Kathleen Peterson’s brutal murder - A complete timeline of events

In the early hours of December 9, 2001, novelist Michael Peterson dialed 911 in a panic from his Durham, North Carolina home, reporting that his wife, Kathleen Peterson, had fallen down the stairs and was unresponsive.

Rescuers arrived to find her body at the bottom of the back staircase, surrounded by a large pool of blood, with severe head injuries that raised immediate questions about whether it was an accident or something more sinister. 

Kathleen, a successful telecommunications executive, had been drinking wine with Michael that evening after celebrating a potential movie deal. What followed was a high-profile legal saga spanning two decades, involving a murder conviction, appeals, and alternative theories like an owl attack.

This case inspired the acclaimed documentary series The Staircase (2022), directed by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, which chronicles the investigation, trial, and aftermath from multiple perspectives.

The original eight-episode run, plus additional installments, is available to stream on Netflix. 

Pre-2001: Family background and marriage of Kathleen Peterson

Kathleen Hunt Atwater was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and received an engineering degree from Duke University. She became a vice president at Nortel Networks and received a six-figure salary.

In 1997, she married Michael Peterson, a Vietnam War veteran and novelist whose novels include the bestselling A Time to Kill. Michael was previously married to Patricia Peterson with sons Todd and Clayton. Following their divorce in 1987, the family relocated to Durham.

Michael and Patricia had also adopted daughters Margaret and Martha Ratliff following the 1985 death of Elizabeth Ratliff, Michael's friend in Germany, whose body was found at the bottom of her stairs, initially ruled an accident from a cerebral hemorrhage.

Kathleen Peterson brought her daughter, Caitlin, into the blended family, creating a household of six at 1810 Cedar Street. The Petersons seemed, to all outward appearances, an affluent, tight-knit clan, as per Newsobserver.

December 9, 2001: The discovery of Kathleen's body

Shortly after 2:40 a.m., Michael Peterson called 911 twice, the first time saying Kathleen Peterson had fallen 15 to 20 steps after drinking wine and possibly taking Valium. He added she was still breathing.

In the second call, he said she was no longer breathing. Paramedics found her lifeless in a pool of blood at the base of the wooden back staircase, with deep lacerations on her scalp and neck.

Michael said they had watched a movie together, drank wine by the pool, and that she had retired early, while he sent emails.

The preliminary medical opinion was that the death was an accident, but the number of bleeds, estimated at seven deep wounds, raised suspicions for a more detailed investigation.

The police did notice spatters of blood on the wall and on Michael's clothes, as well as a few tiny pine needles and a feather in Kathleen's hair, which came out later, according to Newsobserver. 

December 2001–January 2002: Indictment and early investigation

An autopsy on December 14 ruled Kathleen's death a homicide due to blunt force trauma, inconsistent with a simple fall. Investigators focused on Michael's behavior, emails showing he was writing to a male escort, and financial strains from Kathleen's stock options plummeting.

On December 20, Michael was indicted for first-degree murder and arrested.

He maintained her death was accidental and professed deep love for her. Supporters, including his children, held a vigil outside the jail.

On January 14, after posting $300,000 bail, he was released under house arrest with an ankle monitor. Filming began that February for the documentary The Staircase, capturing the family's ordeal, as NewsObserver reported. 

2002–Early 2003: Pre-trial developments

In October 2002, Kathleen's daughter, Caitlin Atwater, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Michael, later winning a $25 million judgment in 2008.

Prosecutors built their case around a missing fireplace blow poke as a possible weapon and Michael's alleged bisexuality as a motive, claiming Kathleen Peterson discovered his affairs.

Defense attorney David Rudolf argued the injuries stemmed from repeated falls in blood. Jury selection for the trial took eight weeks, ending in May 2003, due to intense media coverage.

Meanwhile, similarities to Elizabeth Ratliff's 1985 death prompted German authorities to reopen that case in June 2003, exhuming her body for a new autopsy, as per NewsObserver. 

July–October 2003: The murder trial

The trial opened on July 1 in Durham County Superior Court, lasting nearly three months, one of North Carolina's longest. Prosecutor Jim Hardin alleged Michael beat Kathleen Peterson with the blow poke after she learned of his affairs.

Key testimony included male escort Brent Wolgamott, who confirmed paid encounters with Michael.

SBI agent Duane Deaver described blood spatter as evidence of a beating. The defense presented forensic expert Henry Lee, who said patterns matched a fall, not blows.

A blow poke found in the garage was offered as the missing one. Evidence of Elizabeth Ratliff's death, reclassified as a beating, was admitted, suggesting a pattern, as per Newsobserver. 

2003–2011: Conviction, appeals, and imprisonment

On October 10, after 14 hours of deliberation, the jury convicted Michael of first-degree murder, sentencing him to life without parole. He appealed immediately.

While incarcerated, the Staircase documentary aired in 2004, winning an Emmy.

In 2008, attorney Larry Pollard proposed an "owl theory," citing feathers and pine needles suggesting a bird attack caused the wounds. Caitlin's lawsuit judgment was upheld.

In 2011, misconduct by Deaver, falsifying blood evidence, led Judge Orlando Hudson to grant a new trial on September 14.

Michael was released on $300,000 bail, fitted with an ankle monitor, after eight years in prison, according to Newsobserver. 

2011–2017: Retrial hearings and Alford plea

Post-release, Michael lived under house arrest as retrial preparations dragged on. Additional Staircase episodes documented the proceedings. In 2013, more Deaver fabrications surfaced, strengthening the appeal.

Hearings continued until February 24, 2017, when Michael entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter, acknowledging sufficient evidence for conviction while maintaining innocence.

He was sentenced to time served and freed, criticizing the police and SBI for mishandling.

The plea resolved the case without a second trial, allowing him to move forward. Family dynamics shifted, with Caitlin disowning him, as NewsObserver reported.

 Stay tuned for more news and updates.