Who was Kathleen Peterson?
Kathleen Peterson was an American businesswoman and philanthropist who died in suspicious circumstances back in 2001.
Let's take a look at what we know about the case, who killed her, and who she was.
Who was Kathleen Peterson?
Kathleen Peterson, aged 48, was an American businesswoman and philanthropist who died under suspicious circumstances in 2001.
After growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she was the first woman to be accepted into the school of engineering at the prestigious Duke University.
She went on to take executive positions at high-profile pharmaceutical and IT companies.
She married writer , in 1996.
Did her husband Michael Peterson kill her?
Michael Peterson was sentenced to life without parole in 2003 - telling his daughters "I love you... it'll be alright" as he was hauled off to a holding cell.
Kathleen had been found dead at the bottom of a black staircase in their Durham (North Carolina) mansion.
He claimed she had fallen after an evening drinking as he smoked a cigar outside - but the prosecution claimed he beat her to death for the insurance money.
In 2017, he entered an Alford plea for voluntary manslaughter and was released on time served.
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Since his release from jail, Peterson has written two books Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase, both published in 2019, detailing a behind-the-scenes account of his trial, imprisonment, and life after jail.
What is the Staircase documentary about and when does it premiere?
The Staircase documentary tells the story of Michael's 16-year court battle.
It will start by rebroadcasting a 2004 documentary series with three new follow-up episodes.
The series has been compared to the streaming service's hit Making A Murderer.
The Staircase is set to premiere on May 5, 2022.
However, it will be exclusively available on .
In 2018, Netflix also released a 10-episode documentary following the same case.
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