What’s the status of Durham’s Peterson house from Netflix’s ‘Staircase’ series?
As Netflix adds the HBO Max limited series “The Staircase” to its lineup this month, we’re updating some of our coverage from the time of the show’s premiere for the larger audience sure to come from the world’s largest streaming platform. (When searching for the show, keep in mind there’s also a documentary series on the case there, also called “The Staircase.”)
The 2022 series dramatizes the saga surrounding the 2001 killing of Kathleen Peterson in the home she shared with her husband Michael Peterson, and the subsequent murder trial of Michael. It starred Colin Firth (as Michael) and Toni Collette (as Kathleen). Other big names on the cast include Parker Posey as Durham assistant DA Freda Black and Patrick Schwarzenegger as Todd Peterson.
Michael Peterson was convicted of murder in 2003 but was granted a new trial in 2011 and released from prison. In 2017 he entered an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to time served and set free. He lived in Durham for a number of years after that and recently moved to Nevada.
One of the biggest players in the story full of colorful characters is the Durham home where Kathleen died. The 10,000-square-foot home has been through a lot of changes over the years. Here’s a breakdown of what we know about the house and what’s going on there now.
Where is Michael Peterson’s house located in Durham?
The front of the house at 1810 Cedar St. in Durham is visible from the street (particularly the back of the property, on Kent Street), but the 3.4-acre property is gated.
According to Google satellite images, the swimming pool where Michael Peterson said he was sitting alone the night Kathleen died has been torn out and replaced.
Who owns Peterson’s house now?
The home is currently on its third post-Peterson owner.
Jason Balius, the owner right after Peterson, put barbed wire on top of the back gate, along with “No Trespassing” signs.
The house was then purchased by clairvoyant and medium Biond Fury, who paid $1.3 million for it in 2008.
In 2020, the house was again listed for sale at $1.9 million, which was in line with the tax value of the home, listed then by the Durham County Tax Administration at $1,937,733. The home sold in August 2020 for $1.6 million and the new owner is still listed as AZAD III LLC. The company official for AZAD III LLC listed with the NC Secretary of State Office is Ramsey Shehadeh. The tax value in December 2025 is $3.1 million.
What’s the house like now?
The house has undergone significant remodeling from the time Peterson and his family lived there, as reflected by the real estate listing photos posted in 2020.
More recently, permits filed with Durham County’s tax office indicate even more renovations have taken place, including a big facelift of the front of the home. Also, a new pool house was built. The old pool, where Peterson said he sat by himself the night of Kathleen’s death, has been torn out and a new pool built in its place.
The history of the Peterson house
The home in the heart of Durham’s Forest Hills neighborhood had an interesting history even before the Peterson saga.
Built in 1940: The home, built by John Adams Buchanan, was designed by Durham architect George Watts Carr Sr., who also designed buildings at N.C. Central University, N.C. State University and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Another famous resident: Around 1990, the house was owned by nationally recognized scholar and author Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr., who lived there while teaching at Duke University. Gates is the host of “Finding Your Roots” on PBS.
Used in filming “The Handmaid’s Tale”: The home was a location for the 1990 movie “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which was filmed in Durham and Raleigh and starred Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway and Natasha Richardson. (Not to be confused with the popular Hulu TV series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which was filmed in Georgia and not connected to the Peterson house.)
The property was used as the Commander’s home and was featured prominently in the film. Among the scenes recognizable from “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the original Netflix documentary series:
- Exterior shots of the home and grounds
- The wood-paneled study
- The back staircase where Kathleen Peterson died
This story was originally published December 12, 2025 at 4:41 PM.
