Patricia demonstrated a habit of making almost daily, long-distance phone calls from her home in North Carolina. Patricias marriage fell apart, and she returned to Pennsylvania, where she fell in love with Andrew Andy Katrinak after meeting him at a restaurant. If Patricia drove it back from the murder scene after she shot Joann and then beat her to death, luminal would have lit up the interior. !) and detractors (This is another bs attempt to free a psycho). Chris and Fatima investigate the case of Patricia Rorrer, who is in prison for brutally murdering her former boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite; her lawyers claim that she was . Keith Morrison investigates the horrific 1994 murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex, the tangled relationships surrounding the crime, and the ongoing claims that Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted. Murder victim. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. The organization purports that if there were awards for distorted reporting, the Morning Callwould win high honors.. One was a convenience store clerk, who said Joann, her baby and the man were in her store for up to 20 minutes, buying a couple hundred dollars worth of supplies in this small convenience store. Christopher Tapp, who was convicted of the 1996 sexual assault and murder of an 18-year-old girl in Idaho, was coerced into confessing to the crime after an estimated 150 hours of interrogations. She was thus sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole, plus an added 10-20 years for the kidnapping charges, to be served consecutively. Regarding the gun, she claims to have said that she didn't have a gun at that time, not that she never had one. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Joann grabbed her purse, the diaper bag, and their coats against the December chill in Pennsylvania. It would have to have been a different gun. Tribute Archive Murder victim. Smith claims that she is innocent and that she loved the victim like a daughter., The second is Patricia Rorrer, who has been in prison since 1998 after being convicted of the horrific murder of a young mother, Joann Katrinak, and her 15-week old son in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. More hairs there. Andrew described his existence with Joanne and Alex as a little Camelot., Ex-spouse off list. It's possible he was just a big baby/growing faster than average, but if there's some indication that they were alive for some time after their abduction, then it would seem to be an entirely different kind of crime than was first thought. Probable cause of death: exposure. Docket at pp. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. Patricia Rorrer was a cold woman. Mike McIntyre, the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case, said the petition is "crazy. The episode claimed the jury required just two hours to deliberate, but other sources indicate it took six. And Andrews explanation of how the intruder got in through the basement door seemed contrived, according to Grube, who gave an interview to Wrong Man, a 2020 true-crime docuseries from the Starz network, which produced two episodes called The Hang Up about the Rorrer case. Congratulations to all four of you, especially Rell and Phill, who are both co-founding members of R2R and CADBI. Select "match any" to find at least one field. Joe Kennedys talks to Michael Brinkle, Patricia Rorrer's former neighbor who reaffirms that he had sold her a .22 Jennings handgun. Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again. Rorrer claims the DNA . Recall Jason Funk's role in Katie Froeschle's murder in Muffled Cries (s11e31) or the trail of evidence left by Earl Bramblett in Private Thoughts (s08e16). Sad part is this could be your mother, father, kids, all love ones and friends! She was a real estate agent, a salesperson, and an equestrian, but she also had a rap sheet that included a 12-month probation sentence for shoplifting from a North Carolina Walmart. And the fact that Patricia called Andrew even after he married someone else didnt mean she was still carrying a torch for him, according to one of her friends. Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. Brisk with west to northwest winds around 10-20mph gusting to 30mph.. Mostly cloudy with less wind and a few breaks in the clouds overnight. Previously on Wrong Man, we learned about the murder of Joann Katrinak and her baby.Were they murdered because Joann angrily hung the phone up on Patty Rorrer, the ex of Andy Katrinak? Where does one pick up flower petal in the dead of winter in PA.? Keith Morrison investigates the horrific 1994 murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex, the tangled relationships surrounding the crime, and the ongoing claims that Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted. 1 hr 25 min Mar 5, 2017 TV-14. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. It'd be plausible to reason some deniability in Patricia's role if there weren't so many indicators of her involvement. Rorrer was convicted at trial in March 1998 of kidnapping Joann Katrinak, 26, and her 3-month-old son, Alex, on Dec. 15, 1994, from their Catasauqua home . It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. There is another question, though: Can anyone say . 6-10. Family members found Joanns tan Toyota sitting vacant in the parking lot of McCartys, a nearby bar. But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? Everyone needs to wake up because this could be you, your wife, your husband, your mother, your father, your children! In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. 0. Patricia L. Rorrer was taken into custody from the Linwood home she shared with her boyfriend and 1-year-old daughter on June 24, 1997. It was a pretty big deal, and i was excited enough to call everyone I knew. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Whether she suffocated him or left him to die of exposure, there's a special place in hell for someone who's able to live with themselves after such a heinous crime. Not gender neutral. Finally, four months after that dreadful day in December, a farmer plowing his fields found what at first seemed to be a pile of discarded clothing. Its doors were locked, but the keys were inside the vehicle. The Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Networks website also points to a bombshell: In 2015, the Justice Department acknowledged that most of the team members from an FBI microscopic hair comparison unit gave prosecutors flawed data from 1980 to 2000 that could have unjustly contributed to a number convictions including Patricia Rorrers. This is crazy. Patricia Rorrer (right) is led to her hearing in Lehigh County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 26, 1998 by a sheriff's deputy, at left. Rorrer was convicted of kidnapping and murdering Joann Katrinak and her 3-4 month old son Alex in 1994 by forcing them our of their home and driving them to a wooded area where they were shot and killed. Prosecutors at the time used this angry phone call as motive for Patricia to travel 500 miles to the Katrinak house, cut a phone line, break into the basement door, put them into Joann's car and march Joann and Alex to their eventual death - killing them in a field. The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. Thats all for this post. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. However, a former boyfriend stated that she did own a .22 caliber chrome-plated semi-automatic weapon. (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). Inside the locked 1992 vehicle, police discovered some strands of blond hair stained with dried blood. In the Katrinak case, they did new (at the time) DNA testing to match the hairs found in the car to Patricia. Tragedy also touched Patricias life. Joann answered that night, told me that Andy was married and they had baby and not to call her house again .I honestly didn't think too much about it. They were hardly decomposed after a mild winter. She was born on July 27, 1942, in Henry County, Va., to Edward Rorrer and Susie Morrison Rorrer. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Our Mission. The six-episode documentary series examines the cases of three different inmates who are serving life sentences on murder convictions but who claim innocence. After a successful first season, Starz has announced thatWrong Man season 2 will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 9:45 p.m. My husband passed away of a broken heart, Sarah OConnor said on the Montel Williams Show in 2001. Part 1. Combination locks. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. TV-14 Information Genre Documentary Released 2022 Run Time 42 min Rated TV-14 Languages Original Audio English . And the kidnapping scenario became more plausible when you factor in the privacy of the alleyway behind the Katrinak house. See Patricia Rorrer full list of movies and tv shows from their career. Patricia Rorrer being escorted by the police | Photo Credits: People Magazine. In November 2005, she shoots Keith in the head while he . Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. Green-Eyed Monsters: Directed by Kate Ryerson. Season 9 aired from August 7, 2015, to November 6, 2015. And James Pfeiffer and Jim Burke have remained on her side. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings, you know, it brought a tear to my eye. Police converged on the scene and soon realized it was not only the remains of Joann Katrinak, but sadly of Alex too. The victims vanished on December 15. They returned with a guilty verdict and a sentence of two life terms. Flaw in reasoning. On Instagram, I found a post for a two-part Win at All Costs podcast featuring journalism professor Bill Mousheys interviews with Patricia Rorrer from prison in December 2019. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . To commit the murders, Rorrer took her victims out to a location that was familiar and significant. Patricia has been wrongfully convicted of murdering Joann and Alex Katrinak in 1994. I was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. Later, they both worked 12-hour graveyard shifts at a textile factory. No show. EPISODE 1. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. In 2015, an outside source, through a freedom of information act request, received an FBI . Why did the police not look into these things? Although the prosecution used it as evidence that she was trying to create a false alibi, it actually sounded more like Patricia was simply trying to nail down the facts he had already asserted to her. I most definitely will not personally afford Patricia a platform, Michael said in an email to ForensicFilesNow.com She had her chance to answer my questions and tell her story in court over 20 years ago. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. Berlingers recently directed Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, and the feature film on the infamous serial killer, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, for Netflix. They noted houses near the murder scene would have heard a gunshot in December, when no farm equipment is making noise, and question why the murderer didnt just kill Joann inside her house instead of risking being seen in public in her car. But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. The indications of Patricia's involvement in Joann's and young Alex's disappearance were numerous. Stable situation. Episode 7. Patricia Rorrer has been portrayed as a bully, petty thief, neglectful horse owner, and heartless killer or a sweet, caring friend railroaded by authorities desperate to solve a double-murder case that snagged worldwide interest. MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J. Wrong Man investigators interrogated a confidential informant, the main witness against Evaristo Salas, and he recanted his testimony. Also she worked as a realtor so it's not that unreasonable for her to know which line to cut. Therefore, when Andrew revealed that his ex once worked in a barn near the site of his wife and sons bodies, she became a suspect. Use quotation marks to search as a State law requires that patrons of the bar sign-in when they come to the bar. Patricia's friends claimed that she was not "stalking" Andy and had fully moved on with her life (new boyfriend, new city, a long time ago etc.). If I knew I was going to get caught, I never would have brought you into this world, the arresting officers testified they heard her say to Nicole. 3126 EDA 2012 Appeal from the PCRA Order October 11, 2012 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BOWES, J., LAZARUS, J., and WECHT, J. Meanwhile, interest in Patricias plight continues on social media. Until WCJN has thought that the hair was planted but the FBI has just released a report detailing unscientific and fraudulent analysis of hair samples in criminal cases. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard. DNA testing revealed the blood came from either Joann or her son. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. We need to know who killed them! Very true - I can't remember if the show went through that. FBI didn't follow up on Patricia's alibi for months (6 months?) It's been more than 20 years since Patricia Rorrer was convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend's wife, Joann Katrinak, and Katrinak's baby. You couldnt fire a second shot. When it was only able to fire once, Rorrer had to resort to bludgeoning her victim. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. No one is safe if the justice system is broken and they are putting innocent people in prison. Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. They DID NOT match the bullets that killed Joann and her son. Police identified the pair as Joann and Alex Katrinak. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. In TV clips, Andrew didnt come off as anguished. They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. According to court papers from Patricia 2017 appeal, DNA on the cigarette butt found near the two bodies belonged to Appellant. (Prosecutor Michael McIntyre, however, told ForensicFilesNow.com that that the cigarette butt was never actually tested). It showed her usually all-brown hair haphazardly highlighted blond. At first, a broad-daylight abduction of a mother and her infant seemed unlikely. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. More: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. ", "Everything is outrageous," he said. Its definitely getting rougher every day, Andrew told the Morning Call. Search is on. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Lawyer: New evidence in 1994 killings of woman, infant, Patricia Rorrer serving life sentence for killing Joann Katrinak, 3-month-old son, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. Morrison was 16 weeks pregnant when her lifeless body was found beaten beyond recognition and dumped along a remote country road, reads the statement. She was the devoted wife of the late Alvin Haymon Rorrer. Joann had been shot once and then bludgeoned in the head. An infant was lying face down on her stomach. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Here is the link https://www.amazon.com/Convenient-Suspect-Investigation-Railroading-Innocent/dp/B0777SGHL4/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=tammy%20mal&qid=1588982960&sr=8-1&fbclid=IwAR0xwJARGyijcn3BqdWAzXSX0l9C7kM-9UtBxQio4AsMv62neDLzggK1IrI. His team includes renowned civil rights attorney Ron Kuby, former prosecutor Sue-Ann Robinson, retired NCIS investigator Joe Kennedy, and Ira Todd of Detroits elite Homicide Task Force. But there was only one day in question, so it feels like Patricia might have been overselling her story. Patricia Rorrer is imprisoned for murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. But none of those charges ever stuck. But other things Patricia did also seemed strange, especially according to prosecutor Michael McIntyre. Strands of the accuseds dyed-blond hair at two crime scenes proved it. Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files. His father confirmed his alibi that they were doing construction work together, putting an addition on the house of friends Tom and Kathy Holschwander, at the time of Joanns disappearance. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. They moved into her house in Salisbury County, staying together for about two years. At the trial, prosecutor Michael McIntyre alleged that Patricia remained obsessed with Andrew Katrinak long after their breakup despite testimony that shed had many boyfriends and live-in lovers to occupy her bandwidth. Patricia knew her gun tended to jam, but she used it anyway. Joann was shot once, then the gun jammed. A hearing on the issue got heated Tuesday. The bodies of Joann Katrinak and her baby were found in a wooded area of Heidelberg Township in 1994. A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. Joanne and baby Alex Katrinak kidnapping and murder by Patricia Rorrer. The show is broadcast on truTV, narrated by Peter Thomas, and produced by Medstar Television, in association with truTV Original Productions.It has broadcast 406 episodes since its debut on TLC in 1996 as Medical Detectives. During these 4 years, many in the Lehigh Valley, PA community developed opinions on the case. After the premiere episode, Wrong Man will air on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. She seemed like quite an unlikely suspect at least at first. Joseph Kocevar: Criminal Investigator, - Maj. Robert Werts: Homicide Investigator, Dr. Elizabeth Murray, Forensic Anthropologist, Brad Jackson was able to describe what his daughter Valiree was wearing, Jason Funk's role in Katie Froeschle's murder, Patricia Rorrer has repeatedly appealed for a retrial and exoneration, thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case, Earl Bramblett murder of entire Hodges family, Darryl Kuehl take over murder of Paul Gruber, "the police actually said that, Oh, she probably ran away with someone. In a million years, Joann would never, never have run away. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. 'Wrong Man" is a six-episode series from acclaimed award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost Trilogy) that examines cases of inmates who have been incarcerated for decades and claim they're innocent. $4.99/mo. Read and download theDen of Geek Lost in Space Special Edition Magazineright here! Finally, prosecutors challenged Patricia's alibi. Great communicator. I have always maintained my innocence because I am innocent. If Rorrer used to live in the area, then I expect any place in the county was probably within a couple of miles of someplace she used to have access to. Wouldn't he have tried to call his mother recall it was with her Joann had planned to go Christmas shopping. Or did they? Andrew had an ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, who'd been familiar with the trail, and she'd previously managed a horse stable just a mile from the scene. Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. TV-14. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. I cant lose them, he told the media. By the time they asked supposed witnesses, most had forgotten about that random dance class (there were many). How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? Now retired, he declined ForensicFilesNow.coms invitation to spar directly with Patricia via a podcast. At 6 a.m. on June 24, 1997, police arrested Patricia at her modest house in Linwood, North Carolina, and took her back to Pennsylvania. The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. Success! Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. Suzanne Pearson fabricated quotes from Patricia including her claim that Patricia said, Im going to the electric chair upon her arrest because a conviction would boost Pearsons career. Andrew's second look in and around their home revealed some disturbing clues. Lieutenant Christopher Coble and Sergeant Suzanne Pearson would later testify that Patricia cried and apologized to 18-month-old Nicole, telling the baby, Im sorry for doing this to you and lamenting to the officers that she would never see little Nicole again.