E|154 The Back Staircase

🎙️ Criminal Mischief The Back Staircase: The Death of Kathleen Peterson A fall, a secret, and a story that refused to stay buried. In this episode of Criminal Mischief, host Carolyn Ossorio revisits one of the most haunting and polarizing cases in modern true crime — the death of Kathleen Peterson, and the man who claimed it was an accident: her husband, Michael Peterson. When Kathleen’s body was found at the bottom of a staircase in their North Carolina mansion in December of 2001, the scene was catastrophic — blood spattered across the walls, head injuries so severe investigators couldn’t believe they came from a fall. What followed would become one of the most debated cases in American criminal history. Michael Peterson’s version of events changed under scrutiny. First an accident, then a mystery, then something stranger. A novelist, a veteran, and a husband with more secrets than anyone expected. And when prosecutors unearthed the death of another woman — one connected to Peterson years earlier — the story twisted into something almost unbelievable. Through trial transcripts, forensic reports, and archived interviews, Criminal Mischief examines the inconsistencies, the media frenzy, and the theories that still divide both experts and audiences more than two decades later. Was Kathleen’s death the result of a tragic fall? Or was it — as some investigators believe — murder disguised as misfortune? 🕯️ Listen, Follow, and Join the Investigation Follow Criminal Mischief for new episodes every week wherever you get your podcasts. Visit eviocreative.com (https://www.eviocreative.com/) for more from the Evio Creative Network — including The Devil Within, The Ides of April, and Taboo Treasures. Connect with us on social media for behind-the-scenes content, updates, and case discussions. 📧 [email protected] 📸 @criminalmischiefpod 💰 Sponsored by QUINCE Upgrade your fall wardrobe with Quince — where luxury doesn’t come with a luxury price tag. From Mongolian cashmere to Italian leather, Quince delivers premium essentials directly to you without the designer markup. Go to https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF for FREE SHIPPING and 365-day returns. That’s https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF for free shipping and 365-day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices