Further reading for Michael Peterson:
Behind The Staircase: All Profits Go To Charity
December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson, and American novelist call the emergency line to reporting that he found his wife Kathleen Peterson unconscious on the floor at the bottom of a staircase in their Forest Hills mansion it was noted that she had fallen down about fifteen stairs. Peterson says that at the time that his wife fell he had been out at the pool and came inside to find she had fallen after drinking alcohol and taking valium.
The toxicology results on Katleen’s body showed that her blood alcohol levels were 0.07 percent. As the autopsy shows severe injuries, seven lacerations to the top of her head (consistent with blows from a blunt object) as well as a fracture to her thyroid neck cartilage. She had died from blood loss ninety minutes to two hours after sustaining the injuries. So this woman was laying dying on the floor for almost two hours.
It was then that the trial and crazy story began, at first the family was behind Michael Peterson, believing him to be innocent, but as the case began and evidence was laid out some family members changed their minds on his innocence.
The trail brought media attention to Peterson’s private life, showing he lied about this military service and there were situations brought about that were described as a “gay life” that he hid from his wife and family.
But the most damning evidence against Michael Peterson at trial was the blood splatter, as well as the autopsy. They stated that there was no way the splatter could have happened by a fall down the stairs as well as that the lacerations that Kathleen died of were from a homicidal assault.
The prosecution claimed the murder had most likely been committed with a custom-made fireplace poker that had been gifted to the Peterson’s by Kathleen’s sister, this was missing from the house at the time of the investigation. But when it was finally found (in the garage, believed that the police had overlooked in during the investigation) forensics found it had been untouched for too long to have been the murder weapon.
The most bizarrely amazing theory to come out of this case is the Owl theory, this stated that Kathleen was attacked by an owl outside, had fallen running into the house and after falling down the the stairs, hit her head on the tread and was knocked unconscious.
In the very end, Michael Peterson was found guilty of murder, he appealed and there were retrials, and in the end he entered an Alford Plea and was sentenced to a max of 86 months in prison, but he had already served 98.5 so he faced no additional prison time.
There are tons of awesome twists and turns and questions in this case, its super fascinating to watch and read about.
Episode 100
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