TVTV NewsITVMichael Peterson quickly became the key suspect in his wife Kathleen Peterson’s death in 2001.Hayley Anderson Screen Time TV Reporter12:30, 25 Jul 2026Michael Peterson’s “tragic” story is retold in ITV’s true crime drama The Staircase.‌Four years after its release on HBO, The Staircase has dropped on ITVX, revolving around the death of Kathleen Peterson who was found dead at the bottom of the stairs at her North Carolina home.‌Her husband, crime writer Michael Peterson, was suspected of her murder after an autopsy revealed she suffered from blunt force trauma.‌After an intense trial, Michael was convicted of murder in 2003, with the true crime drama following the entire horrific series of events.Where is Michael Peterson now?Michael Peterson went on to be released on house arrest after it was found that North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) agent Duane Deaver had given a misleading and scientifically unreliable testimony, leading to a new trial order.‌It was then in 2017 that Peterson took an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter, allowing him to plead to a lesser charge while formally maintaining his innocence.This resulted in a sentence of time served and he was released from further imprisonment.The Alford plea also means that while he doesn’t admit guilt, Peterson does concede that the state had enough evidence to potentially convict him at a retrial.‌Following his release, the 82 year old returned to North Carolina for several years before moving to Reno, Nevada in April 2024.He had previously been living with his ex-wife Patricia, who he married before Kathleen, for two years before she died of a heart attack.Article continues belowPeterson has authored and published two memoirs about his experiences entitled Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase, giving proceeds to charities like the Innocence Project.ABC News previously reported that the house where Kathleen died was put on the market for $1.9 million.The Staircase is available to watch on ITVXChoose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌ITVColin FirthThe Staircase