Here's What Happened To Clayton Peterson During *That* Spring Break
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Since the premiere of HBO Max's true crime series The Staircase, viewers have been revisiting the mysterious circumstances surrounding Kathleen Peterson's death. And to be curious about one Peterson is to be curious about all the Petersons, especially since the show depicts them as such a tight-knit unit.
Yet, Clayton Peterson, Michael's eldest son, seems to be of special interest for a few reasons. First, there's that mysterious spring break trip that keeps being mentioned. He also continued to stand by his father's side throughout his trial.
“Part of me has forgotten a lot of…how long it’s been because we’ve just been trying to live in the moment and appreciate what we have,” said Clayton in a 2016 interview outside of a courthouse following his father's hearings. “It’s ripping up open all the wounds again.”
Clayton also said that he wanted to see justice served and confirmed with a reporter that his father has always maintained his innocence, adding, “and we do as well."
If you're as curious about Clayton as I am, read on for all the details about his past and where he is now.
Who is Clayton Peterson?
Clayton Peterson is the eldest child of Michael Peterson. His mother is Michael's first wife, Patricia “Patty” Sue, per The Cinemaholic. He spent most of his early life in West Germany and lived with Patricia after his parents' divorce, per Newsweek.
He and his brother, Todd, later moved to Durham, North Carolina, to be with their father. Clayton would go on to attend Duke University.
What happened during that "spring break"?
In the first episode, it’s clear that something happened with Clayton during spring break in college, but it isn’t explained or further discussed at that time. Turns out, the vacation in question involved Clayton planting a pipe bomb in Duke University's administrative building in 1994.
After losing his fake ID, Peterson apparently broke into the university building to steal $1,700 worth of equipment so he could create a new ID for a trip to Myrtle Beach, according to News & Record. To distract from the theft, Peterson left a pipe bomb that he claims was rigged to not detonate.
"As he left the administration building, he lit the fuse to a small pipe bomb submerged in a quart jar of gasoline," the paper reported. "He also left a note in the building's basement that condemned administrators for prohibiting kegs of beer at campus parties."
At the time, he was only a freshman. Duke had apparently held him back due to a drunk driving charge, per News & Record.
He did time in prison.
Although Peterson claimed that his homemade pipe bomb was never going to explode, later discoveries during a law enforcement investigation did not help his case.
"When the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives later searched the Peterson home, they found 'six more assembled explosive devices hidden in the attic,'" per Refinery 29.
At just 20, he was later sentenced to four years at a federal penitentiary.
Where is he now?
Clayton Peterson now lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife Rebecca "Becky" Peterson. The couple has two sons together, Lucian and Dorian. Reportedly in his late forties now, Peterson works as an Electrical, Digital, and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) engineer, per The Cinemaholic.
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