Following the guilty verdict, de Lestrade interviewed the jurors to find out why they reached their verdict. German police arrived at the scene and quickly deemed Elizabeth's fall an accident. The staircase in Germany where Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead, Michael Peterson with Elizabeth Ratliffs daughter, Martha. 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. He approached the police suggesting an owl might have been responsible after reading the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) evidence list and finding a feather listed. On November 9, the Court announced that it affirmed the decision of the appeals. Two weeks later, Caitlin filed an objection to the bankruptcy. Her life was thus incredibly different from her Rhode Island farm upbringing, especially as shed eventually found herself working at an elementary school at the Rhein-Main Air Force Base in West Germany. During the defense's cross-examination of E. Jean Carroll, Trump's attorney asked the writer why she "did not scream" when she was "supposedly raped.". The neighbour, Karin Hamn, testified that she saw MP hurrying away from ER's house at 12.50 am on November 25th. In her opinion, the seven lacerations on her head indicated blunt force trauma. Elizabeth died in 1985. Whether our stories challenge and inspire intellectually or simply entertain, we know that we are making a positive contribution to our audiences across the many diverse regions and countries in the UK, Europe, The Middle East and Africa. Elizabeth Ratliff's Friend Continues Emotional Testimony During Day 31 The Staircase vs. the True Story of Kathleen Peterson's Death An oral argument was heard on September 10, 2007. The 43-year-old died in 1985 in Germany, found at the bottom of her stairs by her children's nanny Barbara Malagnino. On November 12, 2008, attorneys J. Burkhardt Beale and Jason Anthony of Richmond, Virginia, who were now representing Peterson, filed a motion for a new trial in Durham County court on three grounds: that the prosecution withheld exculpatory evidence about the blow poke, that the prosecution used an expert witness whose qualifications were disputed, and that one juror based his judgment on racial factors. Warning: This article contains spoilers about The Staircase on HBO Max. When authorities found Elizabeth dead at the bottom of a staircase. However, things changed once her embalmed body was exhumed nearly two decades later, in April 2003. Prosecutors have ridiculed the claim, and Deborah Radisch, who conducted Kathleen's autopsy, says it was unlikely that an owl or any other bird could have made wounds as deep as those on her scalp. They wanted to reassess her injuries, to make sure her death really was the tragic accident it had been accepted as for 17 years. Upon examination, forensic pathologist Deborah Radisch, who also worked on Kathleen's case, said that Elizabeth's injuries were inconsistent with an accident. I believe that Kathleen excused herself to go get ready for a meeting the next morning. However, Judge Hudson barred Pollard from filing further motions on behalf of Peterson because he did not represent him. Down The Staircase After Affair Uncovered | by Edward Anderson - Medium Some speculate that Michael shared an illicit affair with Elizabeth. The owl did it, and other reasons true crime fans love The Staircase - Vox Elizabeth Ratliff became good friends with Michael Peterson after meeting his first wife, Patty, when the women worked together at a school in Germany. Patty described what she saw when she entered the house. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of theTerms and Conditions. The Staircase will be your new fav true crime show, Fans say same thing about new Will and Kate photo, believed to have been the last person to see her alive, carried out a second autopsy on Elizabeth Ratliff's body. In 2019, he released his own account of his life since his wife's death in an independently published memoir, Behind the Staircase. Elizabeth Ratliff's children Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore and Martha Ratliff. In late 2009, a new theory of Kathleen's death was raised: that she had been attacked by a barred owl outside, fallen after rushing inside, and been knocked unconscious after hitting her head on the first tread of the stairs. But . The prosecution used the evidence to draw parallels in court but never formally charged Michael with Elizabeth's death. 1985 death of teacher now ruled homicide | Stars and Stripes Who are Michael Peterson's Children and Where Are They Now? - Newsweek 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. In the first three episodes of The Staircase on HBO Max, there have been subtle mentions of a woman named Elizabeth Ratliff, and in Episode 4, audiences learn a little bit more about her.