TV & Movies
The suspect at the center ofThe Staircasewas married twice.
But what we didnt see was this big, complicated, and beautiful life that she had before that.
Below, find out more about Michael Petersons wives, Patty Peterson and Kathleen Peterson.
Who was Michael Petersons first wife, Patricia Sue Peterson?
Patricia Peterson, also known as Patty, wasborn in Paris, Arkansas, on March 12, 1943.
Her father, John Paul Balkman, was in the military.
(Helater liedabout having been injured in combat.)
At some point, the couple moved to Durham, North Carolina, where shecompleted a masters degreeineducation.
Their sons Clayton and Todd wereborn in 1975 and 1977, respectively.
Even after Michael was convicted, she remained certain that he was innocent.
They were companions, he told theNews & Observer.
They took care of each other.
Patty died on July 8, 2021, following a heart attack.
She was a kind person, Clayton said.
She touched so many lives.
Who was Michael Petersons second wife, Kathleen Peterson?
Kathleen Peterson, nee Hunt, wasborn on February 21, 1953in Greensboro, North Carolina.
There, she completed first a bachelors and then a masters degree and met her first husband.
With him, she had a daughter, Caitlin, and picked up a new last name, Atwater.
(Needless to say, speculation about the nature of Ratliffs death mounted in the wake of Kathleens.)
Shealso worked actively with charitable arts organizations.
She wasparticularly enthusiastic about dance, and helped raise money for the American Dance Festival and the Carolina Ballet.
She was the Martha Stewart of Durham.
She actually prepared the food for her parties.
When you went to her house, you were entering a Martha Stewart kind of event.
The economy was declining, and as a result, Nortelsstock was losing valueand the company was conductingmass layoffs.
She died the following morning, on December 9, 2001.
She was a mother who loved us with the greatest capacity possible, Kathleens daughter Caitlinsaid at her funeral.
Despite taking that plea, he has maintained his innocence.
The last one was so upsetting I couldnt finish it, Campell told the paper.
