The movie was rented on December 9, 2001. 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. The Staircase Netflix Documentary and HBO Max series about the death of Kathleen Peterson and which follows the trial of Michael Peterson. Liz names Michael and Patty in her willas the custodians of her daughters despite having two living sisters. Family (1) Spouse Neil Blakemore (? Emily Clute is a features writer based out of New York. Peterson adopted Margaret and Martha Ratliff after their mother Elizabeth "Liz" Ratliff died in 1985 in Germany at the age of 43. 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. When the Ratliffs both died in the 1980s, Michael adopted their daughters, Margaret and Martha, per Newsweek. The Staircase: A Complete Breakdown of the Peterson Family. Who Are Margaret and Martha Ratliff? ", Since his release from prison in 2017, he has written two independently published books about his case, Behind the Staircase (2019) and Beyond the Staircase (2020), donating all of the profits to charity. 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 and Martha Ratliff 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. How do we know if Margaret is the one who licked the envelope closed? Margaret Ratliff A friend pointed it out as I started watching The Staircase that Margaret Ratliff looks suspiciously like MP, Todd and Clayton. From the psychological horrorA Cure for Wellnessto the space operaValerian and the City of a Thousand Planetsto playing the villainous Green Goblin inThe Amazing Spider-Man 2,DeHaan hasactedin a wide spectrum of roles. 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. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Today, Caitlin Atwater lives in northern Virginia with her family. I agree, although I am unsure of Mr. Ratliffs involvement. A possible scenario is that he knocked up Margaret's mom (Liz), who gave birth to Margaret but not Martha. Today, Margaret lives in California, and Martha lives in Colorado. Thanks to the Netflix series of the same name. Caitlin would go on to file a wrongful death claim against Michael Peterson, and she was awarded $25 million in 2008. Its so fekking creepy. Search Margaret and youll find a lot of posts about the undeniable resemblance between her and MP. Caitlin is portrayed by Olivia DeJonge in The Staircase HBO Max miniseries. Clayton is one of Peterson's two sons from Peterson's first marriage to Patricia Sue Peterson. and Mr Pollard said the wounds on her head look like they . 7: Caught in a Bad Romance, Brandon Sklenar is the Baddest Dutton of Them All, The 'Outer Banks' S3 Finale Is Intense as Hell. I thought she looked like his biological daughter too. It should also be noted that Colin Firth is not as physically imposing as the real Michael Peterson was, who certainly had the strength to confidently commit the murder without a weapon. Rewatching the documentary Im really noticing that he seems obsessed with Margaret. Anyone have any theories as to whether or not she's actually a Peterson/potential motivation for the death (murder?) The defense team maintained that an accidental fall killed Kathleen, but the fact that the Ratliffs' biological mother died in a very similar way raised suspicions. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. Black played an instrumental role in securing the murder conviction, playing on Peterson's bisexuality to create a strong motive that won over the jury. In November of 1985, Michaels family had dinner with Elizabeth and her daughters, Margaret and Martha. He is the second of Michael's two sons from his marriage to Patricia. After attempting to declare bankruptcy, to which Caitlin filed an objection, Peterson settled the wrongful death suit in February 2007 for $25 million. Margaret more closely resembles Todd and Clayton than she does Martha. No but there are a LOT of secrets between everyone that's for sure. Yes. He and his first wife, schoolteacher Patricia Sue Peterson, had sons Todd and Clayton then acquired two daughters, Margaret and Martha, when the couple's friend Liz McKee Ratliff died. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Peterson's high-profile murder trial that began on July 1, 2003 was the subject of French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's Netflix docuseries The Staircase, which began filming shortly after Peterson's 2001 arrest and followed him until his Alford plea in 2017. Yes. Perhaps to have all of the siblings together? Soon after that, Michael and Patricia split up. This is one of the motives put forward in the HBO Max miniseries, as it was in real life. Althoughshe supported him in the beginning, autopsy photos of her mother's body turned her into a key witness for the prosecution. What if they were swingers? 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. Explaining why Margaret Ratliff looks like Michael Peterson First of all, if we are to accept the paternity test, then they are not genetically related. Police said Peterson told 911 operators his wife had been injured in a fall. Olivia DeJonge began a career in the world of film and television starting withher 2014 feature film debut,The Sisterhood of Night. In researching The Staircase fact vs. fiction, we confirmed that on the night of December 9, 2001, Michael claimed that his wife, Kathleen Peterson, fell down the service stairs of their North Carolina mansion. By that time in the mid-1980s, Michael's marriage to his first wife, Patricia Peterson, was in shambles. However, he was given credit for time already served, which amounted to more than the sentence (98.5 months), so he was freed. Michael, Kathleen, and their five children. Todd dialed 911 within minutes of arriving on the scene. I hate that I'm replying to this post. (2007-2016) 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. Pinterest. Why wouldnt they leave their kids to family? He said that while he was married to Kathleen, his second wife, he only had affairs with men. Peterson entered an Alford plea in February 2017 while awaiting a new trial, allowing him to plead guilty to manslaughter while maintaining his innocence. 123.31.41.38 They still believed he was innocent, with Margaret stating in The Staircase, "The bottom line is I just don't care. The TV drama miniseries focuses on the real-life 2003 murder trial that saw Michael accused of . June 22, 2018 Michael Peterson's adopted daughters, Martha and Margaret Ratliff, were front and center in The Staircase. On April 18, 2001, Peterson wrote to a paternal uncle of Margaret and Martha Ratliff, the two young women whom Peterson reared after their father died in war and their mother was found dead at the . Related:Best True Crime Shows On Netflix Right Now. She can be found on Twitter @ejclute. (2013) Dateline NBC Self. According to public record, Michael and Kathleen purchased their mansion in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham for $600,000 in 1992. This response confuses me because Michaels first wife isnt blood related to himso how would that affect Margarets features being almost identical to Michael. Caitlin Atwater is Kathleen Petersons daughter from her first marriage to Fred Atwater. Cheek bones. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Since then, Turner hasplayed Jean Grey in theX-Menfranchise andappeared in such moviesasBarely LethalandThe Thirteenth Tale. Michael Peterson called their son Todd Peterson, who lives nearby, who came over and called 911, Clayton said. 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. 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. They did a DNA test. He served an honorable military career and became a published author, newspaper columnist, and mayoral candidate. 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. Speaking about Candaces diatribe which fans can see in the last episode of the series, Rudolph said, What was that like? Following his wife Kathleen Peterson's death, he pled not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder. Todd, Clayton, Martha, and Margaret have stood by Michael and believe that Kathleens death was an accident. I sort of knew at some point she was going to turn her ire on me! However, the medical examiner determined that her blood alcohol level was so low she would have passed a breathalyzer test at the time of her death. Michael loved his wife and children, and for all intents and purposes lived an average life. Netflix's The Staircase might be listed as a true-crime documentary, but it's a tragic family drama above all else. Since then, DeJonge has appeared insuch movies asThe VisitandBetter Watch Out, as well as the television seriesThe Society. I was under the impression that it wasnt the same year Kathleen died. She looks so much like Todd and Clay too. After his sentencing, he commented, "I didn't do anything. 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. He appears often in The Staircase in which he supports his father's innocence. Schwarzenegger has also been cast to appear as Golden Boy inThe Boys'spinoffseries. Though they had divorced decades ago, Michael and Patricia had been living together in an apartment for the two years up until her death. 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? Disturbing. 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. 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. The judge accepted the plea and sentenced Peterson to a maximum of 86 months in prison. George passed away in 1983, and Elizabeth not long after in 1985; she wanted the Petersons to care for her children in the event of her death. At some point, the sons stop living with Patty. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Though Margaret and Martha appear to be firmly on their father's side, they don't seem to be seeking much of a public presence outside of their appearances in The Staircase. Michael Peterson and his first wife, Patricia Peterson, were living in West Germany at the time. 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 Unlike her stepsiblings, Caitlin did not stand by Michael's side. I did not believe until the jury clerk read the sentence that I would be convicted." However, underneath, that wasn't the case. Unfortunately, owing to the way everything played out, as per Netflixs The Staircase, Martha began dealing with anxiety. They did an inconclusive surreptitious one where they confiscated an apparent envelop Margaret allegedly licked. In the weeks leading up to her death, Elizabeth reported suffering from severe headaches. Her Bio, Today, Biological Father, Husband, Michael Peterson Daughter, Age Now, Job, HBO Max's The Staircase! Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a110e3c1ce407a7 The point remains that it still is not definitive. Caitlin Atwater, Clayton Peterson, Kathleen Peterson, Michael Peterson, Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret Ratliff. Kathleen had a $1.4 million life insurance policy that Michael stood to benefit from. So could each kid be the result of parental swapping? "We gave [Antonio Campos] all the access he wanted, and I really trusted the man," says Lestrade. Related:Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem. Three of his novels were inspired by his time serving in the Vietnam War as a member of the United States Marine Corps. Though Martha and Margaret struggled with allowing their biological mother to be exhumed, the information didn't alter their opinion of Michael. The Staircase Cast Guide: What Every Real Life Person Looks Like, Why Landscapers' Real Life Origins Create A Common True Crime Problem, Best True Crime Shows On Netflix Right Now, Under The Banner Of Heaven Cast & Real Life Character Comparison Guide, Catching Killers Season 2 Avoids Netflix's Usual True Crime Mistake. 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. Children, and for all intents and purposes lived an average life Landscapers ' real life Origins create Common! Her head look like they appeared insuch movies asThe VisitandBetter Watch out, as it in... The way everything played out, as per Netflixs the Staircase HBO Max about. In her willas the custodians of her mother 's body turned her into a key witness for prosecution. 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