movie was rented on December 9, 2001. The hemorrhage caused her to fall down the stairs. The Kathleen Peterson murder case was also explored by a number of popular American true-crime television series, includingForensic Files, Dateline NBC, andCold Case. 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.. Since then, DeJonge has appeared insuch movies asThe VisitandBetter Watch Out, as well as the television seriesThe Society. He said that while he was married to Kathleen, his second wife, he only had affairs with men. Celebrity Net Worth reports that the sisters' loving father, Michael Peterson's net worth is $500k from his writing career. Todd dialed 911 within minutes of arriving on the scene. Making her debut in the 1990s, Collettegainedmainstream recognition for her role as Lynn Sear inThe Sixth Sense. June 22, 2018 Michael Peterson's adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, were front and center in The Staircase. At the time of the incident, Toddran a websitecalled Futazi, which provided advice on various topics to teenagers. In a 2021 video, Todd said that Kathleen once told Michael that she believed that people have three major romantic relationships during their lives as they age, and she indicated that she was currently in her second, implying that she and Michael would not remain together much longer. He killed Liz and adopted her daughters. DeWitt is best known for her roles in television series likeStandoff, in whichshe co-starred alongside her future husband, Ron Livingston, andThe United States of Tara. Would love your thoughts, please comment. The National Audubon Society explained that according to the theory, a Barred Owl, which is common in the area, became entangled in Kathleen's hair and its talons are what caused the lacerations to Kathleen's scalp. 'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Dropped Its First Trailer, 'Outer Banks' Season 4 Is Already In the Works, 'The Last of Us' Ep. I wholeheartedly believe she is Michael's biological daughter. She can be found on Twitter @ejclute. Michael Petersonappeared to be a happy and successful man. He was . I think the three Peterson brothers actually reference Margaret's genes the night before the verdic. Jack: With Margaret's height, be a show girl. Both Margaret and Martha appeared frequently in interviews and documentaries in support of their father. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Why? Caitlin Atwater, Clayton Peterson, Kathleen Peterson, Michael Peterson, Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore . Police said Peterson told 911 operators his wife had been injured in a fall. Related:Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem. Anyone have any theories as to whether or not she's actually a Peterson/potential motivation for the death (murder?) 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. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dane DeHaan has appeared in a variety of films and television series throughout his career. The outlet also reports Clay as saying it has been surreal to still be dealing with the question of whether his father is guilty or innocent. In exploring how accurate is The Staircase on HBO Max, we confirmed that Peterson has never admitted to killing his wife Kathleen. 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?) I thought that was the weirdest exchange Was he implying that Elizabeth had been a show-girl, or something of the sort? Candace has remained outspoken about her beliefs, appearing in frequent interviews and documentaries to tell her side of the story. especially when she is sitting behind him at a diagonal in court and you can really see their faces almost side by side. Allegedly adopted children slightly take on the looks of those who raise them. When a lifetime of fandom met a journalism degree, a ScreenRant writer was born. Since he is the son of his own mother, he can look like his mom. I just recently found out MP was friends with Tom Radliff (Liz's George's brother) and was still in touch with him at the time of Kathleen's death. The Petersons, by every account, were lively and loving: Michael, Kathleen, and her daughter by a previous marriage, Caitlin, Michael's two sons, Todd and Clayton, and their adopted daughters . The most baffling aspect, though, is that a similar 1985 demise of Elizabeth Ratliff is what led to Michael gaining custody of his daughters, Margaret and Martha Ratliff so lets find out more about them, shall we? 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. Unfortunately, owing to the way everything played out, as per Netflixs The Staircase, Martha began dealing with anxiety. 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. Kathleen had one biological daughter, Caitlin, and acted as an adoptive mother to Michael's two sons, Clayton and Todd. It could be as simple as that. Kathleen was only 48 years old when she died of blood loss at the bottom of the stairs in the Petersons' mansionin North Carolina. And why he originally only wanted to take Margaret in.. good friends with George and Elizabeth Ratliff. -Esquire, Copyright 2023 HistoryvsHollywood.com, CTF Media, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. "I'm trying to be my mother," Caitlin Clark, as Kathleen Peterson's daughter now goes by, once said. It didn't sound that nice Near the beginning they try to test whether Mike could have heard Kathleen yelling for help. But I wouldnt say I worry about my dad. 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