GUILTY NC - Kathleen Peterson, 48, found dead in her Durham home, 9 Dec 2001

[Skigirl]

Are the discovery and/or autopsy reports available online?

I don't know that there's anything official but the documentary depicts strands of Kathleen's hair found in her own hands, and microscopic evidence of feathers, needles, and wood splinters as cited by others.

In other words, hair tested to be the victim's hair in her hands is notable whether or not it be a clump or strands. MOO

ETA: add link w/autopsy which confirms hair in each hand, pine needles, and splinters in scalp hair. I'm not seeing 3-feathers but perhaps others better and cyphering the handwriting.

https://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/news/local/2008/08/19/3400859/1219199590-20080819151549211.pdf

Oh, for sure, I think it's noteworthy. My understanding is that it's not uncommon when someone is struggling with another person who's throttling/choking them.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan | The Death of Kathleen Peterson: Accident , Murder or Owl

December 9th, 2001, novelist Michael Peterson calls 911 telling the operator that he’s found his wife at the bottom of stairs in their home. She is still breathing, but there’s lots of blood coming from her head. Kathleen Peterson later dies. When police and emergency personnel first enter the...

www.crimeonline.com

 

[Officer Dibble]

This UK TV interview with Kathleen Peterson's husband is interesting - from a body language/micro expressions perspective. Apologies if this has been shared already in the group (I'm not sure if it has or not).

 

[Deleted member 199554]

The Staircase: For Michael Peterson and Daughter Margaret, the Nightmare Continues With HBO Max​

‘The Staircase’: Michael Peterson Blasts ‘Egregious Fabrications’ in HBO Series, Claims Doc Director ‘Pimped Us Out’ (EXCLUSIVE)​

 

[Springrain]

Wish there was more to say. I'm still extremely bothered by Michael Peterson and could go on about the absurdity of the owl theory IMO, but I guess I've said it before. I could never trust this man and wish Kathleen got real justice.

 

[Doghairrules]

Wish there was more to say. I'm still extremely bothered by Michael Peterson and could go on about the absurdity of the owl theory IMO, but I guess I've said it before. I could never trust this man and wish Kathleen got real justice.

I live in the area and I've always thought the owl theory was bonkers, but I have to say that there is an owl who apparently lives in my front yard who has buzzed me TWICE this summer late at night. Not touching me, but swooping in close enough to scare the bejesus out of me. It does give me pause.

 

[Vita7]

Yea it could have been walked on from outside and brought in on shoe soles, I’ve read.

 

[Trouble1321075]

I just watched the hobo show on this and I honestly am not sure what I think.

I am not a fan of the owl theory but I did consider the bats in the attic might have been responsible before I heard the owl theory. It explains the head wounds.

If it was an owl in the front yard or would explain why there was blood evidence in the yard and on the front door.

The problem I have with it is if I were attacked like that I think my first and second instinct would be to dial 911 and find my husband to help me. I would not try to climb stairs. That does not add up for me.

If he did kill her, why is there blood evidence on the front door and in the yard. Also what was the murder weapon and where is it. I'm not sure I could convict without those answers.

I can however imagine if she did discover him living a second life by finding on his computer that it could of lead to a violent altercation. Again though if they ruled the computer evidence inadmissible and the jury never heard it then motive would also be a big question for me.

I also question how long she laid there before he called for help. Prosecution say hours but was that doctored evidence or was it accurate. That's a key factor that is left mirky.

It's all very confusing. Nothing completely adds up.

Then there is the weird coincidence. The neighbor who died from falling down the stairs and the gay lover who died from the same injuries caused by a mutual friend.

 

[DaMmama1]

I haven’t seen the HBO show but I did watch the Netflix doc. I never heard about the neighbor or the gay person (do you mean the friend who died in another country? Who was the mother of one or 2 of his kids?). Remember there is a missing wine/champagne? Bottle somewhere that was never accounted for … murder weapon?

 

[Seattle1]

Peterson was granted a new trial after the judge ruled a critical prosecution witness gave misleading testimony. Rather than go to trial, he submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter, and was sentenced to time already served (8 years).

Contrary to popular opinion, plea agreements originate with the prosecution. I don't think they could win a conviction at 2nd trial -- reasonable doubt. MOO

 

[Skittles]

Orlando Hudson, Durham's "staircase" judge, retiring

After nearly four decades on the bench, Durham superior court judge to step down.

www.wral.com

 

[Columba64]

Theory: Was Kathleen Peterson’s Death the Result of a Wild Bird Attack?​

I have been following the case of Kathleen Peterson for some time, and after carefully reviewing the evidence and conducting some additional research, I believe there is a plausible explanation for her injuries that may not have been initially considered. This theory suggests that Kathleen’s wounds could have been caused by an attack from a wild bird, most likely a hawk.

Injury Pattern and Physical Evidence​

Looking at the autopsy reports and images, the injuries to Kathleen’s head do not appear consistent with being struck by a blunt object. Instead, they resemble the puncture wounds you would expect from a bird’s beak or talons. In particular, the lacerations to her scalp and head injuries could be the result of an attack from a hawk, especially given the angle and nature of the wounds.

Additionally, there was blood found on the front door frame and in front of the door itself. This could indicate that Kathleen ran through the door after being attacked by the bird, possibly in a state of panic. The blood on the bottom of her feet suggests that she was moving or stumbling while already bleeding, possibly after being attacked outside.

Alcohol Consumption and the Fall​

Kathleen had consumed alcohol that evening, and the autopsy revealed she was nearly at a level where she would be too drunk to drive. This could have contributed to her losing her footing, especially after being attacked by a bird. If she was already injured and bleeding heavily, she may have slipped and fallen when trying to escape into the house.

Possible Culprit: The Hawk​

The hawks of North Carolina, specifically the red-tailed hawk, are known for being aggressive during the nesting season. These birds are fiercely protective and often attack if they feel threatened. Red-tailed hawks can attack with incredible speed and force, swooping down from high trees, using their talons to strike and pierce their prey. Hawks have even been known to attack humans who venture too close to their nests.

Given that hawks often nest in the area, it’s plausible that Kathleen ventured too close to one of their nests, provoking the bird to attack. The wounds on her face, elbows, and around her eyes are consistent with the kind of attack that could be made by a hawk's talons, while the lacerations to her scalp could resemble the effect of a bird’s beak.

Blood Evidence and Splash Patterns​

The blood droplets found on the brick walkway and the slate landing outside the home further support this theory. Feathers found at the scene and Kathleen’s hair clutched in her hand could also be evidence of a bird’s involvement.

When considering the blood splatter found inside the house, it appears to be consistent with expiration spatter, which occurs when blood is expelled from the lungs due to pressure from breathing. This suggests that Kathleen was still alive after the attack, but that her condition worsened rapidly. The lack of cast-off splatter indicates that she wasn’t struck repeatedly with a blunt object, but rather bled due to the injuries sustained during the bird attack.

The Final Fall and Death​

After being attacked by the hawk, Kathleen likely stumbled, losing her balance and tumbling down the stairs. The blood loss from the puncture wounds would have been significant, and the combination of blood loss and trauma could have caused her oxygen levels to drop dramatically, leading to unconsciousness and death.

The laryngeal trauma (fracture of the thyroid cartilage) observed during the autopsy could have occurred due to the combination of the bird attack, her fall, and the eventual lack of oxygen, which may have resulted from both the trauma and the blood loss.

Conclusion​

In my opinion, Kathleen’s death was not caused by blunt force trauma or a fall alone. I believe that she was attacked by a hawk outside her home, which inflicted the puncture wounds and lacerations. She then fled into the house, but the combination of alcohol, blood loss, and the trauma of the attack led to her fall and eventual death.

This theory provides a logical explanation for the wounds and physical evidence found at the scene, as well as the lack of evidence for a human assailant. I’m interested to hear other thoughts and theories on this case. Could a bird attack have really been the cause of Kathleen Peterson’s tragic death?

 

[CamillePreaker]

I recently moved to the Peterson's old neighborhood and so have taken more of an interest in this case than I had at the time. There are a few things that I've found particularly interesting.

First, they were in serious financial trouble. Everyone talks about how much money Kathleen made, but it was $145K/year and she had deferred 80% of her compensation (so she was bringing in only 20% of that the year before she died). She had banked on her stock and stock options, and if you recall, Nortel completely imploded in the days after 9/11, so her stock and options, which had been valued at $2 million at one time, had gone to nearly nothing. Also, $145K sounds like a nice, healthy salary, but when you consider that Michael was making almost nothing for a number of years, they had five kids (the two sons also in financial trouble -- Peterson wrote to his ex wife to ask her to take out a home equity loan to help them pay their credit card bills), three in college, and an enormous (10,0000 square feet) old house on four acres -- the maintenance of the house, the property, the taxes... no way can you do that on $145K (or, more accurately, 20% of $145K. Even if you factor in a little bit of residual benefits from the military to the two Ratliff girls, they were struggling. They had over $140K in credit card debt at the time of Kathleen's death. They were heading for total financial ruin, especially since it is almost certain that Kathleen would have soon lost her job (Nortel eventually went into bankruptcy).

Second, and for some reason almost totally forgotten, there was something decidedly "not right" with the oldest son (who knows about Todd, the younger one). Clayton tried to bomb Duke's administration building during his freshman year because he was angry that they were cracking down on drinking on campus. Yes, you read that right! He spent four years in prison. They found six bombs hidden in his parents' attic after the one he planted in the administration building was discovered. I found an interview with him online (I wish I could re-find it) and his explanation was that he was totally depressed because he had lived in Germany where he could go to clubs and bars and that he missed clubs and bars, and and he was staring in the face of spring break with no fake ID and the thought was just too awful to bear, so he decided to break in and steal the student-ID-making equipment and plant a bomb to serve as a distraction. I mean, he and his father (who was also interviewed for the article) seemed to think it was perfectly natural, when faced with the HORRORS of going on spring break with no fake ID, to plant a bomb as a diversion and steal a bunch of ID-making equipment.

The reason I even found that information is that I watched The Staircase, and in the episode where the blow poke is discovered by Clayton, there is a discussion with Peterson's lawyers of putting him on the stand, and they all decide it's for the best not to -- and they are coy about why it's so important not to put him on, mentioning ONLY his pending DUI.

Finally, Peterson ran for mayor, lied about his military honors, and was totally busted. And he, too, had a DUI.

I'm sure that's only scratching the surface of the weirdness that was going on in the family. For example, why was Todd at the scene so quickly after his father called 911? Why was Todd with a married woman that night?

ETA: I am on the neighborhood listserv, and someone recently posted photos of owls and said they were looking menacingly at her dogs. I hadn't heard the owl theory yet at that point, but now it makes me chuckle. Oh, and what could explain an owl feather? Um, maybe there was an owl in one of the trees near their pool where they were sitting and a feather dropped on her head???? Seems more likely than that it flew into the house and attacked her on the staircase???

Thinking the the owl attacked her outside the house (her blood was on the lawn and porch), she stunned/bleeding/drunk, stumbled inside and fell down the stairs as she tried to get back to Michael for help. Michael was still drinking out by the pool and didn't hear or miss her because she said she was retiring for the night. When he finally went inside, he discovered her. He is a scoundrel, no doubt, but I don't think he did it.

 

[CamillePreaker]

Theory: Was Kathleen Peterson’s Death the Result of a Wild Bird Attack?​

I have been following the case of Kathleen Peterson for some time, and after carefully reviewing the evidence and conducting some additional research, I believe there is a plausible explanation for her injuries that may not have been initially considered. This theory suggests that Kathleen’s wounds could have been caused by an attack from a wild bird, most likely a hawk.

Injury Pattern and Physical Evidence​

Looking at the autopsy reports and images, the injuries to Kathleen’s head do not appear consistent with being struck by a blunt object. Instead, they resemble the puncture wounds you would expect from a bird’s beak or talons. In particular, the lacerations to her scalp and head injuries could be the result of an attack from a hawk, especially given the angle and nature of the wounds.

Additionally, there was blood found on the front door frame and in front of the door itself. This could indicate that Kathleen ran through the door after being attacked by the bird, possibly in a state of panic. The blood on the bottom of her feet suggests that she was moving or stumbling while already bleeding, possibly after being attacked outside.

Alcohol Consumption and the Fall​

Kathleen had consumed alcohol that evening, and the autopsy revealed she was nearly at a level where she would be too drunk to drive. This could have contributed to her losing her footing, especially after being attacked by a bird. If she was already injured and bleeding heavily, she may have slipped and fallen when trying to escape into the house.

Possible Culprit: The Hawk​

The hawks of North Carolina, specifically the red-tailed hawk, are known for being aggressive during the nesting season. These birds are fiercely protective and often attack if they feel threatened. Red-tailed hawks can attack with incredible speed and force, swooping down from high trees, using their talons to strike and pierce their prey. Hawks have even been known to attack humans who venture too close to their nests.

Given that hawks often nest in the area, it’s plausible that Kathleen ventured too close to one of their nests, provoking the bird to attack. The wounds on her face, elbows, and around her eyes are consistent with the kind of attack that could be made by a hawk's talons, while the lacerations to her scalp could resemble the effect of a bird’s beak.

Blood Evidence and Splash Patterns​

The blood droplets found on the brick walkway and the slate landing outside the home further support this theory. Feathers found at the scene and Kathleen’s hair clutched in her hand could also be evidence of a bird’s involvement.

When considering the blood splatter found inside the house, it appears to be consistent with expiration spatter, which occurs when blood is expelled from the lungs due to pressure from breathing. This suggests that Kathleen was still alive after the attack, but that her condition worsened rapidly. The lack of cast-off splatter indicates that she wasn’t struck repeatedly with a blunt object, but rather bled due to the injuries sustained during the bird attack.

The Final Fall and Death​

After being attacked by the hawk, Kathleen likely stumbled, losing her balance and tumbling down the stairs. The blood loss from the puncture wounds would have been significant, and the combination of blood loss and trauma could have caused her oxygen levels to drop dramatically, leading to unconsciousness and death.

The laryngeal trauma (fracture of the thyroid cartilage) observed during the autopsy could have occurred due to the combination of the bird attack, her fall, and the eventual lack of oxygen, which may have resulted from both the trauma and the blood loss.

Conclusion​

In my opinion, Kathleen’s death was not caused by blunt force trauma or a fall alone. I believe that she was attacked by a hawk outside her home, which inflicted the puncture wounds and lacerations. She then fled into the house, but the combination of alcohol, blood loss, and the trauma of the attack led to her fall and eventual death.

This theory provides a logical explanation for the wounds and physical evidence found at the scene, as well as the lack of evidence for a human assailant. I’m interested to hear other thoughts and theories on this case. Could a bird attack have really been the cause of Kathleen Peterson’s tragic death?

Did anyone ever analyze the bird feathers??

 

[lonewanderer]

Thinking the the owl attacked her outside the house (her blood was on the lawn and porch), she stunned/bleeding/drunk, stumbled inside and fell down the stairs as she tried to get back to Michael for help. Michael was still drinking out by the pool and didn't hear or miss her because she said she was retiring for the night. When he finally went inside, he discovered her. He is a scoundrel, no doubt, but I don't think he did it.

And not a single feather? She ran up the stairs and fell back down? Really?

 

[ginnyw]

Having just re-watched 'The Staircase' I still think that Peterson was correctly found guilty by the jury in the first place. And there's the other dead-woman-at-foot-of-staircase too and the fact that his adopted daughter Margaret is facially the spitting image of him. The man lied, exaggerated his own achievements, changed his story of what he was doing that night several times, carried on secret relationships with other men online and was known by others to have a vile temper. If it hadn't been for the whole Duane Deaver farce I truly believe he would still be in jail today. JMO.