Where Is Michael Peterson Now?

HBO Max's latest true crime series, The Staircase, chronicles the lengthy saga of Michael Peterson, an author who was convicted of killing his wife, Kathleen, who died on the stairs in their Durham, N.C. home in December 2001.

While there have been several retellings of the chilling case, like Netflix's take on it in 2018, HBO Max's rendition strives to reveal untold sides and different angles of the harrowing story, with Colin Firth as the lead.

Despite actors playing the people involved, the limited series is very much a true story — in which Peterson is still alive (and living freely) today.

Read ahead to learn more about Michael Peterson and where he is now.

Who is Michael Peterson?

Michael was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1943 before moving to work for the U.S. Department of Defense after college. He later met his first wife Patricia Sue, an elementary school teacher, in West Germany. They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton.

After serving in the Vietnam War, he began to write novels and newspaper columns about his experiences following his honorable discharge in 1971. While living together, Michael and Patricia became close with their neighbors-turned-friends George and Elizabeth Ratliff.

In 1983, George died from a military accident, and in 1985, Elizabeth was found dead at the foot of her staircase with head injuries.

Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997.

In 2001, Kathleen was found unconscious at the bottom of their staircase in Durham, North Carolina — and was pronounced dead.

What crimes did Michael Peterson commit?

Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps.

According to Detective Art Holland of Durham police, Kathleen was "splayed out on the floor, her head resting on the landing of a back staircase" — details that sparked suspicion due to the awfully close similarities to Elizabeth's death in 1985.

Michael suggested that Kathleen fell down the stairs after drinking too much alcohol and Valium, but no fingerprints were detected on the wine bottle or glasses out in the kitchen.

Kathleen was apparently bludgeoned to death after a medical examiner noticed several lacerations on her scalp. The dried blood atop her head was a clue that she'd been there for a while, and since Michael was the only person in the house at that time, he was the only suspect.