After receiving permission from Elizabeth's mother and sister, authorities went ahead with the exhumation. Michael and Patty had two sons while living over in Germany - Clayton and Todd - while Elizabeth and George had two daughters, Margaret and Martha. "Even from this distance I could see that it did not look clear, and that's when he made the statement, right there by her body in my presence, that she had died of a cerebral haemorrhage.". Freda Black's closing argument October 3, 2003 Whether or not Michael Peterson killed Elizabeth Ratliff remains unknown. 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). The medical examiner found Kathleen Peterson and Elizabeth Ratcliffe suffered similar blows to the head, including seven lacerations which were sustained by blunt force trauma. Around that same time, Elizabeth and George grew close to the Petersons, their neighbors, bonding over Michael being a Vietnam War veteran and his then-wife Patricia being her coworker. [35] The judge sentenced him to a maximum of 86 months in prison, with credit for time previously served. deceased's injuries were "inconsistent with a fall down a set of stairs", "Margaret and Martha Ratliff wrapped their arms around each other and mourned". He later adopted Ratliff's two daughters, Martha and Margaret. However, things changed once her embalmed body was exhumed nearly two decades later, in April 2003. It took weeks for all the blood to be cleaned up, according to "The Staircase. Patricia Peterson and Elizabeth Ratliff had worked together at an elementary school on a U.S. Air Base and lived close by with their families in the town of Graefenhausen. "I was sitting here directly observing when the German medical examiner took the spinal tap and held the contents up so that he could view [it]," said Patty. Here's what we know about the real-life events. He was released on bond in 2011 pending a retrial. Elizabeth died in 1985. Elizabeth Ratliff's body was exhumed in 2003. "Can people just go dig up graves?". Newsweek has everything you need to know. "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. [20][21] On March 2, 2017 (following his Alford plea), Peterson's attorney filed a motion to allow him to pay for a bird expert at the Smithsonian Institution to examine feather fragments found in Kathleen's hair to determine whether or not she had been attacked by an owl. At the time of the exhumation, Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, requested that a "neutral" pathologist from Texas carry out the second autopsy. They fought and it turned physical. "Because I know all aspects of his personality. When Elizabeth Ratliff died in 1985, Michael became the guardian of her two children. Blood at Liz Ratliff's death 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 (however, not enough to be reported or photographed by German authorities and American military). After her passing, Michael adopted Elizabeth's two daughters, Martha and Margaret. Since her husband's death, Peterson would come over to visit her every evening after dinner, according to "The Staircase." 43-year-old Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead in her home in Graefenhausen, Germany. Scan this QR code to download the app now. So is Michael Peterson guilty? The documentary offers an intimate depiction of defense preparations for the trial. As per reports, Elizabeth often had dinner with the Petersons, and Michael would stay back to clean up or tuck her little girls to bed, which is precisely what they unwittingly did on her last evening alive. Peterson said she must have fallen down the stairs after consuming alcohol and Valium. [31] In July 2014, Peterson's bond restrictions were eased.[32]. 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? So much so, that the court in Durham ordered the exhumation of Ratliff's body from her grave in Texas. Peterson also worked as a newspaper columnist for The Herald-Sun, where his columns became known for their criticism of police and of Durham County district attorney James Hardin Jr., who would later prosecute Peterson for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen. Peterson defense dissects Deaver's methods, Former NC AG says it will be harder for the State to convict Peterson in retrial, "Mike Peterson gets new attorney for second murder trial", "Judge rules Michael Peterson will stand trial in murder case", "Mike Peterson walks free as 15-year murder case ends with plea deal", "COURTTV.COM - TRIALS - Medical examiner explains about-face on cause of death", North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Forensics Scandal Grows With New Evidence of Fraud, "Coming soon by Tiddy Smith DEATH BY TALONS: Did an Owl 'Murder' Kathleen Peterson? Because Peterson had already served more time than the sentence (98.5 months), he did not face additional prison time. There they befriended Elizabeth and George Ratliff and their two children, Margaret and Martha. Netflix's 'The Staircase': How did Elizabeth Ratliff really die? Elizabeth's death is a tragedy, but whether it was brought upon by an ill-fated accident or contemptuous murder, we'll never know. Sixteen years prior, Ratliff's birth. 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. Elizabeth's death is a tragedy, but whether it was brought upon by an ill-fated accident or contemptuous murder, we'll never know. Margaret and Martha would be raised by Michael and his second wife, Kathleen Atwater, whom he met in 1986. When authorities found Elizabeth dead at the bottom of a staircase. Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's The Staircase alludes to the haunting centre of novelist Michael Peterson's infamous murder case. When re-examined, Elizabeth's relationship with Michael's family and the details of her passing thicken the plot of this engrossing true-crime case. When he separated from his wife, he brought his sons and the Ratliff children to the United States. Michael, a Vietnam War vet, bonded with Elizabeth's husband, George, who was a captain in the military. The autopsy report found that Elizabeth Ratliff had died in 1985 from “blunt force trauma to the head” by a “homicidal attack,” rather than of a brain hemorrhage while . They wanted to reassess her injuries, to make sure her death really was the tragic accident it had been accepted as for 17 years. But . Testimony in the death of the Elizabeth Ratliff continued Tuesday as the Ratliff nanny Barbara Malagnino started her description of what happened the November morning she found Ratliff's. More importantly, both Margaret and Martha Ratliff, whose custody was awarded to the Petersons as per their biological mothers final will, also support their father through and through. No, the will of the Ratliffs stated the girls would be left in the care of Michael Peterson. Learning is part of the journey at A+E Networks EMEA and youll be offered personal and professional development opportunities throughout your career with us. The autopsy report concluded that the 48-year-old woman sustained a matrix of severe injuries, including a fracture of the superior cornu of the left thyroid cartilage and seven lacerations to the top and back of her head, consistent with blows from a blunt object, and had died from blood loss ninety minutes to two hours after sustaining the injuries. Years later, during the 1999 Durham mayoral election, Peterson claimed he had been awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Valor, and two Purple Hearts. 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. The widow grew even closer with the Peterson family. Peterson was housed at the Nash Correctional Institution near Rocky Mount until he was released on December 16, 2011. When the prosecution learned of Elizabeth's death and identified the coincidence that she, too, had died as a result of falling down the stairs, they called for her body to be exhumed from the grave in Texas where she was buried. Elizabeth Ratliff, shown in the Netflix docu-series "The Staircase.". It also examines the role and behavior of the press as it covered aspects of the case. Just like with Peterson's wife Kathleen, she suffered lacerations to the head which were attributed to her fall. He was granted a new trial in 2011, which was scheduled to begin in May 2017. Im also sure as he is a master storyteller, that he convinced himself the story he told was the truth and his mind believed it, thus giving his consciousness the ability to feel he was innocent and then able to act the part of the victim as well. When re-examined, Elizabeth's relationship with Michael's family and the details of her passing thicken the plot of this engrossing true crime case. "The embarrassment is just going to keep growing over this," Laura Harth, the campaign director at Safeguard Defenders, told Newsweek. Just four days before her death, she was complaining of severe headaches. Another witness testified to spending much of the day cleaning blood stains off the wall. In 1971, he received an honorable discharge with the rank of captain after a car accident left him with a permanent disability. Regina Green, an old family friend of Peterson pointed out in "The Staircase" how much Ratliff and Petersons first wife Patricia looked alike. 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. In 2001 the woman Ratliff called "mom," Kathleen Peterson, was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs in the family's Durham, North Carolina, home. It was one of America's most gripping murder trials of the last two decades. Michael placed two 911 calls, and emergency services attended the scene soon after. Often, he'd help with the dishes or read to Ratliff's two young daughtersbefore returning home, according to the documentary series. After seeing much of The Staircase on Netflix and seeing Michaels narcissistic and cocky personality I believe he tried to make her believe she was crazy to think that or try to make up a story, as that was what he did for a living so it would be easy for him to come up with excuses easily. Ratliff, a. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. He later claimed that he had been outside by the pool and had come in at 2:40am to find Kathleen at the foot of the stairs. The prosecution used the evidence to draw parallels in court, but never formally charged Michael with Elizabeth's death. In 1968, Peterson was commissioned in the United States Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War. In The Staircase, Patty recalls how they would all eat together and how Michael would regularly stay behind to help Elizabeth clean up and put her daughters to bed. When the Petersons resided in Germany, Elizabeth 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. It was directed by French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and released by Maha Productions in October 2004. Although the 13-part programme centres around the mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson at her home in Durham, North Carolina, she wasn't the only woman linked to Michael Peterson to have been found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Despite the evidence submitted during the trial, Elizabeth Ratliff's daughters, Margaret and Martha - who had been brought up by Michael and Kathleen - stood by their adoptive father and continued to protest his innocence. Although I do feel that the police did not act in all honesty with some of their actions, I do feel that no matter what, the jury saw through the shoddy case and found him guilty anyway. Her name was Elizabeth Ratliff (shown above in the blue shirt) and she died at the age of 43. His release on bond followed a judicial order for a new trial after Judge Hudson found that Deaver had given "materially misleading" and "deliberately false" testimony about bloodstain evidence, and had exaggerated his training, experience, and expertise. It was the main motive that the prosecution offered at trial for Kathleen's alleged murder (the other being a $1.5 million life insurance policy). There are theories he had been in an illicit relationship with Elizabeth, although this is something his first wife Patty strenuously denies. ", "Novelist convicted of first-degree murder in wife's staircase death", Novelist Convicted of Beating Wife to Death, Three affidavits support Peterson's murderous owl theory, "Episode 1: Animal Instincts (1.31.2014)", Attorney wants owl theory reconsidered in Peterson murder case, "North Carolina vs Michael Peterson - Motion for order allowing transport of microslide to expert for inspection and testing", "DURHAM: Attorney forbidden from filing Michael Peterson motions | Crime", "Troubled SBI agent Duane Deaver fired - Politics - NewsObserver.com", Judge says Peterson must keep wearing ankle bracelet. two adorable daughters into their lives Margaret and Martha Ratliff. Rudolf had stated that he could no longer afford to represent Peterson without being paid. On February 24, 2017, Peterson entered an Alford plea (a guilty plea entered because sufficient evidence exists to convict him of the offense, but the defendant asserts innocence) to the voluntary manslaughter of Kathleen. He co-wrote the biographical Charlie Two Shoes and the Marines of Love Company with journalist David Perlmutt, and co-wrote Operation Broken Reed with Arthur L. Boyd. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The couples lived close; just down the road from each other in the town of Graefenhausen. With offices in London, Rome, Madrid, Warsaw, Munich and Johannesburg, we are a truly international company that celebrates difference and diversity. [28][29][30] Former North Carolina Attorney General Rufus L. Edmisten said that any evidence gathered after Deaver arrived at the scene might be deemed inadmissible in a new trial. Who was Elizabeth Ratliff, and how did her 1985 death become part of Michael Peterson's trial? At A+E Networks EMEA youll find a team of innovative, creative and collaborative people who embrace change and want to continually try new things. Amybeth Berner, Ratliff's friend, described the scene at Ratliff's house in 1985 for jurors. Clayton and Todd later also joined their father. 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? He was sentenced to time already served and freed from prison. Elizabeth Holmes has 11-year jail sentence delayed, Woman leaves husband over 'inattentive parenting', Women awoke to naked man beside her on the train, Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. The coroner determined that she fell down the stairs after the brain bleed caused her immediate demise. I feel here is where things took a turn. Shortly before Elizabeth passed away, George died of a heart attack during the U.S. invasion of Grenada. In the 2003 Peterson trial, Deaver testified that he had been mentored by SBI bloodstain specialist David Spittle, worked 500 bloodstain cases, written 200 reports, and testified in 60 cases. [7] Kathleen's daughter, Caitlin, and Kathleen's sister, Candace Zamperini, both initially proclaimed Michael's innocence and publicly supported him alongside his children, but Zamperini reconsidered after learning of Michael's bisexuality, as did Caitlin after reading her mother's autopsy report. for those who arent familiar with the case: He wasconvicted of first-degree murder in 2003 and spent nearly a decade behind bars. [39][40] The film documents Peterson's family and his legal team's arguments in seeking a retrial, in which they succeed.[41]. They were 2 and 1 years old when Ratliff died. The medical examiner, Deborah Radisch, concluded that Kathleen had died from lacerations of the scalp caused by a homicidal assault. As one juror explained it, premeditated meant not only planning hours or days ahead, but could also mean planning in the seconds before committing a spur-of-the-moment crime. T he death of Elizabeth Ratliff was brought into the Peterson case. As we see in The Staircase, it's very clear that Michael Peterson is distressed at the thought of his family friend's body being dug up and re-examined. Our stories are global and local, linear and digital, and always compelling. Elizabeth Ratliff's Time of Death According to David Rudolf, the biggest flaw in the prosecution's theory regarding ER's death is the timeline and moreover that no one observed rigor mortis when they arrived on the scene. From D.A. These similarities include: . Pollard subsequently filed affidavits[23] to support a motion that Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson order the state Medical Examiner's Office to turn over all documentation related to Kathleen's autopsy to Peterson's attorneys. 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. Henry Lee, however, had testified at the trial that the amount of blood was irrelevant, as the blood spatter indicated most of it was spattered as she coughed as the blood ran down her face from the injuries. She also remembered the copious amounts of blood near the staircase at the scene of Elizabeth's death. She was found by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino, who sought help from Patty shortly after making the grim discovery.. The two were buried side by side after Ratlitt died. [33] On November 14, 2016, Peterson's request for the second trial to be dismissed was refused, and a new trial was scheduled to begin on May 8, 2017. Some may criticize them as to why they cant see he did it. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! After Michael and Patricia divorced in 1987, Clayton and Todd lived with Patricia, and Margaret and Martha stayed with Michael, who then moved to Durham, North Carolina.