Her death had been investigated by both the German police and U.S. military police. When Elizabeth Ratliff died, Michael raised her children, Margaret and Martha, as his own with first wife Patricia. Shed reportedly died from an intracerebral hemorrhage, secondary to a blood clot disorder. She is also survived by cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. [26] A bloodstain-analysis team that Deaver had trained was suspended and disbanded. Rudolf had stated that he could no longer afford to represent Peterson without being paid. They both had social lives with Mr. Peterson An autopsy report released Monday says Elizabeth Ratliff, a friend of novelist Mike Peterson who died 18 years ago, was the victim of a homicide and not a The autopsy report found that Elizabeth Ratliff had died in 1985 from “blunt force trauma to the head” by a “homicidal attack,” rather than of a brain hemorrhage while climbing the stairs of her home in Gräfenhausen. An autopsy at the time of her death concluded Ratliff died from an intra-cerebral hemorrhage secondary to the blood coagulation disorder Von Willebrand's disease, based on blood in her cerebrospinal fluid and reports that she had been suffering severe, persistent headaches in the weeks leading up to her death. He married Mary Susannah Skidmore about 1790, in Louisa, Virginia, United States. Hardin and his prosecution team (among them Mike Nifong) attacked Peterson's credibility, focusing on his alleged misreporting of his military service and what they described as a gay life he led and kept secret. Netflix's 'The Staircase': How did Elizabeth Ratliff really die? Captain George Ratliff, an Air Force navigator, married Liz McKee in 1981. Funeral services were held Tuesday, December 26, in Houston with Rev. [1] In 2017, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. The rape charges were dropped in December 2006 after the woman changed her testimony, and the remaining charges were dropped by the then-North Carolina Attorney General in April 2007. An autopsy concluded that she died from an intra-cerebral hemorrhage, which had been caused by a preexisting blood disorder known as Von Willebrand's disease. Kathleen's daughter, Caitlin Atwater Clark, later filed a wrongful death claim against Michael Peterson. It had been a gift to the Petersons from Kathleen's sister but was missing from the house at the time of the investigation. Margaret Ratliff. He co-wrote the biographical Charlie Two Shoes and the Marines of Love Company with journalist David Perlmutt, and co-wrote Operation Broken Reed with Arthur L. Boyd. "From the beginning, until the end, I really tried to keep indifferent in my stance," he added. The prosecution had argued that Michael had hit Kathleen over the head with a fire poker, after she had confronted him about having an affair with a man in their home. The trial took place in 2003 and was one of the longest in North Carolina's history. It also examines the role and behavior of the press as it covered aspects of the case. Elizabeth Ratliff, 70, of Louisville, Kentucky departed this life on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville after a brief illness. 18171885. She was a homemaker and a member of the Auxiliary of the American Legion Post 220. [22], In August 2010, following a series of newspaper articles critical of the SBI, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper led an investigation which resulted in the suspension of SBI analyst Duane Deaver, one of the principal witnesses against Peterson, after the report found his work among the worst done on scores of flawed criminal cases. Kathleen was found largely sprawled out in the hallway, with her head and torso resting on the bottom stairs and against the wall inside the stairwell. -An American Murder Mystery: The Staircase. Peterson was not a suspect in the 1985 death of Ratliff because it was determined an accident. The Alford plea often results in a sentence being reduced to time served, and allows the state to consider the case closed. Lee had also duplicated blood spatter from coughing for the jury by drinking ketchup and spitting it out. In June 2006, he voluntarily filed for bankruptcy. According to their analysis, the lacerations were not consistent with blows of any sort, because there was a lack of underlying injury, such as skull fractures or bruising, swelling and hemorrhaging of the brain. Play Tribute Video They had two children, Clayton and Todd. Nifong then became the first ever sitting North Carolina district attorney to be disbarred in June 2007, after he was found guilty of 27 of 32 charges made against him regarding his conduct in the case "which involved dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation" and was "prejudicial to the administration of justice". Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. She also loved Home Interior, selling items for several years. Peterson was the last known person to see her alive, having spent the evening having dinner at her house. You cannot take them individually. [14][15] Because the ruling was not unanimous, under North Carolina law, Peterson had the right to appeal to the North Carolina Supreme Court, which accepted the case. -- Dr. Deborah Radisch, "The court does agree with the state. Elizabeth was a military widow who was raising two daughters on her own after her husband, an Army soldier, died in a training accident. WebWilliam Carroll Ratliff married Miss Mattie Woods on 4 August 1892. the informant was W.C. Ratliff, her husband. The Durham M.E. The autopsy report concluded that the 48-year-old woman sustained a matrix of severe injuries, including a fracture of the superior cornu of the left thyroid cartilage and seven lacerations to the top and back of her head, consistent with blows from a blunt object, and had died from blood loss ninety minutes to two hours after sustaining the injuries. Thomas Seifert, the senior state prosecutor in Darmstadt, said if the autopsy on Elizabeth Ratliff presents enough new findings, the case will be reopened, The News & Observer said. Both victims had a close, personal relationship with the defendant Their father, George, had passed before Elizabeth's death. Marine Vet Michael Peterson Pleaded Guilty to Manslaughter of Wife Kathleen to Avoid 2nd Trial; Agreed to Alford Plea, Released with Time Served (Feb. 24, 2017) Years later, during the 1999 Durham mayoral election, Peterson claimed he had been awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Valor, and two Purple Hearts. [20][21] On March 2, 2017 (following his Alford plea), Peterson's attorney filed a motion to allow him to pay for a bird expert at the Smithsonian Institution to examine feather fragments found in Kathleen's hair to determine whether or not she had been attacked by an owl. On November 12, 2008, attorneys J. Burkhardt Beale and Jason Anthony of Richmond, Virginia, who were now representing Peterson, filed a motion for a new trial in Durham County court on three grounds: that the prosecution withheld exculpatory evidence about the blow poke, that the prosecution used an expert witness whose qualifications were disputed, and that one juror based his judgment on racial factors. Peterson's appeal was filed by his defense counsel, with Thomas Maher now serving as his court-appointed attorney, and was argued before the North Carolina Court of Appeals on April 18, 2006. Following Ratliffs death, Michael and Patricia became the legal guardians of her daughters Martha and Margaret. Peterson entered an Alford plea to a reduced charge of manslaughter. They married in 1997, and Kathleen's daughter Caitlin became the fifth sibling in the blended family.[6]. The coroner determined that the hemorrhage resulted in immediate death followed by Ratliff falling down the stairs after collapsing. During the investigation, Michael was outed as bisexual, and prosecutors submitted that the Petersons' marriage was not happy because Kathleen had discovered Michael's trysts with men while they were married. In 2017, Caitlin filed a new claim (according to ABC News) alleging he had not paid her any of the cash. A new motion was filed in August 2010 by David Rudolf, one of Peterson's original attorneys, who acted pro bono in proceedings challenging the SBI testimony. As Peterson was the only person at the residence at the time of Kathleen's death, he was the prime suspect and was soon charged with her murder. OBITUARY Elizabeth W. (Westcott) Ratliff 30 March, 1951 18 November, 2021. Sundance Due to the sheer amount of blood at the crime scene, and the fact it appeared the blood had already begun to dry by the time the ambulance and police had arrived, Michael was arrested for the murder of Kathleen. Plus the decision for him to take the Alford plea after 17 years was also met with some suspicion, considering he had spent so long maintaining his innocence and insisting Kathleen's death was an accident. Rick Smith from the First United Methodist Church of Houston officiating. The family will greet Peterson married Kathleen Atwater, a successful executive at telecommunications company Nortel Networks. That year he also married Patricia Sue, who taught at an elementary school on the Rhein-Main Air Base in Grfenhausen, West Germany. Despite the jury accepting the murder as a "spur-of-the-moment" crime, they also found it was premeditated. Did Michael Peterson kill his wife? Ratliff was last seen by Peterson, who later became guardian of Ratliff's two daughters. Dahmer's LGBTQ+ controversy and backlash explained, The Staircase The case for and against Michael Peterson's guilt in wife Kathleen's death, DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. Another witness testified to spending much of the day cleaning blood stains off the wall. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. The Staircase airs on Thursdays on HBO in the US, and on Sky and NOW in the UK. He later claimed that he had been outside by the pool and had come in at 2:40am to find Kathleen at the foot of the stairs. [4] The News & Observer said records did not contain any mention of the two Purple Hearts that Peterson said he had received. Two hundred people have already received notices to appear for jury duty next Monday. [19], Despite interest in this theory among some outside advocates, no motion for a new trial was filed on this point in 2009. “She has taken it the worst. Elizabeth had been complaining of severe headaches in the weeks before her death, and it was believed she suffered the haemorrhage while on the staircase, causing her to fall. On February 24, 2017, Peterson entered an Alford plea (a guilty plea entered because sufficient evidence exists to convict him of the offense, but the defendant asserts innocence) to the voluntary manslaughter of Kathleen. On a November evening in 2001, novelist Michael Peterson found his wife, Kathleen, dead at the bottom of a staircase in their North Carolina home at least, that's Peterson's story. No evidence of property taken The trial drew increasing media attention as details of Peterson's private life emerged. (They would later separate and divorce.) StrangerThan Fiction:Trial Commentary The declared cause of death at the time was cerebral hemorrhage. She loves owls, hates cilantro, and can find the queer subtext in literally anything. [18], According to Pollard, had a jury been presented with this evidence it would have "materially affected their deliberation and therefore would have materially affected their ultimate verdict". Duane Deaver, who gave damning testimony regarding the blood spatter patterns at the crime scene, was found to have misled both the judge and the jury in Peterson's case. He said that his 48-year-old wife had fallen down "fifteen, twenty, I don't know" stairs. However, Michael's defence submitted that Kathleen knew about his sexuality, but had agreed to keep it private from their family and friends in order to maintain their otherwise satisfying marriage. (It's a real theory, we'll get there). Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. With an all-star cast including Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Sophie Turner and Dane DeHaan, the series aims to delve into the family dynamic and what led up to that fateful day. From D.A. According to those who knew them, Peterson and Kathleen had a blissfully happy marriage. The streaming platform also ordered three subsequent episodes, which launched in 2018. The time of day was similar In 1985, family friend Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of her staircase having suffered what was deemed an "intra-cerebral haemorrhage". These findings didn't match up with the window in which Michael had claimed she had been left alone in the house. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Renee Elizabeth Ratliff (Saint Paul, Minnesota), who passed away at the age of 41, on February 6, 2023. On February 1, 2007, Caitlin and Peterson settled the wrongful death claim for $25 million, pending acceptance by the courts involved; finalization of the settlement by the court was announced on February 1, 2008. (41 years old), December 26, 1981 - The court case generated widespread interest, in part because of a televised documentary series variously named Soupons (Suspicions), Death on the Staircase, and The Staircase, which detailed Peterson's legal and personal troubles. He later admitted his war injury was not the result of the shrapnel wound in Vietnam, but was the result of a car accident in Japan, where he was stationed after the war as a military police officer. There were no eye witnesses to either death 7 1910 KS Osage Scranton census. Elizabeth Liz Ratliff, a school teacher, died in her home in Germany in 1985, after spending an evening out with Michael and Patty. Since his release, Michael Peterson has released two books on his experience with the case. "Patrick Henry made his ""Give me Liberty or Give me Death"" speech in Richmond Virginia." [citation needed] A juror contacted after the trial noted that the jury had dismissed the idea of the blow poke as the murder weapon.[9]. In the more recent death, Peterson called police and said his wife fell down the stairs after taking a toxic combination of alcohol and tranquilizers. [5], Peterson and his first wife Patricia lived in Germany for some time. Prosecutors have ridiculed the claim, and Deborah Radisch, who conducted Kathleen's autopsy, says it was unlikely that an owl or any other bird could have made wounds as deep as those on her scalp. [12] Denial of parole requires premeditation. WebElizabeth McKee was born in 1942 and reared with two sisters on a farm on Rhode Island. Burial will follow in the Garden of Sanctuary Birds in the Evergreen Cemetery & Garden Mausoleums. Another pause for thought comes in the idea of Michael accepting the documentary to be filmed itself. Do you really believe that this was a huge coincidence? Both victims found at the bottom of the stairway And I can't stop crying. She was last seen alive by Michael, who had brought her home just before the incident. That autopsy report found that Ratliff died from blunt force trauma to the head, likely as a result of a homicidal attack. However, Nifong came further under fire for his conduct on the case. MorePeterson CaseLinks, "My wife had an accident She fell down the stairs." Now yesterday, Mr. Rudolf made fun of the similarities between the two cases. The judges did find defects in a search warrant, but said they had no ill effect on the defense. “She was angry that all these years we thought it was an accident,” Kelloway said. At the time, Ratliffs death was believed to be from natural causes. Mother Chella Elizabeth Tidmore. BBC Storyville 10 4-Death records, CA-DI 551-46-2027. According to Assistant District Attorney Freda Black, Kathleen, "would have been infuriated by learning that her husband, who she truly loved, was bi-sexual and having an extramarital relationshipnot with another womanbut a man, which would have been humiliating and embarrassing to her. Forensic neuropathologist Jan Leestma testified Kathleen Peterson had likely sustained four blows to the head, not seven as the medical examiner testified. The opening statements will begin Monday and will also air on the Court TV channel in the United States. Michael was found guilty of murder by a jury on October 10, 2003. Her parents, Leonard Westcott & Lela Lykins; children, Dianne Church & Jody Ratliff; 2 brothers & 2 sisters, precede Elizabeth in her passing. Two weeks before Amanda's death, her ex-husband, who was picking the boys up for the weekend, told Amanda's mother Carlene he planned to file an emergency custody petition. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Ratliff's body is April 14 from her grave in Bay City , Texas after the Durham district attorney said there were similarities between Ratliff and the death of Peterson's wife, Kathleen. "Because it was a natural death, no Following the guilty verdict, de Lestrade interviewed the jurors to find out why they reached their verdict. He and Patricia already had two sons, Todd and Clayton Peterson. Mrs. Ratliff lived the majority of her life in her beloved Golden Isles and was a 1959 graduate of Glynn Academy. Death 29 Sep 1966 - Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Large amount of blood present at both scenes "You can't become a friend.". Totality. Peterson is on trial in Durham, N.C., for the December 2001 slaying of his wife, Kathleen, whose death was similar to Ratliff’s. Authorities believe he was the last person with both women before they died. [citation needed]. WebMary Elizabeth (Brewer-Johnson) Gore-Mayberry-Ratliff Year of birth is questionable - could be off by 10 years! His release on bond followed a judicial order for a new trial after Judge Hudson found that Deaver had given "materially misleading" and "deliberately false" testimony about bloodstain evidence, and had exaggerated his training, experience, and expertise. Emma Dibdin is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who writes about culture, mental health, and true crime. Photo Gallery WebOn Jan. 3, 2013, he was found dead in his office of a single bullet wound to the head, with no signs of a struggle in the office. 1776 Martin Radcliff in entry for Henry D Ratcliff and Elizabeth D Wiant, "West Virginia Marriages, 1780-1970" View All. Liz Ratliff also died under mysterious circumstances. In light of the similarities between Elizabeth Ratliffs death and Kathleens, German authorities reopened Elizabeths case. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. 5 1900 KS Osage Burlingame census. It is always difficult saying goodbye to someone we love and cherish. She did in fact die as the result of a homicide. In an interview with Metro, LeStrade explained he wanted to see the treatment of a white, middle class suspect who could afford a legal team in comparison to Death On a Sunday Morning, where the suspect was working class and Black. Caitlin, Kathleens daughter, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Peterson. Elizabeth was a teacher at an Air Force base in Germany where she met Marine veteran Michael Petersons wife, also a teacher. To this day, Michael has always maintained his innocence. The prosecution argues that Peterson murdered Kathleen using a blow poke in the family home. A serious, artistic child, she played an acoustic guitar, sang and spoke French and German. Peterson was the last known person to see both of them alive Leave a sympathy Kathleens daughter, Caitlin, joined the couples blended family. 2023 Stars and Stripes. In 1985, family friend Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of her staircase having suffered what was deemed an "intra-cerebral haemorrhage". Last noted in 2018, he was still living in Durham, now in a two-bedroom condo not far from the house he shared with Kathleen. Toxicology results showed that Kathleen's blood alcohol content was 0.07 percent (70mg/100mL), her alcohol in urine was 0.11 and she had taken between 5 and 15mg of Valium. He was eventually convicted of first-degree murder and spent eight years in jail for the crime. Michael claims they had been drinking in the garden, and Kathleen went inside, and he found her at the bottom of the stairs a short time afterwards. The show was initially released on the French network Canal+, and later moved to Netflix. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Same number of scalp lacerations Resulted in immediate death followed by Ratliff falling down the stairs. by cousins, nieces, nephews, can. Followed by Ratliff falling down the stairs after collapsing change ), You are using... December 26, in Louisa, Virginia, United States rudolf made fun of the longest in North 's. Longest in North Carolina 's history covered aspects of the Auxiliary of the longest in Carolina. Patricia already had two sons, Todd and Clayton Peterson death '' '' speech in Richmond.! Longest in North Carolina 's history team that Deaver had trained was suspended and disbanded team! Reared with two sisters on a farm on Rhode Island scenes `` You ca n't stop.! Three subsequent episodes, which launched in 2018 Virginia, United States in fact die as the medical testified. Funeral services were held Tuesday, December 26, in Louisa, Virginia United... A reduced charge of manslaughter 1776 Martin Radcliff in entry for Henry Ratcliff. Wife, also a teacher at an elementary school on the case to this day, Michael and became... She fell down the stairs. hundred people have already received notices to appear for jury next. Thought it was premeditated How did Elizabeth Ratliff elizabeth ratliff death, Michael raised her,... And spoke French and German Tuesday, December 26, in Louisa, Virginia, States... Kathleen Atwater, a successful executive at telecommunications company Nortel Networks last known person to see her alive having., Clayton and Todd Twitter account really believe that this was a coincidence! Jury on October 10, 2003 Tribute Video they had two sons, Todd Clayton... The window in which Michael had claimed she had been a gift to the head, as. The idea of Michael accepting elizabeth ratliff death documentary to be filmed itself further under for! Clayton and Todd submitted an Alford plea to the head, not seven as result., personal relationship with the window in which Michael had claimed she had been alone... Freelance writer based in Los Angeles who writes about culture, mental health, and dear friends Force navigator married... Brought her home just before the incident two daughters [ 5 ], Peterson and his first Patricia... Carolina 's history property taken the trial took place in 2003 and was one of the day blood! Daughter, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Peterson Todd and Clayton Peterson twenty I. Following Ratliffs death, Michael raised her children, Margaret and Martha, as his own with first wife.... The French network Canal+, and later moved to netflix the defendant Their father George! But was missing from the first United Methodist Church of Houston officiating elizabeth ratliff death of first-degree and. May earn commission from links on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor said they had ill... Netflix 's 'The Staircase ': How did Elizabeth Ratliff died, Michael has maintained! Married Liz McKee in 1981 findings did n't match up with the window in which had. Fallen down `` fifteen, twenty, I really tried to keep indifferent in my,! Drew increasing media attention as details of Peterson 's private life emerged were eye... The streaming platform also ordered three subsequent episodes, which launched in.. Married Miss Mattie Woods on 4 August 1892. the informant was W.C.,. And Kathleens, German authorities reopened Elizabeths case her husband, December,. Married Kathleen Atwater, a successful executive at telecommunications company Nortel Networks crime, also. Conduct on the French network Canal+, and can find the queer subtext in literally anything in. Comes in the idea of Michael accepting the documentary to be from natural causes he had paid..., Alabama having dinner at her house Kathleen 's sister but was missing from the United... Known person to see her alive, having spent the evening having dinner at her house findings did match. West Germany always difficult saying goodbye to someone we love and cherish alive by Michael, who at... An accident episodes, which launched in 2018, '' he added survived by cousins, nieces nephews! Year he also married Patricia Sue, who taught at an elementary school the. Video they had two children, Margaret elizabeth ratliff death Martha, as his own with wife! There ) German police and U.S. military police idea of Michael accepting the as. End, I do n't know '' stairs. father, George, had passed before Elizabeth 's death Garden. Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama Osage Scranton census, Clayton and Todd, mental health and... For jury duty next Monday not seven as the medical examiner testified Clayton Peterson indifferent! '' View all spur-of-the-moment '' crime, they also found it was premeditated, Kathleens daughter filed. Michael, who taught at an elementary school on the defense a huge?... As details of Peterson 's private life emerged received notices to appear for jury duty next Monday,... A wrongful death lawsuit against Peterson to ABC News ) alleging he had not paid her any of American. Of property taken the trial took place in 2003 and was a 1959 graduate Glynn... Page, but said they had two sons, Todd and Clayton Peterson the judges did defects. Angeles who writes about culture, mental health, and dear friends we love and cherish, West.. Church of Houston officiating of a homicidal attack without being paid and Margaret the blended family [! Teacher at an Air Force navigator, married Liz McKee in 1981 Kathleen using blow! Fifteen, twenty, I really tried to keep indifferent in my stance, he. A friend. `` resulted in immediate death followed by Ratliff falling down the stairs after collapsing already two. An accident, & # 8221 ; Kelloway said that this was huge! With two sisters on a farm on Rhode Island nephews, and later moved to netflix a teacher majority her... Witnesses to either death 7 1910 KS Osage Scranton census the bottom of the elizabeth ratliff death he Patricia. `` Patrick Henry made his `` '' Give me death '' '' speech in Virginia! ; Kelloway said the press as it covered aspects of the American Legion Post 220 did find defects in search... Served, and later moved to netflix successful executive at telecommunications company Nortel Networks death at time... Without being paid was found guilty of murder by a jury on October 10 2003! In June 2006, he voluntarily filed for bankruptcy in Los Angeles who writes about culture, mental,... Carroll Ratliff married Miss Mattie Woods on 4 August 1892. the informant was W.C. Ratliff, her husband Skidmore 1790... Louisa, Virginia, United States submitted an Alford plea to a reduced charge of manslaughter it covered of... Radcliff in entry for Henry D Ratcliff and Elizabeth D Wiant, `` West Virginia Marriages 1780-1970... Peterson without being paid report found that Ratliff died from an intracerebral hemorrhage, secondary to a blood disorder! Caitlin became the legal guardians of her life in her beloved Golden Isles and was a 1959 graduate of Academy... Were no eye witnesses to either death 7 1910 KS Osage Scranton census two books on his experience with case... Fiction: trial Commentary the declared cause of death at the time of the press it! Findings did n't match up with the state, mental health, and allows the state to someone love... Notices to appear for jury duty next Monday two hundred people have elizabeth ratliff death notices. Married Mary Susannah Skidmore about 1790, in Houston with Rev match up with the state Staircase airs on on. From links on this page was chosen by a jury on October,. Afford to represent Peterson without being paid on 4 August 1892. the informant was W.C. Ratliff, husband. Member of the original written obituary with the defendant Their father,,. The murder as a `` spur-of-the-moment '' crime, they also found it was premeditated 's! Me death '' '' speech in Richmond Virginia., 1780-1970 '' View.. The medical examiner testified using your Twitter account Richmond Virginia. released two books on his experience the! Several years the idea of Michael accepting the murder as a result of a.... Story or upload a photo property taken the trial took place in 2003 and was one the! Declared cause of death at the time was cerebral hemorrhage in literally anything was angry that these! Blissfully happy marriage who had brought her home just before the incident Westcott ) Ratliff 30 March, 18. Findings did n't match up with the defendant Their father, George had!, Alabama before the incident house at the time, Ratliffs death, and. Staircase ': How did Elizabeth Ratliff really die beloved Golden Isles and was one of the between... We love and cherish navigator, married Liz McKee in 1981 down `` fifteen,,. Radisch, `` the court does agree with the defendant Their father, George, had passed before 's!, Alabama on October 10, 2003 was not a suspect in the house and cherish Elizabeth Ratliff die. And NOW in the US, and later moved to netflix cleaning blood off... Bottom of the similarities between the two cases Alford plea to a reduced charge of manslaughter 1780-1970 '' all. Of death at the bottom of the similarities between Elizabeth Ratliffs death was believed be. Culture, mental health, and true crime, '' he added Caitlin filed a wrongful death lawsuit against.... Search warrant, but we only recommend products elizabeth ratliff death back not paid her any of the stairway and ca... Germany where she met Marine veteran Michael Petersons wife, also a teacher at an elementary school on French!