Ep 3. Staircase Killer

True Crime with Aphrodite Jones is a gripping show that delves into some of the most riveting criminal cases in American history. In season 1 episode 3, viewers are presented with a haunting case that left a small North Carolina town in shock. Known as the Staircase Killer, the episode explores the case of Michael Peterson, a novelist who was convicted of murdering his wife, Kathleen.

As the episode progresses, viewers are taken back to the night of December 9, 2001. Michael Peterson calls 911 from his Durham home, frantically reporting that his wife had fallen down the stairs and was unresponsive. When police arrive on the scene, they find Kathleen at the bottom of a staircase, covered in blood and barely breathing. She is rushed to the hospital but is pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Initially, Michael's story seemed plausible. He claimed that he and Kathleen had been drinking wine in the kitchen when she decided to go up to bed. A few minutes later, he heard a loud noise and ran up the stairs to find his wife lying at the bottom, covered in blood. But as police began to investigate the crime scene, they found a number of inconsistencies in Michael's story.

In the weeks and months that followed, investigators delved deeper into Michael's past and found a number of troubling details. For one, his first wife, Patty, had also died under suspicious circumstances back in 1985. She was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs, just like Kathleen. And while Michael maintained that she had died of natural causes, investigators began to wonder if he had played a role in her death as well.

As the episode progresses, viewers are presented with a wealth of evidence that suggests Michael may have been responsible for both Patty and Kathleen's deaths. Blood spatter analysis suggested that Kathleen's head wounds were not consistent with a fall down the stairs, but rather indicative of a blunt force trauma. Furthermore, investigators found that Michael had financial problems and was having affairs with both men and women behind Kathleen's back.

Ultimately, Michael Peterson was charged with first-degree murder in Kathleen's death. He maintained his innocence throughout the trial, but several experts testified against him, claiming that the evidence was just too overwhelming to deny. In the end, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

While the case of the Staircase Killer may seem cut and dried on the surface, the episode raises a number of intriguing questions about the criminal justice system and the role of circumstantial evidence in criminal trials. It also offers viewers a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a sociopath and the lengths to which he will go to protect his own twisted version of reality. True Crime with Aphrodite Jones is essential viewing for anyone who wants to better understand the dark underbelly of American crime.