UNRESOLVED: Kathleen Peterson

Summary

Up and Vanished Weekly: UNRESOLVED – Kathleen Peterson

Podcast Information:

• Title: Up and Vanished Weekly
• Host/Author: Tenderfoot TV
• Episode: UNRESOLVED: Kathleen Peterson
• Release Date: April 9, 2025

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Introduction to Kathleen Peterson's Case

The episode delves into the tragic and mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson, a case that has captivated the true crime community for over two decades. Kathleen, aged 48, was found unconscious at the bottom of a narrow staircase in her affluent Durham, North Carolina home on the early morning of December 9, 2001. Despite initial assertions by her husband, Michael Peterson, that she had simply fallen, evidence soon suggested otherwise, leading to a highly publicized investigation and trial.

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Details of Kathleen's Death

[02:28 - 04:46]
Kathy Peterson's death initially appeared to be a domestic accident. On the night of her death, Kathleen and Michael were enjoying a quiet evening, which included dinner and wine by the pool. Kathleen later retreated to bed to prepare for a busy week, while Michael stayed by the pool deck, eventually falling asleep.

Rob's narration:
"Kathleen's husband Michael explains to first responders that she was breathing moments earlier. But Kathleen is now unresponsive. Attempts to resuscitate her are unsuccessful." ([02:52])

However, the scene revealed a large pool of blood and inconsistencies in Michael's account. The autopsy later indicated multiple lacerations to Kathleen's head, inconsistent with an accidental fall, prompting authorities to consider the possibility of homicide.

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Early Discussions and Host Perspectives

[05:01 - 09:13]
Hosts Maggie Freeling and Payne Lindsay introduce the case, highlighting its polarizing nature and the compelling documentary Staircase by David de la Strode, which provided an in-depth look into the investigation and trial.

Payne Lindsay:
"It's so polarizing. It is so one way or the other. It's fascinating in that way." ([06:09])

They discuss the emotional complexity of the case and how the documentary allowed listeners to empathize with those involved, emphasizing the unresolved questions surrounding Kathleen's death.

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Investigation and Evidence

[09:13 - 25:34]
The investigation revealed significant financial strain within the Peterson family, including debts from a large home and college tuition for their five children. Michael's past, including a dishonored military record and infidelity, came under scrutiny as the prosecution sought a motive.

Rob's narration:
"The medical examiner initially said a fall was possible, but the autopsy results indicated Kathleen was bludgeoned to death." ([22:35])

Blood spatter expert Duane Deaver testified that the patterns suggested murder rather than an accident, leading to Michael's indictment. The discovery of emails indicating Michael's communication with a male escort further strained his family's support and provided the prosecution with potential motive allegations.

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Michael Peterson's Trial and Conviction

[25:34 - 35:30]
The trial was marked by intense scrutiny and dramatic revelations. The prosecution presented Kathleen's deteriorating job situation and Michael's deceit regarding his military accolades as factors contributing to familial tension. Emphasis was placed on Michael's bisexuality, alleging it as a potential motive for murder.

Payne Lindsay:
"They struck out on provable motive. On provable murder weapon." ([49:38])

Despite the family's initial support, key members, including Kathleen's daughter Caitlyn, eventually turned against Michael, weakening his defense. The jury convicted him of first-degree murder, sentencing him to life without parole.

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The Alford Plea and Release

[39:25 - 43:31]
Years following his conviction, new evidence surfaced questioning the credibility of Deaver's blood spatter analysis, revealing that he had fabricated his expertise. This led to a successful motion for a retrial. However, instead of facing a new trial, Michael opted for an Alford plea in 2017.

Maggie Freeling:
"I do not believe he should have ever had to take an Alford plea." ([42:50])

An Alford plea allowed Michael to maintain his innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution had sufficient evidence to convict, resulting in his release after serving eight years.

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The Owl Attack Theory

[53:XX - 60:40]
A controversial and unconventional theory proposed by a neighbor suggests that Kathleen's death was the result of a barred owl attack rather than foul play. This theory points to the presence of a barred owl feather at the scene and the nature of Kathleen's injuries, which some argue are consistent with an owl's talons.

Payne Lindsay:
"I was attacked by an owl at the end of my driveway. A barred owl." ([55:05])

Despite skepticism from hosts and experts, the theory gained attention due to its peculiar plausibility in explaining the blood patterns and absence of blunt force trauma. Michael Peterson's legal team has not supported this theory, maintaining that the evidence points toward homicide.

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Hosts' Reflections and Conclusion

[60:40 - 65:XX]
Maggie Freeling and Payne Lindsay reflect on the complexities and unresolved questions surrounding Kathleen Peterson's death. They express skepticism about the conviction, citing the flawed evidence and the questionable nature of the Alford plea. The hosts emphasize the emotional toll on the Peterson family and the broader implications for the justice system when such cases involve potentially exonerated individuals.

Maggie Freeling:
"Regardless of how she may have died, a loving mother, daughter, sister was lost forever in an unbelievably tragic way." ([62:27])

The episode concludes by acknowledging the enduring mystery of Kathleen's death and the lasting impact on those involved, while highlighting the need for continual scrutiny and fairness within the legal process.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Payne Lindsay ([06:09]):
  "It's so polarizing. It is so one way or the other. It's fascinating in that way."

• Rob ([02:52]):
  "Kathleen's husband Michael explains to first responders that she was breathing moments earlier. But Kathleen is now unresponsive. Attempts to resuscitate her are unsuccessful."

• Maggie Freeling ([42:50]):
  "I do not believe he should have ever had to take an Alford plea."

• Payne Lindsay ([55:05]):
  "I was attacked by an owl at the end of my driveway. A barred owl."

• Maggie Freeling ([62:27]):
  "Regardless of how she may have died, a loving mother, daughter, sister was lost forever in an unbelievably tragic way."

---

Conclusion

The "UNRESOLVED: Kathleen Peterson" episode of Up and Vanished Weekly provides a comprehensive examination of a case fraught with legal complexities, questionable evidence, and emotional turmoil. Through in-depth discussions, expert insights, and exploration of alternative theories, the podcast underscores the enduring mystery and the profound impact such unresolved cases have on families and the justice system.

Transcript

[Payne Lindsay]

You're listening to a Tenderfoot TV podcast.

[Commercial Voiceover]

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[Maggie Freeling]

Up and Vanish weekly is released every Wednesday and brought to you absolutely free but for one week early access and ad free listening. Subscribe to Tenderfoot plus at tenderfootplus.com or on Apple Podcasts if you're already a subscriber. Thank you for your support. This podcast discusses mature and sensitive content, including descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

[Rob]

It's 2:40am on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2001, in suburban North Carolina at the Durham County Dispatch Center. An operator picks up the line and is immediately connected to a frantic caller.

[Maggie Freeling]

Durham911, where's your emergency?

[Commercial Voiceover]

1810 Cedar street please.

[Maggie Freeling]

What's wrong? My wife's had an accident.

[Rob]

She's still breathing. As the dispatcher sends help, she attempts to gather more information from the caller, who explains his wife has fallen down the stairs. Minutes later, paramedics arrive at the residence situated in the upscale Forest Hills neighborhood, which lies on the outskirts of Durham. Upon entering the home, they find a woman, 48 year old Kathleen Peterson, at the bottom of a narrow staircase, unconscious and lying in a large pool of blood. Kathleen's husband Michael, explains to first responders that she was breathing moments earlier. But Kathleen is now unresponsive. Attempts to resuscitate her are unsuccessful. Faced with the stinging reality that his wife has suddenly died, Michael is left to grapple with how something like this could ever happen. It's the same question that many have wondered for the past two decades. Over the years, the death of Kathleen Peterson has garnered international attention. The case has been the subject of documentaries and countless other news coverage. It's become characterized by a highly publicized investigation, two controversial trials, and an alleged link to a second eerie death. It's a highly polarizing case that elicits strong opinions. Yet despite a myriad of evidence, one question still remains. What happened to Kathleen Peterson?

[Maggie Freeling]

Foreign.

[Rob]

From Tenderfoot TV in Atlanta, this is up and Vanish Weekly with Payne, Lindsay and Maggie Freeling.

[Maggie Freeling]

Hey, y'all. Welcome back to up and Vanish Weekly. I'm your host, Maggie Freeling. Today is a case that is infamous in true crime. One of the first cases that brought us into in depth documentary filmmaking on trials, innocence work, junk science, and unusual culprits. Today we're talking about the mysterious death of Kathleen Peterson and the trial of her husband, Michael Peterson. This is a really polarizing case that has been the subject of a lot of media coverage. And I have an expert on today who could tell us a bit about this unusual suspect because she has firsthand experience. So joining me to talk about this case is Meredith Steadman from the Tenderfoot team. Meredith, hello. Hello.

[Payne Lindsay]

Hello, Maggie.

[Maggie Freeling]

I had asked you for another episode what you, you know, think about all the time. And actually you mentioned this case is one of those.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yes, this is one of those cases. For me. There's like three of them and this is one of them.

[Maggie Freeling]

What is it about this case that you think about all the time?

[Payne Lindsay]

To be honest, like you said, it's so polarizing. It is so one way or the other. It's fascinating in that way. And also, I have to say, I think the Staircase, the de La Strode documentary, is the best true crime documentary, in fact, one of the best documentaries I have ever seen.

[Maggie Freeling]

They were basically like embedded with the defense team.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yes, embedded with. And sometimes even the other side they got like. That's what's so incredible about it. They're documenting every part of this gruesome tragic, complex case in a really personal way. They're with the family of Michael Peterson, everything. Like, then they're with the sisters of Kathleen Peterson, and they spend all this time with all these people, like little flies on the wall. And I think it's the closest I've ever gotten to feeling like what this would feel like if it happened in my family.

[Maggie Freeling]

You know, it's so interesting because so many people are like, look at how arrogant he is to give that. But I'm also like, if he is innocent, what is he? He's not hiding anything. So he's like, of course, like, come watch my entire defense strategy. I'm not hiding anything.

[Payne Lindsay]

It's. It's because I think that can go both ways. And I know we're going to get into this, and I'm not going to take any hard stances right now, but I think you can say he's not hiding anything. And then I think you can also say there's a pattern of people that have committed crimes, particularly violent crimes, being kind of obsessed with the crime itself and then the way that it's litigated or investigated afterwards. So I think that's what made the documentary so fascinating. Cause a lot of people are like, isn't this something that criminals do? Isn't this something that murderers do? They're, like, kind of. They go back to the scene of the crime, or they. They want to hype up the media.

[Maggie Freeling]

Disgusting. I didn't think about it like that.

[Payne Lindsay]

I do think the part of the reason this case is so complicated is because there are so many, like, points presented and counterpoints presented for every single thing. And some of it seems like bad science. And that's why you should watch the documentary, because you get to see some bad science, and then you also get to see some good points. And I think that's when it comes down to, man, is he, like, that unlucky?

[Maggie Freeling]

This case is one of those where it's like, you know, when. When some people talk about innocence or guilt, they're like, well, if he's guilty or if he's innocent, then he must be the unluckiest guy on the planet. And, like, looking at this case, yeah, he really might be the unluckiest guy on the planet. If you believe he's innocent.

[Payne Lindsay]

Right? If you believe he's innocent, then it like, you can't write this any better than this is like, a David Fincher movie. This is Gone Girl, you know, like, it's so twisted.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah, absolutely. There's a lot of layers to this case. There's so much to talk about. We're gonna try to get to as much as we can. But one of the things that has really been put under the microscope in the wake of Kathleen's death is is her relationship with Michael and the dynamics around the Peterson family. So let's dig more into that. Here's Rob with more.

[Rob]

Kathleen and Michael Peterson seemed to have a picture perfect life. Kathleen was an accomplished telecommunications executive known for her intelligence, kindness and dedication to her family and career. Michael was a former Marine who had served in Vietnam. After his time in the service, he began a career in writing, where he evolved into a well respected writer and professor. When the couple met, they were both fresh off the heels of previous marriages. Kathleen and her first husband shared one daughter together and Michael was raising his two biological sons along with two girls he and his first wife had adopted after the girl's mother, a family friend, had died. When Kathleen and Michael's girls developed a friendship, the two started to spend more time together and they soon fell in love. In 1992, they moved their combined family into a 14 room, 9, 500 square foot home in a wealthy neighborhood. Five years later, the couple officially married. Life with a blended family had its challenges, but they were determined to make it work. The family seemed to have a wholesome life and were known to be very involved in social circles and their community. For years, Kathleen and Michael worked hard to build a fulfilled life marked by successes and happiness, which continued up until Kathleen's unexpected death. The evening of December 9, 2001, appeared to be a routine evening for the Petersons. With the Christmas season in full swing and their children away at college, Kathleen and Michael were making the most of the weeks before the holidays. That Sunday night, Kathleen made dinner and she and Michael watched a movie together. Sometime between 11pm and midnight, the couple made their way to the pool deck where they enjoyed some wine. At some point, Michael says that Kathleen headed to bed to prepare for a busy week at work. Michael stayed outside by the pool and eventually dozed off. Sometime around 2:40am Michael was stirred awake and made his way inside where he found Kathleen lying at the bottom of the stairs, unconscious. In his call to authorities, Michael appeared emotionally distraught by what he saw, telling authorities that he believed Kathleen had fallen down the stairs. But the position of Kathleen's body and the amount of blood present quickly raised suspicions. As authorities began to process the scene, a perplexing question came into focus. Was Michael's theory of an accidental fall even plausible?

[Maggie Freeling]

Okay, Meredith, so let's talk about all of this from the surface, they seem to have a pretty typical life. From the outside. Kathleen and Michael don't have any kids of their own. They just have this huge family blended together.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

And everyone from the outside says it's great. He's a writer, she's an executive. They're very successful.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah. Their home is like, I remember them showing like the aerial views. And it's just like they seem to have an idyllic North Carolina life. Right. Like, they're these like highly academic, professional, esteemed people. Like they've adopted. You know, they have these really bright children. And yeah, this big house. Feels like they have money. Seems like the perfect life.

[Maggie Freeling]

But unfortunately, their seemingly picture perfect life faded away when Kathleen died. So let's dig into those details around her death.

[Payne Lindsay]

So I have always felt the events presented from that night by Michael Peterson have seemed strange to me. I just. I don't believe that someone falls asleep comfortably unless they're drinking a lot.

[Maggie Freeling]

And he could have.

[Payne Lindsay]

He could have. He could have been like, drinking that much. It's possible. I've just always thought it was strange that in this scenario, the two of them watched a movie together, went outside to drink wine by the pool, which is something my mom does after dinner, has a glass of wine on like the deck or something. But then that he fell asleep and she, like, left, you know, she just said, yeah, okay, that's fine, and went inside. And then hours pass and then he wakes up to this bloody scene. That, to me, is just extremely unlikely. Is it grounds for guilt? Not necessarily, but it is extremely unlikely to me. To me, it sounds like a little bit like someone who wanted to say that they were outside during something happening inside so that no one could say why. Didn't you hear it? I think if I were a jury member, I'd say, hmm, sounds a little convenient that you were outside for hours and couldn't have heard anything, that you.

[Maggie Freeling]

Were outside sleeping in the cold for two hours.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, honestly, like, it just sounds kind of like a stretch and like you wanted to be separate from the room where it happened.

[Maggie Freeling]

What do you make of the 911 call? Is she conscious?

[Payne Lindsay]

What?

[Rob]

Is she conscious?

[Commercial Voiceover]

No, she's not conscious.

[Rob]

Okay.

[Maggie Freeling]

How many stairs did you fall down?

[Rob]

How many stairs? Stairs.

[Maggie Freeling]

How many stairs? Calm down, sir.

[Rob]

Calm down.

[Commercial Voiceover]

No.

[Rob]

15, 20, I don't know.

[Commercial Voiceover]

Please get somebody here right away, please.

[Maggie Freeling]

Okay, somebody's dispatching the ambulance while I ask you questions.

[Rob]

It's a force kill.

[Maggie Freeling]

Okay, please, please. I hear that. And I'm like, he's very frantic, super distressed.

[Payne Lindsay]

It's actually really, like, hard to listen to.

[Maggie Freeling]

I feel like I might have a similar reaction.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah, I do. That's honestly why I feel like that. The 911 calls and people picking them apart, I think is kind of a weak argument in most cases because a lot of people would either say, could someone act that well if they, you know, did something. Here's the thing. I think you could be distressed either way.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah.

[Payne Lindsay]

Like, if this was a heat of the moment passion thing that Michael Peterson did commit, he might be just as distressed. Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

Your adrenaline's pumping.

[Payne Lindsay]

Like, she's asking questions and he's saying, huh, what? Like over it. Which is actually sounds very distressed. I actually kind of would love.

[Maggie Freeling]

I feel like I would be like, I'd be like, what are you asking? Like, what are you asking? Get someone. Someone here. Just get someone here.

[Payne Lindsay]

I could totally see it.

[Maggie Freeling]

There's a question over how long Kathleen was laying at the bottom of the stairs before he called 911 and if he had waited.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah. So what I remember is that what was found out at the scene of the crime is that the blood had already dried to the extent that they realized the call he placed and the time that she, quote, unquote, fell, there had to have been a couple hours in between for the blood to be that dry. So that's what I think is actually more interesting about the call. And like, and maybe he, you know, let's say he stumbled upon it. Was that freaked out, Called immediately. Maybe. But I do think that's convenient. With the two hours that he fell asleep outside, he, quote, fell asleep outside. Mm.

[Maggie Freeling]

Our investigation continues after a quick break.

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[Payne Lindsay]

Yes. And so that's another thing that makes me doubt that they ever went outside to drink. I think they were inside the I personally think they were inside the whole time. However. Okay, maybe you could have Brought them inside. Then he's like, Kathleen, Kathleen. And then found her on this staircase.

[Maggie Freeling]

That's what I think could happen.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yes. And if you've ever seen the pictures of the house, the stair is kind of like tucked away.

[Maggie Freeling]

This is a back staircase. This is not the main staircase. This is like a, like a quote, like servant staircase into the kitchen.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah. And it's like, it's got a, like a little alcove and she was found at the bottom of that. So maybe. But I think it would be pretty. It's again, it's near the kitchen. You would think that, like, if you walked in with the glasses, they would almost be shattered on the floor as soon as you saw Kathleen, like, you know, she's not that far away from the kitchen where she was found.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. Again, there's blood sprayed around the kitchen, the way she's laying at the bottom of the stairs. A lot of people have questioned this as well. The position that Kathleen is resting in. What do you make of this? I mean, when he was holding her when first responders arrived. So he, he probably moved her.

[Payne Lindsay]

It doesn't, she's like face up, kind of like one head on the bottom step. And it doesn't really look like someone who walked up the stairs and then fell backward or even forward. Exactly. It doesn't really look like what you'd expect as soon as you hear about someone fell down the stairs. But I guess some people have made the case that she fell and kind of like put her own body in that position. Or maybe Michael turned her over and was holding her. But if she weren't to be touched, I don't believe that someone fell and landed in that position because her legs are out the opposite way. Like they're into the room, not falling backwards, legs up the stairs. Yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

Totally agree. There is a lot that doesn't make sense about this case and authorities agreed. We can really get the sense that from the beginning they had their suspicions about Michael's take on what happened. Here's Rob with more.

[Rob]

From the time lead investigator Art Holland and his team with the Durham Police Department arrived at the Petersons home, they worked to make sense of the horrific picture. In their report, authorities noted the enormous amount of blood pooled on the ground and splattered on the walls and staircase. Drops of blood would also be found on the outside walkway and entry door, as well as on a kitchen cabinet and on the kitchen counter near an open bottle of wine and two wine glasses. The scene was quickly secured, photos were taken, and Michael Peterson gave Authorities a detailed statement of what had transpired. But as their investigation continued, investigators believed the evidence told a very different story. The results of an autopsy later revealed multiple lacerations to the back of Kathleen's head, which the coroner believed were inconsistent with a fall. Rather, they allege she may have been bludgeoned to death. Authorities, who already had reservations about Michael's account were now treating Kathleen's death as a homicide. Michael was indicted on December 20, 2001, and quickly taken into police custody. Despite the accusations of police and potential evidence pointing to foul play, the Peterson children defended their father's innocence. But things would soon take a sharp downward spiral. At trial, the prosecution argued their case that given the evidence at the home, a simple fall down the stairs could not have caused Kathleen's death. Blood spatter expert Duane Deaver would testify that the blood spatter pattern indicated that Kathleen was murdered, and the state would allege that Michael was the one responsible. Until this point, the question of motive had remained unclear. But during their investigation, authorities uncovered salacious emails that they believed called into question Michael's character and reliability. The prosecution also made a shocking assertion of Michael's possible responsibility for a second mysterious death that had happened years earlier. The watching world looked on with anticipation as the prosecution and defense made their cases before a jury. After a hotly debated trial, Michael Peterson was found guilty for Kathleen's death. But after years behind bars, critical new evidence and an uncanny theory would become the foundation of a renewed push to exonerate a convicted killer. The question now would it hold weight?

[Maggie Freeling]

So he is arrested and he's charged pending trial. And as the prosecution is preparing for trial, they start digging into his life. And we mentioned before, it seemed pretty perfect, pretty idyllic, actually. They found some things that might point otherwise. Kathleen had been stressed about layoffs at her job, so she's worried about job stability. They were under heavy financial strain between debt expenses with their 9,000 square foot house, paying for college tuition. Remember, they have five kids, losing money in investments. Michael also had, like, a stint in politics, and he had run for mayor. He lied about being awarded the purple heart.

[Payne Lindsay]

I remember that, yes.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah, he was in the military, so he lied about winning, being awarded the purple heart, and that tarnished their reputation, cost them a lot of friendship. So they were going through a rough patch. It actually was not this perfect, peaceful life that might seem from the outside.

[Payne Lindsay]

I think that the defense, like, really presented like the perfect American family look of the Peterson family. And then all these things came out. It kind of like peeled that Away. Maybe they went a little too hard in that direction originally, and then it was hard to keep it up. And I also think it might be a little curious, like, how well they really did know each other before they got married. You know, their kids were friends. That's how they met and then blended their families. But it seems like there was a lot of secrets and stuff, allegedly big.

[Maggie Freeling]

Secrets, because we actually won't know if this was a secret because Kathleen is not here to tell us whether she knew this. But when authorities started digging into Michael and Kathleen's life, they found emails. They found Michael's emails showing he'd been talking with men he'd met online. And one email thread showed three months before Kathleen died, Michael and a male escort made arrangements to meet. Allegedly, this fell through. Prosecutors felt this was evidence that they might have been fighting that night. And then Michael killed Kathleen. This was like the bombshell. This is the motive. His life is going to be exposed. She found out. And then Michael says this was not a secret. Whether she found these emails or not. He says that she's open to him being bisexual. And it was known to people in the family. Um, this is actually kind of what turned her daughter against him. They were on his side, and then the daughter found out about this Caitlyn, and she kind of turned against Michael.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah, I think that's really interesting, too. In the documentary, when the case starts being investigated, all the kids are on his side. Then by the time the trial really happens, Caitlyn is the first one that switches sides.

[Maggie Freeling]

So when they started the investigation, the medical examiner initially said a fall was possible, but then the autopsy shows multiple deep lacerations. And then a blood pattern expert says this is clear evidence of being bludgeoned, not an accidental fall. And so then he testified to this in court.

[Payne Lindsay]

They did find bruising on her body, which was consistent with defensive wounds, which I think, you know, oh, maybe it's because she fell down the stairs. Yes. But I also think you can't ignore that they could also be defensive wounds. But it just had to be quite a fall for the amount of blood, which is, like, pretty darkly, like, sprayed into the corner of the hallway that the stairs go up, and then all of these wounds on her body and then the way that her body is. Is positioned. I mean, I just. Has anyone ever fallen down the staircase like that, ever?

[Maggie Freeling]

This is the big. The biggest reveal of all, I think, that you and I have been waiting to get to. So as they're digging, authorities also get tipped off about the 1985, death of Elizabeth Liz Ratliff and the potential link to Michael. So this is the woman, Liz Ratliff, whose two kids Michael adopted in the 1980s. Michael lived near Frankfurt, Germany, with his first wife, and one night their friend Liz came over to their house for dinner. Michael drove her home afterwards, and the next morning the nanny found her dead at the bottom of the stairs. She was wearing snow boots in the house, which a friend found odd. And the autopsy performed at the U.S. military Hospital in Germany showed that she had a brain hemorrhage and died of natural causes. Now, with Michael's other. Well, with Michael's wife now being found dead at the bottom of the stairs, this seems like too much of a coincidence.

[Payne Lindsay]

The first time I was watching this documentary, I could not believe that Michael Peterson had been the last man to see two different women alive when they were found dead at the bottom of a staircase in a pool of their own blood.

[Maggie Freeling]

It's literally unheard of.

[Payne Lindsay]

I could not believe it.

[Maggie Freeling]

Unless they're the actual killer.

[Payne Lindsay]

I do think it's interesting, though, that in Elizabeth Ratless case, in Liz Ratliff's case, like, she did have a medical condition. There were some accounts that she had told people in her life that she had been having headaches, like, prior to.

[Maggie Freeling]

Like, a week before. She was having very serious headaches.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah, Days before. Was going to schedule with somebody and get checked out soon. I think it's unbelievable. But that one is, like, it's just unclear. And it's unclear what the motive would be.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah, he wouldn't have gotten anything. Like, they weren't married. There was no life insurance policies. There was nothing like that. That there would have been a motive for him to kill her. And then he winds up taking her.

[Payne Lindsay]

Two kids, I mean, and raising them as his own.

[Maggie Freeling]

Raising them as his own. Like, that's a really noble thing to do. And I actually don't. I just find it weird. Like, you would kill her to get her kids.

[Payne Lindsay]

Like, I don't believe that. And Pat, his wife at the time said, like, it wasn't. He was. No, he's innocent. Like, he didn't do anything to Liz. They were good friends. It didn't make any sense. It didn't feel like anyone was actually pointing any fingers at Michael at the time. This only got pointed at Michael when the prosecution was like, hold on, he's been the last person to see two women alive when they're at the bottom of the staircase. That is insane.

[Maggie Freeling]

So she winds up being exhumed in Texas and They fly her body or they drive, they transport her body all the way back to North Carolina to have her autopsy performed by the same medical examiner who did Kathleen Peterson's autopsy, Deborah Radish. And she finds actually it is a homicide. So the cause of death was changed to homicide. Again, the same medical examiner that said Kathleen Peterson, who fell down the stairs, Homicide. Now, this other woman in Michael's life who was. It was ruled an accidental death. Now, homicide. And again, there's no blunt force trauma. Like, there is no crushing of the skull, anything like that that would suggest a beating, which they're saying happened as the homicide. What do you make of that?

[Payne Lindsay]

She says they're very similar in their autopsies, and so therefore homicide. But you also could argue, are they very similar because they're for falling down the stairs? I think what's also interesting is the blood, the amount of blood everyone says is at both scenes is. Is very. I. I just. I don't know enough about falling down the stairs. Like, all her. Her friends that were there, like, I think one was the nanny, one was a close friend, maybe one was a family member. They describe, like, cleaning the blood off the walls, taking them, like, hours. And I just am so kind of surprised and shocked that if these are just balls down the stairs, that there is that much blood.

[Maggie Freeling]

So Michael winds up being convicted. A jury unanimously found him guilty of first degree murder, and he's sentenced to life without parole. So he's in prison for eight years, filing appeals, doing his thing, claiming his innocence. And in 2009, the attorneys found what they believe was new evidence that were grounds for a retrial. In 2010, it was revealed that Dwayne Deaver, the blood pattern expert that the prosecution used against Michael, he was not relying on objective science, and he lied about how extensive his experience was. Dwayne Deaver basically was performing junk science. He was. He was not using science to say this is how this happened, that she was beaten over the head. He's not using science. So in 2011, a motion for a new trial is granted. He's released on bond, and he's on house arrest awaiting retrial. However, because Dwayne Deaver was basically impeached, they can't use him. They can't use his faulty flood testing. And at the first trial, they did have a male escort that was in communication with Michael come and testify, but that was not allowed at the second trial. Um, this is one of those things.

[Payne Lindsay]

Where it's like, I wonder why it was inadmissible.

[Maggie Freeling]

Though in the second trial, because it was probably hearsay. It was probably, it was probably, I.

[Payne Lindsay]

Guess they were saying like this is neither here nor there when it comes to, to this case.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah.

[Payne Lindsay]

And it does kind of feel like this wasn't. It's like a non factor unless you had more evidence that they were fighting about this exact thing. The prosecution says it was the motive, but there's not actually any way to prove it's the motive.

[Maggie Freeling]

Right. Right. And also something really interesting is prosecutions don't have to give a motive. So, you know, that was something they thought would be like a bonus, but they don't need a motive.

[Payne Lindsay]

Bonus motive.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah, bonus motive. Exactly. More of our discussion after a quick break. You're listening to up and Vanish Weekly. I've been working with a Nourish dietitian for the last six months and it's been life changing. I've lost weight, healed my relationship with food and have way more energy. Working with a dietitian online to create a personalized nutrition plan was so easy thanks to Nourish. The best part, I paid zero dollars out of pocket. Because Nourish accepts hundreds of insurance plans, 94% of patients pay $0 out of pocket. Find your [e-mail] that's usenourish.com when you.

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[Maggie Freeling]

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[Payne Lindsay]

Hey listeners, if you.

[Maggie Freeling]

Have a tip or theories about a case you want to share or a case of interest you'd like to recommend to us, then we want to hear from you. Email us casesenderfoot tv dm us on Instagram, UAV weekly or give us a call at 770-545-6411.

[Payne Lindsay]

Now here's Kristen Seabe, host of Murder She Told with this week's critical missing case.

[Maggie Freeling]

27 year old Papita Redhair was last seen on March 27, 2020 when her mother dropped her off at her boyfriend Nicholas Kaye's home in Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 19, he reported her missing. Pepita's family told the media that Pepita was a victim of domestic violence and that she was beaten several days prior to her disappearance. According to a police report, Nicholas said that he and Pepita were out for a drink on March 27 and got into an argument. He said that she left and that he got a text from her the following day writing that she was with another man. They had met the prior evening. Pepita hasn't been in contact with her family or friends since, which is unusual. In 2025, Pepita would be 33 years old. She is native and part of Navajo Nation. She's 5 foot 1 with brown hair and brown eyes and was 140 pounds at the time of her disappearance. Pepita has a beauty mark on her chin and several tattoos including a dinosaur on her right forearm, a koi fish on her left forearm, a butterfly on her shoulder, the word red hair on her leg, and a tattoo of a heart with an arrow on the inside of her bottom lip. If you have any information that could bring a resolution solution for Pepita's family, please contact the Albuquerque Police Department at 505-242-COPS which is 2677. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 505-843-STOPS. You can check out Murder She Told.

[Payne Lindsay]

Wherever you get your podcasts and on all social platforms.

[Maggie Freeling]

Okay, now back to the show. It made news across the nation. A famous author on trial for murdering his wife. Now the 15 year old murder case is back in a Durham court.

[Payne Lindsay]

Author Michael Peterson was convicted of killing.

[Maggie Freeling]

His wife in 2001 and then freed.

[Payne Lindsay]

After judge ruled an investigator misled the jury.

[Maggie Freeling]

In 2017 there is a retrial and Michael actually wound up submitting an Alford plea. Alford pleas are kind of the worst case scenario. Um, they are often offered in cases like this where the prosecution is recognizing they do not have enough to get a conviction. Right. They are, they're blood spatter expert gone.

[Payne Lindsay]

Brad gone, not relevant. Right.

[Maggie Freeling]

So their case is weak at this point. Um, so what they'll do is they'll offer this plea called an Alford plea. And basically it's saying, we recognize we do not have enough to convict you, so we're not going to take you to trial. As long as you plead guilty, you don't have to go to trial, but you are now a felon. So you're basically saying, I want my freedom because I don't want to take the chance of going to trial and getting convicted. You know where this plea was became the most famous is in the West Memphis Three case, where anybody who follows true crime, the reason they are out is because they took an Alford plea and they were able to get out.

[Payne Lindsay]

Interesting.

[Maggie Freeling]

So Michael takes the Alford plea. He decides he's older, doesn't want to go to prison, he's got kids, he's not taking a chance at trial. Michael takes this plea, he is a convicted felon, he gets time served, and he is released. I think a lot of people often say this points to guilt. Like, it's kind of like a. Like a get out of jail free card. The state looks at it as like a win win. We get our conviction, you get your freedom. What do you make of the Alford plea?

[Payne Lindsay]

I think it's interesting that this plea exists. I think that, as we said, this case is so complicated and there's so many weird things during it that it kind of is like, yeah, I'm not surprised you took the Alford plea because it feels like at every turn there's something strange being uncovered. There's some way that this can look bad. The staircase of it all never really quite adds up. I think for most people, even with all the theories, like, it's still kind of like, how did she get exactly where she was? How did she lose so much blood? Where were you during the fall? It's all kind of gray and vague and there's no other witnesses. Like, there's no one to call upon.

[Maggie Freeling]

She was convicted one time already.

[Payne Lindsay]

And even though they had to double back on some of that stuff, I mean, they can't prove, again, the blood splatter and exactly how that happened with their junk science and that his, you know, bisexuality mattered at all, they can't prove that they were fighting about it. They can't prove that motive. So I don't know, I think I would probably advise him to take that plea too, if I were his attorney. Yeah. Cause he's saying, look, I'm innocent. I'll take the guilty plea. I'll maintain my innocence. You'll know that. I admit that you can Find me guilty if you wanted to, and I get out.

[Maggie Freeling]

So I think a lot of people also don't understand that there's clearance rates. People will look at a prosecutor's office and say, you're not closing these cases. You're not getting convictions. They want a conviction. This now counts as a conviction. Even though this man is out, it's a way of the prosecutor's office getting a win. That's what they want is wins, right? Like, when people ask me, why are they prosecuting somebody if they know they didn't do it, they need a conviction. I mean, that's the thing. When they have police. Like when police departments, prosecutors offices have so many open cases, it looks really bad. People start losing jobs because the clearance.

[Payne Lindsay]

Rate is so low.

[Maggie Freeling]

So, you know, it's a win for the prosecutors. It might be a win for him. He's free. I mean, he has a convicted felon, but at his age, I don't. I don't know if he's out looking for a job or they might give a shit about that. You know what I mean? Like, maybe he is, but for Kathleen's kids, he is free. Is it a win for them?

[Payne Lindsay]

I think his family situation only got increasingly more complicated as the case went on and as the years went on. So, like, originally, everyone, as soon as Kathleen was found dead, like, basically everyone in the family, like, even Kathleen's sisters were like, this is unbelievable. They had a loving marriage. All the kids were like this. I don't even know why you're investigating our dad. Like, obviously our mom fell, and this is so tragic, and leave us alone. And then slowly, over time, I think it is very significant that a lot of the family members took a different stance. Kathleen's sisters. It was pretty quick. Kathleen's sisters even testified on the stand against him, being like, I know I said that in my original statement, but I didn't know the real Michael Peterson. Again, I think a lot of that went back to the bisexuality thing. But they didn't like what they heard from at the prosecution, I think, and what they heard from the investigation and they changed sides again. Same thing happened with Caitlyn. That was Kathleen's biological daughter. She changed sides. So basically everyone biologically related to Kathleen was against Michael Peterson by the time they were in trial. So the family is not united behind Michael. And I've always thought that was really interesting because that was like a huge part of the case in the original part of the documentary was that everyone was behind Michael. And then it just kind of Dwindled.

[Maggie Freeling]

All right, so let's get into some theories. Would I 100% say Michael Peterson is innocent, which is a strong term? I can't say that. But what I can say is, to me, murder seems like the least likely theory. And we've kind of talked about, you know, that's the prosecution's theory. So what do you make of murder?

[Payne Lindsay]

Just as I don't think there's enough clear evidence to try him effectively for murder and find him guilty, I think there's also a lot of gray area and weird stuff that was never quite explained and kind of, you know, slapped a band aid on it for his full innocence, too. I always think about the hours in between when she fell down the stairs, quote unquote, and when 911 was called the weird kind of alibi for the nights, which seems kind of half baked, and no one else is there to prove it. And part of me wonders, maybe there is something to that. Were they fighting? Were they drunk? You know, they could have been fighting.

[Maggie Freeling]

And drunk, and she still could have.

[Payne Lindsay]

Fallen down the stairs.

[Maggie Freeling]

Fallen down the stairs.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yep.

[Maggie Freeling]

What I observed of Michael Peterson did not seem to me like this is a man who is masterminding multiple murders. He seemed kind of just. He was very, like, spastic and frantic, and he just seemed more like a cold person, not a bad person. Like, I hesitate to use the word, like, sociopath. Like, just like, emotion. Like, he just seems very off. And I think he's aware that he has weird behaviors.

[Payne Lindsay]

Like now he is for sure.

[Maggie Freeling]

And I think maybe at the time, if he was in the house, maybe he was upstairs. Maybe he was somewhere else downstairs and, like, knew if he was put himself in the house, they'd be. Everyone would be like, why didn't you do something?

[Payne Lindsay]

Exactly.

[Maggie Freeling]

Maybe he didn't. He really didn't hear it. Maybe he was really drinking. I think he. He's just a little odd. Like, that could spiral very quickly into a lie of being outside. And I was sleeping for two hours.

[Payne Lindsay]

And that's another thing that I think comes up again and again in this case is like, the idea that maybe there were some half truths presented in the beginning and then they had to hold to them. And that's what kind of made this case feel weird. That's what I always think. I'm like, something doesn't ring true here. And I honestly don't know if it's just because he didn't want to say what the full truth was. And maybe the full truth wasn't even bad.

[Maggie Freeling]

I Can plausibly see him falling asleep outside, walking in an hour or two later with some cup. With the cups and the bottle and coming across that. I can plausibly see that happening. I think the point is, this is a man who should never have to have taken an Alford plea.

[Payne Lindsay]

I. I can agree there, where it's like, if we're sitting here being like, what about this? And what about this? And what about this? And the prosecution's like, how about this? And then it's disproved, and it just. It feels like too much for us.

[Maggie Freeling]

I think that for me is what's very frustrating is, like, you know, there's probably a lot of people that think he's guilty, obviously, but we could argue guilt or innocence all day. But the point is, he did not. I don't believe he got a fair trial. I do not believe he should have ever had to take an Alford plea. And I think that's what makes me so mad, is that anytime we have a miscarriage of justice or anytime somebody is tried on false evidence or junk science or weak evidence, we are weakening our own system. And I think that's exactly what we see here. I do not think he should have been convicted in the first trial. I think those jurors were wrong. I think there was reasonable doubt enough. And I don't think he ever should have been tried again. And I don't think he should have been put in a position to take an Alford plea. And he could still be very guilty, but I don't think the evidence shows that.

[Payne Lindsay]

And I think this is something I really align with you on with this case is like, I don't know if you could convict Michael Peterson.

[Maggie Freeling]

I don't think you can. And I think it's absurd. He was found guilty.

[Payne Lindsay]

And I don't know if that means there isn't something weird with this case and that he didn't do it, but I don't think they have the clear picture of what would have happened if he did do it. I think if I was a juror.

[Maggie Freeling]

I would see that and be like, well, you don't know what happened to me. That's reasonable doubt. Come back with more information.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah. And that's what makes our legal system fair. Like, it's not just the optics are bad, and I totally see that. But you can't try someone on optics alone. They had to present what happened, and they struck out on provable motive. On provable murder weapon.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yeah. More on this case after a quick break. If you have health insurance, you might be able to see a personal dietitian for $0 out of pocket. Nourish connects you with a dietitian that fits your needs covered by your insurance. Nourish accepts hundreds of insurance plans and 94% of patients pay $0 out of pocket. Meet with your dietitian online and message them anytime through the Nourish app. With hundreds of five star reviews from real patients, you know you're in good hands. Find your [e-mail] that's usenourish.com Spring is.

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[Maggie Freeling]

Hey, it's John from the up and Vanish team. If you're enjoying this episode, then you should check out the Tenderfoot original series undetermined. In 2020, my good friend Dennis Cooper and I came across the case of Jessica Easterly Durning, who went missing from her New Orleans home back in 2019. Days after her disappearance, her body was located just two and a half blocks away, discovered by her own sister. Her cause and manner of death were classified as undetermined, but due to evidence of foul play, many believe someone else played a role in her suspicious disappearance. Our team linked up with investigative journalist Jessica Knoll and former detective Todd McComas in search for answers. Tune in and see what we discovered about Jessica Easterly Durning's untimely death. Listen to Undetermined wherever you get your podcasts or binge ad Free exclusively on Tenderfoot Plus. Now back to the show. So one of the most interesting things about this case, what sets it apart from every other case, is the alternate theory that was Proposed because a lot of people think it's just so wild. This theory has become very controversial. And I will say Payne Lindsay is the number one owl hater. He absolutely will refuse to accept the owl was the killer. But I think this has a lot of legs to it. So a neighbor actually proposed this theory. The neighbor is an attorney and proposed that perhaps her death was caused by an owl attack. The theory is that after they were drinking, Kathleen went out front to check on some of the Christmas lights or Christmas decorations she had just put up. So she's out front at this time. She is attacked by an owl, specifically a barred owl. And the talons of the owl cause the lacerations on her scalp. She starts to bleed, causing the drops in the walkway, the blood smear on the door. She's kind of like, trying to feel what happens to her head. She's coming out in and out of consciousness, goes into the house, maybe tries to go up the stairs, falls and bleeds out. She actually had little wounds on her face and on her body. And they said this was actually from the owl's beak. It was consistent with the tip of an owl's beak. And there was a feather. There was a barred owl feather. I think that this has legs. Because barred owls live in the woods by the Peterson house. They are aggressive, can be dangerous. You can Google this. It's explained everywhere. They have attacked people on numerous occasions. Barred owls, specifically. The wounds on her scalp actually are the shape of the talons a barred owl would have. And they basically say that the cause of death was exsanguination. She bled out. It was not blunt force trauma. We do know that she was not hit on the head. She. There is no blunt force trauma. The theory is she extanguinated from these lacerations. She bled out. And that explains all the blood. That explains the shooting blood. What do you think?

[Payne Lindsay]

I'm going to play devil's advocate to the owl theory, and here's why. I was attacked by an owl at the end of my driveway.

[Maggie Freeling]

This is it.

[Payne Lindsay]

And I am the statistic here. And as soon as it happened to me, I was like, hot damn.

[Maggie Freeling]

Wait, was this after you knew about the staircase?

[Payne Lindsay]

Yes. I was like. And it was at the end of my driveway. Barred owl.

[Maggie Freeling]

Why did it attack you?

[Payne Lindsay]

It thought I was a squirrel. I had my hair in a ponytail. I was jogging. I had made it to the end of my driveway, and I felt this. I'm doing talons for the listener. I felt this on my scalp, and, like, there was a owl right here. I flailed my arms. Actually two neighbors down the street like pointed at me and like exclaimed. And I was like, yes, I'm aware there was an owl on me. And then it flew up, was on the power line. And we both looked at each other like that was not supposed to. We thought that was not supposed to happen.

[Maggie Freeling]

Did you have laceration? Like, were you okay?

[Payne Lindsay]

So I was okay. I had my mom checked to make sure I didn't need to get a shot, you know. Yeah, I was at my parents house, which, you know, south. Like it was at the end of a long driveway. It kind of reminds me of what the Peterson situation might have been. That owl did scrape me. But you know, the lacerations, multiple lacerations. Like this owl would have to be like, kind of like scraping her multiple times, beaking her multiple times. That can happen, sure. I mean, I guess she might not have flailed like me. Maybe there was just enough waning light that the owl gave up on me early. But I did think like, wow, this is unreal. Like that this is. The owl theory is happening to me.

[Maggie Freeling]

I am floored right now. That you were fucking attacked by an owl?

[Payne Lindsay]

Yes. And it was. It was.

[Maggie Freeling]

Does Pain Lindsay know you were attacked by an owl?

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah, I told him.

[Maggie Freeling]

You probably are like the foremost expert now on owl attacks.

[Payne Lindsay]

That is hilarious. I'm not sure I want to take on that burden, but I couldn't believe that it happened to me at the time.

[Maggie Freeling]

I'm truly in shock that you were attacked by an owl. And I literally don't even know what to say right now. So let's just listen to this clip about this theory.

[Payne Lindsay]

The most notorious cases in North Carolina's history. And it just took an even more bizarre twist. A neighbor of Michael Peterson has claimed for years an owl could be responsible. Responsible for the death of Kathleen Peterson.

[Commercial Voiceover]

Believe it or not.

[Maggie Freeling]

It is very simple to prove and I have been trying for 14 years. I made an association with the birds.

[Payne Lindsay]

That are in our neighborhood.

[Rob]

The sounds that they make.

[Maggie Freeling]

The reference to a feather that was found by the medical examiner who found.

[Rob]

Clumps of hair in her hands when.

[Maggie Freeling]

She was taken to the moor. I am interested in the feather because I have always heard it was actually like not microscopic, but like small. In her hair.

[Payne Lindsay]

Really small.

[Maggie Freeling]

Yes, in her hair. Like unlikely to just have gotten there, but maybe it did. It wasn't. I don't think. I think it was really small, like kind of in. In where like the, the talons would have been. The way you explained when you got attacked by the owl was like this.

[Payne Lindsay]

Yeah, yeah.

[Maggie Freeling]

And like her hair was actually pulled out by the root. It wasn't like cut or broken.

[Payne Lindsay]

And I remember they said that in the original case too, there are like there was some image, like evidence of like scalping or whatever. Yeah, it's possible, like maybe she was just had a second wind and she's decorating her. Her lawn. I just always was kind of like, so she went to the shed, like stirred up an owl in. In pulling this large reindeer out to the front. Would she be doing that at this time? And look, don't get me wrong, I've done inexplicable things past 9pm where I'm like, I'm not sure why I chose not to do this in the light of day.

[Maggie Freeling]

Have you ever just like started power scrubbing your shower at midnight? Because I did that the other day.

[Payne Lindsay]

A hundred percent. And I have definitely like been like, you know what? Time to redecorate. Yeah, one a.m. time to redecorate.

[Maggie Freeling]

She had a couple glasses of wine. Maybe she was feeling frickin awesome. She's like, I feel amazing. It is time for the deer. I'll just close with this. David Rudolph, his attorney, who is still on the Peterson team, I believe if he ever needed one. He says he doesn't know whether the owl theory is true or not. And again, this is kind of the point. Just the. There's so many other things that could have happened.

[Payne Lindsay]

I wouldn't be surprised if we have another theory pop up eventually.

[Maggie Freeling]

Sure. He is certain though, that the lacerations are what caused her death. The exsanguination, and whether that was from an owl or in 2003, they thought it was due to scalp splitting when her head hit a flat surface, which again, that wouldn't cause blunt force trauma, but it would split when it hit. Maybe a stair is what they thought, but the corner. The defense's theory has never actually changed. They have always said that whatever these lacerations are, are what killed her. The exsanguination.

[Payne Lindsay]

It's definitely possible. And I definitely don't think there's hard evidence that they were fighting that night. I don't. I do think that I'm. I would say I'm not sure Michael Peterson is honest about what actually went down that night. But I don't know if we can say that's nefarious like you said. However, I just think it's weird.

[Maggie Freeling]

Meredith, the barred owl expert, who was attacked by a barred owl and survived. Thank you for talking with me about this.

[Payne Lindsay]

You are so welcome anytime. Happy to come in for any owl related cases.

[Maggie Freeling]

Love it. As fiercely debated as the details around Kathleen's death have become, it feels like a case that will stay unresolved, at least in the court of public opinion, for years to come. For those who believe Michael is guilty of murder, they have to overcome the obstacle of a lack of clear evidence that proves beyond a reasonable doubt that he took her life. Something, in my opinion, still has yet to be proven in a court of law. And for those who believe it was an accident, questions remain about the accuracy of Michael's timeline, about those early morning hours and where he may have been when she died. And for those who chalk the owl theory up to nothing more than a desperate attempt to free a guilty man, we have to remember that strange and unexplained things do happen. It happened to Meredith. And while we may never know the truth, the Peterson family will always carry a heavy weight associated with Kathleen's death. We have to remember that regardless of how she may have died, a loving mother, daughter, sister was lost forever in an unbelievably tragic way. Kathleen's daughter, Caitlin Atwater sat down with Nancy Crace in 2017 to reflect on what losing her mother has meant. All of this testimony, all of this.

[Payne Lindsay]

Drama surrounding this has just been gut wrenching.

[Maggie Freeling]

I mean, it's been so hard to.

[Payne Lindsay]

Not be able to move forward.

[Maggie Freeling]

It's been 10 years.

[Payne Lindsay]

All I want right now is to.

[Maggie Freeling]

Just, you know, focus on the memory.

[Payne Lindsay]

Of my mother instead of the real.

[Maggie Freeling]

Injustice that's here, which is that she.

[Payne Lindsay]

Didn'T get a fair trial.

[Maggie Freeling]

In 2007, Caitlyn sued Michael for her mother's wrongful death and was awarded a $25 million settlement. Michael Peterson was granted a new trial in 2011, and after taking the Alford plea in 2017, he embarked on a new chapter of life while still defending his innocence. Here's part of a statement he gave to CBS17 in 2017.

[Rob]

I have waited over eight years, 2,988 days, as a matter of fact, and I counted for an opportunity to have a retrial.

[Maggie Freeling]

Regardless of where you land on the circumstances and cause of Kathleen's death, as someone who has covered many wrongful convictions, I cannot stress enough the importance of the justice system and the burden of proof that prosecutors have to uphold to keep our system fair and equitable for the accused. Thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of up and Vanished Weekly. Be sure to tune in next Friday as we dig into another new case. Until next time.

[Commercial Voiceover]

Up and Vanish Weekly is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your hosts are Maggie Freeling and myself, Payne Lindsay. The show is written by Maggie Freeling, myself and John Street. Executive producers are Donald Albright and myself. Lead producer is John Street. Additional production by Meredith Steadman and Mike Rooney. Research for the series by Jamie Albright, Celicia Stanton and Carolyn Tallmadge. Edit and mix by Dylan Harrington and Sean Nurney. Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan. Artwork by Byron McCoy. Original music by Makeup and Vanity set. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at uta, Beck Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. For more podcasts like up and Vanish Weekly, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening.

[Rob]

Well, I just found out that my dad lived a secret life as a.

[Maggie Freeling]

Hitman for the Chicago Mafia for all these years. It doesn't make any sense.

[Rob]

He was a firefighter, paramedic. How the hell can he be a hitman? I need answers.

[Commercial Voiceover]

So I am currently on a plane.

[Rob]

Back to Chicago to interview everybody, anybody.

[Maggie Freeling]

That knows anything about this.

[Rob]

I'm in shock. This is absolutely insane. I just don't understand. I need to figure this out.

[Payne Lindsay]

The shocking new true crime series Crook county from Tenderfoot TV and iHeart podcasts is available now. Binge the entire series for free on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.