True Crime Junkie

TRUE CRIME JUNKIE

WITH JOHNNY FLETCHER

BONUS EDITION!

THE STAIRCASE MURDER

There are few more infamous cases in true crime than the so-called "staircase murder" involving the death of Kathleen Peterson in 2001. Such is its notoriety that over 20 years later, a dramatization (starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette) of the events surrounding the case and the subsequent trial is currently one of the most-watched shows on HBO Max, leading to even more discussion and speculation about what really happened on that cool December night in Durham, North Carolina. To this day, questions linger as to whether Michael Peterson, a former marine and novelist, actually killed his wife or if her passing was caused by a fall down the stairs in the couple's home.

What makes this case so fascinating - and endlessly frustrating - is that there's simply no definitive piece of evidence that emphatically points to either the guilt or innocence of Michael despite his conviction in 2003. Regardless, he would spend years in jail before being released in 2017 (more on that intriguing piece of the puzzle later). In reality, it's strikingly similar to the JonBenét Ramsey case in that the different pieces of evidence can seemingly be skewed to bolster both the prosecution and the defense but, in the end, prove nothing.

For those unfamiliar with the case, the main aspects of it are relatively simple. On the night of December 9, 2001, the Petersons were reportedly enjoying an evening out by the pool, sipping wine and talking. Kathleen decided to head in early while Michael, by his own estimation, stayed up until 2:40 a.m. Upon walking back into the home in the wee hours, he discovered Kathleen unconscious at the bottom of a staircase, awash in a pool of blood with spatter covering the walls. But Michael's account of what transpired would quickly come under suspicion by investigators - partly based on his seemingly odd 911 call (Patsy Ramsey's 911 call was also endlessly debated) but mostly due to the sheer amount of blood at the scene; it seemed unimaginable that it could have been produced by a fall down a set of stairs. Instead, Michael was deemed to have struck Kathleen on the head with a blunt instrument (a blow poke, the prosecution would later argue), ultimately causing her death.

At the trial - a soap opera from beginning to end - Michael's bisexuality came to light which the prosecution pounced on, citing it as a factor in the supposed murder of his wife. But that was just one of many twists and turns in this courtroom drama, including the revelation that the couple's friend, Liz Ratliff, also died at the foot of a staircase in 1985 - and, coincidentally, Michael was the last person to see her. After weeks of gripping testimony from a parade of experts and witnesses, Michael was convicted of Kathleen's murder; however, in 2017, he entered an Alford Plea and was released. That's the abridged version, of course. Be sure to research this case and look into the "owl theory" that's been floating around for the last few years.

TO THIS DAY, QUESTIONS LINGER AS TO WHETHER " MICHAEL PETERSON, A FORMER MARINE AND NOVELIST, ACTUALLY KILLED HIS WIFE OR IF HER PASSING WAS CAUSED BY A FALL DOWN THE STAIRS IN THE COUPLE'S HOME.