What the Staircase left out about Michael Peterson's son

The Staircase! Again! This time, we look at what both the docu series and the HBO show left out about Michael Peterson's son, Clayton Peterson.

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[wunnibald]

A footprint on her pants? Why? He checked if she was still alive! He said " she has an accident" not "here is sooo much blood". He did it 100%

[wandarose]

Incredibly RARE to die falling on stairs and HE was the guy seen last TWICE at TWO such incidents - RUNNING from one of them. Also UNHEARD OF to see THAT much blood from a fall on stairs and it was seen in BOTH cases. SEVERAL head wounds on both women that just seem implausible... how do you REPEATEDLY FALL that many times, inflicting fatal wound upon fatal wound and don't knock yourself out?! He told Liz's kids it was an aneurysm, no mention of fall. Now hes saying "stroke". He told her fruend in Germany it was an aneurysm BEFORE anyone said it was and HE controlled the scene and the military police.
He hid a HUGE secret. He was into men. There's no way a woman who's well-off on her own - is going to marry a man who's into men as much as he was. And if she did... everyone would know in her innermost circle about it. But we know she DIDN'T KNOW because her work colleague sent her a bunch of stuff that exposed him. He was being intimate with men. HE WAS CHEATING. With ANY cheating you worry about STDs being brought home. She'd be devastated he'd risk HER health - like ANY woman who's cheated on. Like ANY woman finding out about CHEATING IS DEVASTATING and NOT what you do to your "soulmate" that you say fulfilled you. I do NOT believe she'd be okay he was hooking up with hookers REGARDLESS and for him to suggest it is LAUGHABLE. Kathleen did NOT know she was sharing her man. We're supposed to BELIEVE she'd have been okay with ALL OF THAT. ?? A "fiesty", independent woman. her entire family and daughter says NOPE. HE PLAYED LIKE HE WAS SOMEBODY ELSE. He's vacilated between she knew, to she didn't know, to it was an "unspoken understanding". Huh??! To ADMITTING he HID it from her.
They were in MAJOR DEBT. He didn't work. That could not have gone over well. She was sinking fast and was ALONE paying the bills. He'd have been screwed in a divorce but her life insurance was close to $2 million.
His daughter doesn't believe him, Kathleen's whole family, Liz's frienfs and family, their friends (Kathleen and Mike's) dont buy it - and now even Todd....are ALL not okay with him. He's a MONSTER. TODD SAYS HE KILLED KATHLEEN AND HE ASSISTED IN THE COVER UP.
This woman's entire world crashed apart when she found that stuff on the computer. That very well "may" have been their first big (they DID fight according to Caitlyn) argument - guaranteed it was a DOOZY. I don't buy the crap "I've whispered her name on my heart" nonsense. He's WEIRD, not poetic. The family are VERY STRANGE. Sorry... but Patty even more so. They all talk like they have Stockholm Syndrome. They don't speak freely and effortlessly. It's all guarded. It's all strange, forced "intellectual" gobbledygook. How many times did the kids say the relationship was "beautiful". ?? THEY CAN'T DESCRIBE IT. All they can say is it was "beautiful", repeatedly. ?? The man is VERY emotionless.  This isn't the perfect family - that's a FACADE. He's just matter of fact: "OH... the autopsy pics were THAT gruesome?" Hmmmm."
Whhaaattt??? The defense did too much too: "it's his birthday today leave him alone". Are we supposed to care it's his birthday?? Humming around the house, laughing way too long over non-humorous statements, and him and his team laughing about bloody fingerprints. CREEPY AF. That man is ARROGANT, WEALTHY, and he was out on bail, in that house, controlling finances, controlling the kids, calling the shots. Those kids couldn't have gone against their father very easily.
That was A LOT of blood and several DEEP wounds in her head... she WAS UP MOVING.. bloody hand print on the door... but she's found by the staircase.... SHE TRIED TO ESCAPE HIM... HIS BLOODY SHOE FOOT PRINT ON THE BACK OF HER PANTLEG... LUMINOL showed bloody barefooted prints in the house AND the yard - as he tried to cleanup and he was found barefooted by EMS ... someone tried to wipe up blood.... blood is DRY when emergency services arrive.... cops arrive to find him DELETING EMAILS AND REMOVE HIM FROM THE HOUSE... and he's the guy that writes an article about police being unable to solve 95% of cases...
TERRIBLE acting. He fancies himself some bygone 1920s academic and the kids just look traumatized and every movement, hug, is forced from them. The body language from this "loving", close, always dinner at the table kinda family is WAY OFF.
And that blow poke showing up FIVE YEARS LATER in an OBVIOUS spot... right at the end of the trial... that family KNEW it was there and waited to play it.... AFTER they voice the opinion that if you could rule out the blow poke, the case goes up in smoke.... his defence attorney buys 2 or 3 blowpokes that look identical.. anyone could buy one and put it there and within 6 months it would be dusty and have cobwebs.. and with no time for the prosecution to really prepare -  and Mike tries to ACT again and say "this is bad", "too preposterous", "no way it was missed", "it could seem staged", "we talked to Clayton about if he DID THIS".... whaaattt??? It's the perfect family, right?! Why would he suggest Clayton ??!! It boggles me they thought that was a good idea and it STINKS. And Clayton turns out, isn't squeaky clean and perfect.... or Todd - you know there's LOTS of skeletons in this idyllic family's closet. And the guy dates a producer of his TOTALLY BIASED, self-serving documentary that gave this narcissist and convicted murderer, the spotlight he wanted.
And Kathleen used to seat her most "interesting" dinner guests by Mike so HE wouldn't be "bored". He gives so much ICK. The guy BEGGED for a new trial and then BEGGED for a plea. That man called the DAs bluff and when he realized they WERE going to try him again... he BEGGED for the chance to plead guilty and avoid prison. There's is NO doubt in my mind... that blood spatter and reconstruction experts this time around.. would have done a much better job PROVING he killed her. He broke her neck cartilage (seen on autopsy) and bashed her head off the metal railing and wooden stairs. She was alive for up to 2 hours. He didn't call 911 within 40 minutes - hence the dried blood EMS saw. Science has vastly improved in the last 20 years and it would NOT have favored him. That man KNOWS he'd have been found guilty of 1st degree murder and through LUCK and stupidity of others, he got off with killing two women, serving only 8.5 years. He knows that's a steal. He wanted to be able to argue or plead innocence because he STILL wanted the life insurance.
HE WAS FOUND GUILTY IN CIVIL COURT (Caitlyn sued him and Kathleen's family) to the tune of $25 MILLION DOLLARS. I hope they got his Netflix money!! He should NOT be able to profit from his crimes! I think the man GENUINELY REGRETS HIS WIFE FINDING OUT. It resulted in her murder and HE lost his entire affluent lifestyle. He knows he was an absolute idiot and was CARELESS in his double life. He was quite happy to live that double life. THAT'S what he regrets.

[bunnyluver]

After watching The Staircase, my main takeaway is what an unlikable person Michael is. Clayton seems to be following in his dad's footsteps.

[skillz]

The “owl theory” was so ridiculous it made him look more sus. It’s like saying maybe it was aliens

[fullerpianostudio]

Ligjtning doesnt strike twice... PSYCHOPATH IS GUILTY

[charliekane]

I never warmed to any of his family, including the two daughters. Peterson was oozing signs of guilt throughout the whole series. Laughing and joking with his lawyers about the fire poke when his poor wife was dead. Overusing persuasive language like 'ludicrous' and 'ridiculous' in regards to the accusations. That pretentious pipe was just a prop, his auburn dyed hair suddenly turned grey in prison. The son taking his young baby into the courtroom, disgusting. Peterson's brother was also very unlikeable.
VERY fishy family.

[laurelsmith-vpss]

I am undecided, however, the thing that bothers me the most is that in the 911 call, he didn't mention the blood. Not once did he say there is so much blood. I know, if i made that call the first thing i would want to get across to the dispatcher is that she is/ had bled out! Its a very odd case for sure.

[carladean]

Peterson's own words in Episode 13 ''you know it's like when you get away with something, you keep getting away with it, and then it becomes oh, it's all right''
He was talking about his bisexuality but this is a subconscious confession in my opinion.

[charliekane]

I watched the series 'The Staircase'. I absolutely believe this woman was murdered.
Whether it was Peterson himself or another family member, this was no accident

[lynnpatenaude]

The Staircases did not mentioned Clayton cause it had nothing to do with the murder.

[cassandraburns]

I think the most overlooked theory that makes the most logical sense is that they got into an argument as shown in the HBO series and he slammed her head into the stairs themselves or into the side molding then used his forearm against her throat to suffocate her, thus accounting for all injuries to Kathleen.

[gieeeno]

I just saw the Netflix documentary and will watch the hbo next. I feel that the doc was so one sided, I mean I've read something about financial issues, a legal battle with Caitlyn and now this issue with clayton, all omitted on the doc, felt like it's more of here's the side of Michael Peterson rather than here's everything you need to know in this trial.

[evernit]

The miniseries built the thesis Peterson was bisexual. I'd rather say he was a gay in the closet.

[tessavandebunt]

Also the death of the first woman (Elizabeth Ratliff) was found to be homocidal and NOT an accident!!! Why is no one talking about this? Michael was the last one to see both of these woman and in both cases their deaths were ruled homicidal. Of course he did this!

[llamamama]

He did it. He uses women and men alike.

[Bigbaymonstermare]

I still can’t make up my mind. I’ve seen the documentary several times, the hbo series and read everything I could get my hands on. Michael is a liar - a well established fact. But honestly? I love the owl theory.

[neilwilliams]

Bloody weird bunch the lot of em… guilty as hell I say the father is

[emiliadavis]

The Owl theory is about the craziest thing one has ever heard!!! Are you kidding me?!?

[lexisisk]

I wish the other side of the argument would do a documentary

[biancaswinkels]

I can't understand that Martha & Margaret still support him... 😮 He killed both of their mothers!! Caitlin is the only wise one! 😢