GUILTY NC - Kathleen Peterson, 48, found dead in her Durham home, 9 Dec 2001

In America, is it compulsory to state a murder took place in a property when for up sale the first time since the crime happened?
 
The lacerations cause my head to spin about what really happened.

I think there is no way on earth that the lacerations were caused by the blow poke. I also find the blow poke to be a very specific and very bizarre choice of nominated murder weapon.

Laceration.....basically a splitting of the skin due to traumatic force. What was the force behind it though? As mentioned, something like a blow poke would be sure to leave bruising, fracture, etc.

So what could cause the laceration? On one hand, it could be argued that her head was split in certain places when met with the force of falling down the stairs, which still seems like a lot of bruising would be there. So if it was not a blow poke type weapon, could it have been a belt?

Whipping her on her head with a belt would not only hide bruising, but would more than likely cause laceration.

Last semi-idea....if she coughed blood at the bottom of the staircase, could it be because of internal injuries caused before she was pushed, or fell, down the stairs?
 
Hi, @TDoc72 ! -- The article I cited above states:
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The home was sold in 2004 to a Durham couple who renovated it and sold it four years later to Biond Fury, a self-described metaphysician, music and film producer and publisher from New York. Redfin says the home has recently been renovated again.
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Site of notorious Durham murder up for sale :: WRAL.com
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So it appears that Peterson sold the home in 2004, and then it was sold again four years later, so I'm assuming that Peterson is well away from any monetary gain when this house is sold again. Some house, I'll say, but still creepy to me.
Thanks! I skimmed the article and missed that.
 
The lacerations cause my head to spin about what really happened.

I think there is no way on earth that the lacerations were caused by the blow poke. I also find the blow poke to be a very specific and very bizarre choice of nominated murder weapon.

Laceration.....basically a splitting of the skin due to traumatic force. What was the force behind it though? As mentioned, something like a blow poke would be sure to leave bruising, fracture, etc.

So what could cause the laceration? On one hand, it could be argued that her head was split in certain places when met with the force of falling down the stairs, which still seems like a lot of bruising would be there. So if it was not a blow poke type weapon, could it have been a belt?

Whipping her on her head with a belt would not only hide bruising, but would more than likely cause laceration.

Last semi-idea....if she coughed blood at the bottom of the staircase, could it be because of internal injuries caused before she was pushed, or fell, down the stairs?

Wasn't it established that there was no blood in her airways or in her mouth during the autopsy? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.I'm not going by what Dr.Henry Lee said about her spitting blood up.
 
Wasn't it established that there was no blood in her airways or in her mouth during the autopsy? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.I'm not going by what Dr.Henry Lee said about her spitting blood up.

I honestly cannot remember, very good questions.
 
Thanks! I skimmed the article and missed that.
I live in the neighborhood. The house is on three acres and land near downtown Durham has gotten very desirable for builders. It is a common assumption in our neighborhood that it will be purchased by a developer. The house is said to be in poor repair and many think it will be torn down. They could easily put 24 units on the land, perhaps more, and large condos/townhouses in the area are selling for $800k+.
 
Wasn't it established that there was no blood in her airways or in her mouth during the autopsy? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.I'm not going by what Dr.Henry Lee said about her spitting blood up.
Yes, the autopsy showed that. Dr Lee's theory was that the blood came from the lacerations, into Kathleen's mouth, so that when she was breathing out/coughing out spluttering etc is what caused the small multiple blood splatter.
 
Well, I've done a bit of research, and found that there are a few different species of owl's down in NC.

From what I have read, these guys can be pretty mean too. So I do think you may be on to something.

I live in the neighborhood. Yes, we have owls. No, they do not fly into peoples' houses and attack them. This whole owl theory was dreamed up by the looniest of the loooniest neighbor in the neighborhood. It is not to be believed.
 
I live in the neighborhood. The house is on three acres and land near downtown Durham has gotten very desirable for builders. It is a common assumption in our neighborhood that it will be purchased by a developer. The house is said to be in poor repair and many think it will be torn down. They could easily put 24 units on the land, perhaps more, and large condos/townhouses in the area are selling for $800k+.

Oh, and the house was indeed bought by a developer.
 
Oh, and the house was indeed bought by a developer.

Hmmmm. How 'bout that? Infill, infill, infill.

Re the owls -- I live approx. 30 miles from Durham, and we have owls here as well. They don't swoop down on people in houses; in fact, they don't come near houses; they sit in trees, looking for dinner -- a rabbit, or squirrel, or mouse.
A people-murdering owl -- you're absolutely right -- fuhgeddaboudit.
 
Hmmmm. How 'bout that? Infill, infill, infill.

Re the owls -- I live approx. 30 miles from Durham, and we have owls here as well. They don't swoop down on people in houses; in fact, they don't come near houses; they sit in trees, looking for dinner -- a rabbit, or squirrel, or mouse.
A people-murdering owl -- you're absolutely right -- fuhgeddaboudit.

I agree, and would like to add:

Wouldn't there be like....I dunno....a feather somewhere? At least one?

I also highly doubt the owl would have committed a murder and fled the scene through the window immediately.
 
I agree, and would like to add:

Wouldn't there be like....I dunno....a feather somewhere? At least one?

I also highly doubt the owl would have committed a murder and fled the scene through the window immediately.

Hear, hear, @lonewanderer -- you said it. Where are the feathers?
And yeah, he would have been banging against the windows in a panic to get out, and he probably would've died trying.
Nope. Still not buying that one.
And every neighborhood has a nut, right?
 
I live in the neighborhood. Yes, we have owls. No, they do not fly into peoples' houses and attack them. This whole owl theory was dreamed up by the looniest of the loooniest neighbor in the neighborhood. It is not to be believed.

Oh, ok..
 
Hmmmm. How 'bout that? Infill, infill, infill.

Re the owls -- I live approx. 30 miles from Durham, and we have owls here as well. They don't swoop down on people in houses; in fact, they don't come near houses; they sit in trees, looking for dinner -- a rabbit, or squirrel, or mouse.
A people-murdering owl -- you're absolutely right -- fuhgeddaboudit.

I agree, and would like to add:

Wouldn't there be like....I dunno....a feather somewhere? At least one?

I also highly doubt the owl would have committed a murder and fled the scene through the window immediately.

To be fair, there was a feather which is why this story ever got any attention at all. Apparently it's really common to have feathers in our hair if we've been outside. They never ruled out any type of feather, it could even have been a feather from a pillow. A friend of mine in the office that did the investigation says that finding feathers is so routine that no one ever bothers to mention it. Ever since this story broke, I've become super conscious of feathers drifting down from trees, and now I notice them all the time.
 
That's cool info, @Skigirl -- Thanks!
It adds to the near-legendary reputation of this whole event.
 
I just finished watching The Staircase documentary on Netflix about this case. I knew nothing about it until watching the documentary. What stands out to me is this: MP's story is that he and his wife had been sitting out in their pool area after dinner for a while, lounging by the pool drinking wine. Then, KP went inside to go to bed but MP stayed out by the pool for a while longer. We all have seen the photos of KP lying at the bottom of that staircase...tell me, if any of you had walked into the house and found your loved one lying there like that with all of that blood everywhere, what would be your FIRST THOUGHT? Especially seeing that you had both been outside the house for an extended period of time, and likely had not locked the door when out by the pool? Wouldn't your first thought be, someone sneaked into the house and attacked her/him? Maybe someone robbing the house and KP scared the burglar who then attacked her? Why would you automatically assume a fall down the stairs, an "accident", when coming upon such a bloody scene? He makes sure to call it an accident and a fall down the stairs in his 911 call. He didn't appear concerned for his own safety at all! Which to me is strange.

I have looked at those images over and over and just can't believe that he wouldn't have suspected that she had been attacked by someone. I really have strong suspicions that he did indeed kill her, though a motive isn't clear to me. But then again, sometimes killers kill just because they want to. I liked the documentary but thought that it was a little drawn out, I think it could have been compressed into fewer episodes. I feel bad for his kids, he is very lucky to have such a devoted family.


I thought the same thing! How would he know she fell down the stairs when first looking at that scene? I feel like she found his emails, she brought it up and they got in a fight outside, they both went inside during the fight, and both went upstairs. Maybe he actually pushed her down the stairs and then finished her off (with what I’m still not sure), and then restaged the scene which would explain why the blood was dry.
 

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