Michael Peterson took charge of all the details, and friends of Elizabeth Ratliff were grateful that he did, she said. Chief among them: A close friend of Peterson's, Elizabeth Ratliff, had also been found dead at the bottom of a staircase, in 1985. 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. Con Girl: Where is Samantha Azzopardi now? It's believed that Michael was the last. Cosmopolitan participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. His analysis of the crime scene suggested that most of the blood splatter on the . The Staircase addresses both of those theories, and just like the documentary of the same name by Oscar-winning filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade on which the show is based, whether you believe Michael Peterson is a killer is your own decision to make. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver "Can people just go dig up graves?". 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. 15 hours ago, by Chandler Plante 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. But if he lied about something that big what else did he lie about? he continued. She was found by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino, who sought help from Patty shortly after making the grim discovery.. What are the side effects of antidepressants? This meant he admitted the evidence against him would likely lead to a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but he did not have to admit he committed the crime. Their mom, Patty, decides to relocate back to NC to be near Michael and the boys. 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. It's believed that Michael was the last person to see . They were 2 and 1 years old when Ratliff died. Right about the time the trial ended, they didn't start putting the cuts together," Rudolph explained. It is true that Peterson and Brunet did date, with Peterson confirming to The News and Observer they went their separate ways in 2017. 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. Firth portrayed Peterson for eight episodes of the HBO Max drama based on the documentary of the same name. 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. It has been quite a ride, so before we discuss how it ended, lets look at how we got here. Elizabeth Ratliff's daughters continue to believe Mike Peterson. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Elizabeth's death is a tragedy, but whether it was brought upon by an ill-fated accident or contemptuous murder, we'll never know. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. 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. Shortly before Elizabeth passed away, George died of a heart attack during the U.S. invasion of Grenada. 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. , 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. 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 Staircase through flashbacks to the Petersons' lives before the murder, the night of the murder, the times leading up to the trial, the trial, and beyond. Great, Click the Allow Button Above The story follows author Michael Peterson (portrayed by Colin Firth) who finds his wife, Kathleen (Toni Collette) dead at the bottom of the staircase in their Durham, NC home in 2001. George Ratliff died in a military operation in 1983, and two years later, Elizabeth Ratliff, 43, was found dead by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino, at the bottom of her staircase on November 25, 1985. Peterson and friends maintained that their friendship was purely platonic. DURHAM, N.C. An autopsy report released Monday says Elizabeth Ratliff, a friend of novelist Mike Peterson who died 18 years ago, was the victim of a homicide and not a stroke as originally . Prosecutors say the similarities are too many to be coincidental. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! (We dont know if this is factual or just a dramatized coincidence.) Under no circumstances would they have had a sexual relationship.". } Ratliff, a. ", Speaking separately to Vanity Fair about the scenes in the fifth episode of HBO Max's The Staircase, Lestrade said: "We gave [Campos] all the access he wanted, and I really trusted the man. However, he maintains adamantly that Kathleens death was an accident. The coroner determined that she fell down the stairs after the brain bleed caused her immediate demise. As it came to light that Kathleen was not the first woman associated with Michael to be found dead at the bottom of the staircase, Elizabeths remains were exhumed for more information. Peterson subsequently ended up raising Ratliff's young. How much, I can't say," Appel-Schumacher testified outside the jury's presence. In her report, Dr. Deborah L. Radisch concluded that Elizabeth Ratliff's injuries were "inconsistent with a fall down a set of stairs.". Three, she never wrote to Michael while she was working on the project, never ever, ever. Inside, he and Kathleen have quite a makeup session after their own argument the night before at dinner. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Elizabeth Ratliff's children Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore and Martha Ratliff. As both their families grew, so did the bonds between them. He was granted a new trial in 2011, which was scheduled to begin in May 2017. "It was a platonic relationship," she told documentary makers. 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. Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. In April 2003, a second autopsy was carried out by a Durham medical examiner, who concluded Ratliff's cause of death was "homicide." On November 25, 1985, Elizbeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of her staircase, in an eerily similar way to the way Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson was found on December 1, 2001. There were also multiple questions put forward about what happened on the evening Kathleen Peterson died, due to the "Owl Theory" that suggested she may have been attacked by the bird and died from her wounds or, what Michael Peterson claimed, that she fell to her death. After receiving permission from Elizabeth's mother and sister, authorities went ahead with the exhumation. "It is further my opinion that these injuries were incurred while Mrs. Ratliff was alive and are of sufficient severity to have caused her death.". The jury finds Michael guilty and sentences him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. 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. Investigators exhumed her grave in Bay City, Texas. 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. When watching The Staircase, it might be hard to keep track of the complicated Peterson family tree. 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? However, Rudolf and the real Lestrade have both taken issue with how Peterson's romance with Brunet has been portrayed, believing some scenes implied her relationship with Peterson impacted her neutrality whilst editing the documentary. She edited the scenes of us in the house, you know, meeting with experts, that sort of thing," he continued. She was the first woman in Michael Peterson's life found dead at the bottom of a staircase, and featured in the aptly titled Netflix series "The Staircase.". So you know, I'm sorry that I have to say this, but I think Antonio Campos [The Staircase on HBO Max director] went way beyond what was ethical for him as a filmmaker to do just in order to either sell this film, or to pump its ratings, and that in my judgment is despicable. 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. 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. I couldn't afford to live in Paris and my children, and grandchildren were in America," he said. After knocking Kathleen out (with what exactly, there are so many possibilities-afterall if all your kids were no longer living at home, would they be able to identify what things were or werent missing? All external sites will open in a new browser. Her name was Elizabeth Ratliff (shown above in the blue shirt) and she died at the age of 43. The similarities between the deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson raised eyebrows among the Durham authorities. Inevitably, the series includes elements of fiction, particularly the flashback scenes to Kathleen (Toni Collette) and Michael Peterson's marriage and the days leading up to her death. Radisch's reported concluded that Elizabeth Ratliff's death had actually been as a result of a "homicidal assault", and not an accident as was previously determined. His only respite is his new relationship with Sophie, the documentary editor, and her letters. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. With The Staircase's true-crime drama available to watch on HBO Max now and the original The Staircase documentary streaming on Netflix, it is ultimately up to viewers to form their own opinion on what they believe happened on the evening Kathleen Peterson died. 2 and 1 years old when Ratliff died a sexual relationship. '' }... When Ratliff died age of 43 the blood splatter on the Peterson for eight episodes of complicated! 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