they made us a family. not only did she raise these children and have quite an accomplished corporate career, dinner 50, she would do it. but, in the wee hours of a winter night. i found them at the base of the stairs. kathleen peterson, dead. was this a fall, or was this murder? a mystery we covered for more than a decade comes to a shattering and. it did not look like a fall. michael peterson, under suspicion, then, a bombshell revelation about another woman from his past. this was on the floor, and there was a puddle of blood under the staircase. appear today the same, way to minnesota shaded with one of the? odds yes, what are the odds? a trial, one expert this is the scene. would make a slam dunk case for peterson s guilt. the tourist or captivated by his testimony. but were his dramatic experience legit? it is designed to get a result, does not scientifical. michael peterson on the quest that might finally lead to the truth.
times just to see but. tim thompson, owner of associated microscopes, was asked by that neighbor to examine a slide of that feather. they grow under the clause of an animal. when they attack something, they leave behind these small particle feathers. thompson peered through his microscope, studying bloody strands of hair found clash in kathleen peterson s. her tangled in her hair was not one but two minute bird feathers. surprise, he says to the detectives and an assistant d.a. washing in another room. i think they were surprised because the lab had not found the second father. bill peterson was interested in the results to. a review of the slides show what? traces of bird feather? yes. yes. exactly right. in her hair. another very, very compelling fact. it was most compelling about the idea that an l attack kathleen, supporters, that was
reporter: tim thompson, owner of associated microscopes , was asked by the neighbor to examine a slide of that feather. they grow under the claws of an owl. when they attack something, they leave behind these small particle feathers. reporter: thompson peered through his microscope, studying bloody strands of hair found clutched in kathleen peterson s hand. tangled in the hair were not one but two minute bird feathers. a surprise he says to the detectives and an assistant da watching in the room. i think they were surprised because of the lab had not found the second feather. bill peterson was interested in the results, too. a review of the slides showed what? traces of bird feather? yes. yes. exactly right. in her hair. another very, very compelling fact. reporter: what was most compelling about the idea that an owl attacked kathleen, the supporters thought, was how it accounted for the distinctive lacerations on her scalp. had the three main talons of an
they put a picture of the owl on their on their most wanted list. reporter: and back then without any forensic owl evidence, the defense didn t want to confuse the jurors. so the peterson jury never did hear about an owl theory. but five years into peterson s sentence, the neighbor who was advocating for it was still looking for something to back it up, and sure enough, there it was in the original case notes file. a mention of a feather! you have to magnify them 400 times just to see them. reporter: tim thompson, owner of associated microscopes , was asked by the neighbor to examine a slide of that feather. they grow under the claws of an owl. when they attack something, they leave behind these small particle feathers. reporter: thompson peered through his microscope, studying bloody strands of hair found clutched in kathleen peterson s hand. tangled in the hair were not one
leave behind these small particle feathers. reporter: thompson peered through his microscope, studying bloody strands of hair found clutched in kathleen peterson s hand tangled in the hair were not one but two minute bird feathers a surprise he says to the detectives and an assistant da watching in the room i think they were surprised because of the lab had not found the second feather. bill peterson was interested in the results, too. a review of the slides showed what traces of bird feather yes yes. exactly right. in her hair. another very, very compelling fact reporter: what was most compelling about the idea that an owl attacked kathleen, the supporters thought, was how it accounted for the distinctive lacerations on her scalp had the three main talons of an owl, like these, caused this bleeding head wound when it swooped down symmetrical tears. we had an ornithologist who