On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. You have permission to edit this article. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? Patricia denied owning a .22 caliber pistol (the type of gun used to kill Joann). Hello guys! Conflicting versions. Theyd been missing for four months, but their discovery only gave rise to more questions than answers, especially as the young mother had been shot once in the face before being struck on the head 19 times. He said that the gun had an unusual characteristic: the gun would jam after firing one shot. . Watch enough true crime shows and you're bound to hear one of these gems. The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. "Wrong Man" Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope (TV Episode 2020 She had a suitcase packed, Devine said. Patricia was arrested on June 24, 1997. . Fury of the Gods Brings Back the "Shazamily": Inside DC's New Superhero Adventure, Scream 6's Brutal NYC Trip: "You Can't Trust Anyone" This Time, Cocaine Bear Is Not Just About a Killer "Coked-Up" Bear, It's Also an "Underdog Story", How Marvel's Wastelanders Podcast Created an Exciting Story with No Visual Safety Net, Wrong Man Season 2 Release Date Confirmed (Exclusive). When it was only able to fire once, Rorrer had to resort to bludgeoning her victim. . Not gender neutral. Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. . This is a list of notable female murderers whose name begins with the letter R. Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. She needs to be freed! Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. There is still an appeal coming up (I believe) but everything else has failed so far to get Patricia another trial. Image Title Airdate Season Episode Series Episode "Sleeping with the Enemy" August 7, 2015: 1: 120 Texan Darlene Gentry is a self-centered former beauty queen who enjoys the party girl lifestyle and whose marriage to husband Keith is collapsing under the debt she has incurred. 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. 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. Patricia Rorrer: An Update - Forensic Files Now Some lawyers call microscopic hair analysis junk science that today wouldnt qualify as evidence in a trial like Rorrers. 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. I knew when Joann was pregnant and although surprised because Andy had once told me he didn't want children and wasn't sure he could have children, I was again happy for him. Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. She seemed like quite an unlikely suspect at least at first. Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. (A good point. Pulled hairs don't grow roots. She does not have a lawyer, her last lawyer was sued by the prosecutor. Psycho For Love: Patricia Rorrer killed her ex-boyfriend's new wife 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. Cop defends accused. Watch Forensic Files: Season 5, Episode 3A Woman Scorned. While the police are still investigating the murder of your wife and child? Died along with his mother, Joann, as a victim of his father's jealous ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer. . Starz announces premiere date for Joe Berlinger's Wrong Man Season 2. PATRICIA LYNNE RORRER Appellant No. Movies/Documentaries Murder in Lehigh Valley Forensic Files: A Woman Scorned Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters. Illustration of the location of mitochondrial DNA in human cells. You couldnt fire a second shot. Another witness, Walter Traupman, who never testified, had told state troopers that on the day of Joanns disappearance, he saw a couple who looked like Joann and Andrew arguing about the paternity of a baby. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. 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. These organelles, found in all eukaryotic cells, are the powerhouse of the cell. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. And who'd be heartless enough to kill an infant as well? Joanne and Alex needs justice to! The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! When O'Reilly started doing the research, she believed Patricia (Patty) had been . Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Documentary, Drama 2020-2020. Incriminating words. Prosecutor hiding something? By the mid-1990s, Patricia was known for being both warm and caring as well as aggressive and loud. Did investigators look for phone calls between Andrew and Patricia prior to December 11, 1994? We work hard to help with things that can not be accomplished in prison. This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. During the interview, the FBI agents noted that I had no cuts, scratches, or bruising on my hand or face, as would be expected if I had been in a life and death struggle only a week earlier. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) Patricia supposedly still cared for Andrew Katrinak, but murdering his son contradicts this notion. . However, a former boyfriend stated that she did own a .22 caliber chrome-plated semi-automatic weapon. The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. Cancel Anytime. And because some of Patricias advocates have suggested Andrew Katrinak had a motive for murder, I checked into whether he had a life insurance payout to gain upon Joanns demise. No one is safe if the justice system is broken and they are putting innocent people in prison. Joe Berlingers documentary series Wrong Man shows what long form documentary journalism can achieve. It addresses each of these issues (better than I can do, certainly). 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. The Ex Files - Reasonable Doubt (Season 5, Episode 7) | Apple TV A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. Since then our team has proven that Patricia is innocent. This had been taken just 11 days before Joann's disappearance. After retracing the prosecutor's claim of Patricia breaking into the basement door, private investigators found it highly unlikely someone like Patricia would have all the tools and know-how to unscrew all the bolts and then navigate through a very long, confusing dark basement to cut a phone line. It is believed she may have received over 3,700 pills in less than a year. He framed this woman who has been in prison 23 years! Powered by WordPress.com VIP. On December 7, 1994 I called Andy to let him know that me and my team had won the National Championship at a team penning competition in Oklahoma. Mitochondrial DNA - Wikipedia Culture Editor Tony Sokol cut his teeth on the wire services and also wrote and produced New York CitysVampyr Theatreand the rock operaAssassiNation: We Killed JFK. Read More:Where is Jacqueline Crymble Now? She just stayed in touch with everybody, Kathy Barber said in her interview on NBCs Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports in 2017. Joann was shot once, then the gun jammed. Trash-talking ex. MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J. She fought for her life and had defensive wounds including a broken nose and a broken finger. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! Kidnapped and killed? Patricia Rorrer - Forensic Files Now In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. She claimed to be at a dance class in private club but her name was missing from the sign in sheet that night. Dateline NBC's Keith Morrison Explores Claims of a Wrongful Conviction In addition to the Facebook page, there are Reddit threads on her case. Joe Kennedys talks to Michael Brinkle, Patricia Rorrer's former neighbor who reaffirms that he had sold her a .22 Jennings handgun. State law requires that patrons of the bar sign-in when they come to the bar. Tips to help protect your smartphone from thieves, Godfather of soft rock David Lindley dead aged 78 after months of illness, Prince George set to play key role in King Charles coronation but only if hes back in school ASAP after!, Idris Elba: Its MY prerogative to stop labelling myself a black actor, Stephen tWitch Boss widow Allison Holker tells their kids they will find courage, Which Outer Banks Character Are You? Patricia was . The person responsible, needs to be punished. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/fbi-overstated-forensic-hair-matches-in-nearly-all-criminal-trials-for-decades/2015/04/18/39c8d8c6-e515-11e4-b510-962fcfabc310_story.html, https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. My case in a nutshell is this: I was convicted on a DNA match made to the root of a hair found in the victim's car which was located 15 miles from the crime scene. Patricia also pointed out that when author Tammy Mal started her research and speaking to me, she was not an advocate at all but she reversed and ended up advocating for Patricias innocence. And because of the gun jamming, the assailant had to resort to blunt object and beat her about the head. They broke up in 1993. 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. 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. Brad Jackson was able to describe what his daughter Valiree was wearing in incredible detail, down to the color of her socks. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. How about the phone line being cut? In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. Angry that Joann hung up on her, she stalked her for three days, then broke into her basement and cut the phone line, put a gun to Joanns head as she was placing Alex in the car, and forced her to drive to the rural area. The $60 Murder. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings, you know, it brought a tear to my eye. Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports is also available on YouTube, but it costs $1.99 to view (Keith comes off as an advocate for Patricias innocence on the episode). As for the murder weapon, police didnt find a .22 caliber pistol on Patricias property, but an ex-boyfriend claimed that she owned one and it would always jam after one shot. Search is on. One she was at a private club. Another case is Patricia Rorrer, who has been in prison since 1998, convicted of the murder of a young mother and her 16-week old son in Pennsylvania. McIntyre said he was accused of being the mastermind of a conspiracy to frame Rorrer. After all, one of the key pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene and Joanns vehicle were dyed blonde hair strands. Wrong Man Season 2 Release Date Confirmed (Exclusive) She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. The media love the femme fatale., FBI lab blunder. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. Find a typo or issue with the details of this case? Please walk thru her website and see for yourself how easy it is to be convicted of something you had nothing to do with. Man, this case was soooo shittily handled. Convicted killer Patricia Rorrer is asking for new DNA tests in the 13-year-old murder case of her former boyfriend's wife and child. The organization purports that if there were awards for distorted reporting, the Morning Callwould win high honors.. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, Patricia drove Joanns car to McCartys parking lot and backed it into a parking space. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. When police traveled to North Carolina to interview Patricia about the murders of Joann and Alex, she said that on the day of the homicides, she had visited a feed store, a tanning salon, and a country music club. ir.library.oregonstate.edu SearchWorks catalog Clair is black, and no forensic evidence ties him to the crime scene.. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope: Patty Rorrer is convicted of the kidnapping and murder of her ex-boyfriend's wife and infant son, but "Wrong Man" investigators discover that the case is not so clear cut. Crime 2017. DNA testing revealed the blood came from either Joann or her son. Patricia's investigators are petitioning to DNA test the single strain of hair found in Joann's hand. Patricia Rorrer: Guilty Or Not?. The FBI declared the strongest piece Then, despite her multiple alibis, she has an inexplicable five-day gap in this pattern. TV-14. Plus, he had only a minimal life insurance policy on Joann and he passed polygraphs, according to The FBI Files: Family Secrets. This was my thought (I'm behind and just caught the 2nd half yesterday). Probable cause of death: exposure. After one bullet didnt kill Joann, the gun locked up, so Patricia had to beat her to death, according to the prosecution. Select "match all" to require all fields. Media galore. Morrison was 16 weeks pregnant when her lifeless body was found beaten beyond recognition and dumped along a remote country road, reads the statement. 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. Still, no good leads materialized. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. I didn't see other potential suspects highlighted. ", "Everything is outrageous," he said. I knew when Andy got married and I was happy for him. The judge didn't make a decision on the findings on Tuesday. Season 1 had a tangible impact on all three cases that were examined. Patricia Rorrer Brutal Killing of Joanne Katrinak & Baby - FFF Our team of volunteers are committed to helping Patricia. I'm not sure to what extent it was brought up in the original trial. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. 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. 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. E 204 Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope. Or identify other people in their lives who might have benefited from either the Katrinak's deaths or disappearance? 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. Reasonable Doubt: Season 5, Episode 7 - Rotten Tomatoes Great communicator. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. further reading: True Detective Season 3 and the West Memphis Three. She intends to file a motion for a new trial. She was also no stranger to law enforcement because she had a history of violence which included an arrest for getting into a bar brawl with another patron over a guy. At first, a broad-daylight abduction of a mother and her infant seemed unlikely. Knowing that they were not killed the day they were kidnapped, but instead held for potentially months, blows the fact that she didn't make a phone call for a few days out of the water. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. Please take the time to read my story. 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. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. And dance instructor William Jarrett couldnt remember whether she attended his dance class at the club the night of Joanns disappearance. 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. 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. A few eyewitnesses who didnt testify at her initial trial also back her statements of being in North Carolina on that fateful day, but nothing has been proven. Traupman died in 2016. Patricia Rorrer - Wrongful Conviction, Innocent, Nonprofit No charmed life. Phil and Rell will be released on Monday, as well as Leroy Cotton and Jimmy Jackson. The two-hour special, called Murder in the Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates, will premiere at 8 p.m. and air again at 11 p.m. Sunday night. Two of the seasons three cases will feature female inmates. Patricia Rorrer was tried and convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping in March 1998, in Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, for the murder of Joanne Katrinak and her infant son. Patricia is and has been fighting that she is innocent from the very beginning. Prosecutors also claimed DNA hair evidence found in the car matched Patricia's hair at the time (using what was considered valid DNA methods). Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. "When I read that petition for the first time about 30 days ago, I couldn't believe it was written by a lawyer.". Patricia had won a prize at an out-of-state horse-riding competition less than two weeks before the murders, and she allowed herself to be photographed. They were hardly decomposed after a mild winter. Walmart woe. Wrong Man season 2, episode 4 recap: Under the Microscope - Show Snob Com. v. Rorrer, P. :: 2017 :: Pennsylvania Superior Court Decisions The same source indicates Patricia Rorrer has repeatedly appealed for a retrial and exoneration, but each request has been denied. 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. Other loyal friends and associates attested to Patricias kindness toward horses and devotion to her daughter, whom she took along as she worked in stables. I am humbly asking for your help to hire a lawyer and procure a fair trial. Tribute Archive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lo9AIFM_vc&fbclid=IwAR28Mf5rKuUyaq1N-vBqirZM_382D69Zy42uONlU3Qf0eNEnJ1w_kYRYKIM. FILED DECEMBER 13, 2013 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals from the order entered in the . ", "I can remember till this day, seeing that infant being lifted off the abdomen of his mother. Moreover, Patricia had been accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she cared for charges that never stuck. Dial-a-problem. Detectives from the Davidson County sheriff's office took the witness stand to recall the morning of June 24, 1997, when they knocked on the door of Rorrer's Linwood, N.C., home and told her she . They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Breaking News - "Dateline NBC" Correspondent Keith Morrison Explores She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. Andrew's involvement in the latter theory was dismissed when his alibi checked out. Her newest book, Convenient Suspect, is scheduled for release in the fall of 2017 and recounts the murders of Joann and Alex Katrinak and the potential wrongful conviction of Patricia Rorrer. Meticulous primping. When they found Joann and Alex in a wooded area on April 9 1995. Most of all, Patricia said, she would like a rematch with prosecutor Michael McIntyre. I cant lose them, he told the media. An infant was lying face down on her stomach. And in a piece of salacious testimony, Patricia Rorrers half sister, Sandra Ireland, said that in May 1995, about six months after the murder, their mother, Patricia Chambers, stopped by the house and asked her to hold onto or hide a gun, or both. 99.99 or whatever it was. Every time you take your infant to the Dr., they take measurements, so I'm wondering if records exist that show the baby was always in the higher percentile, or if he was say, 60-70th percentile, then suddenly BAM! An exterior door to their basement had been wrenched open, the lock hasp's screws literally ripped from the wall. He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. Share Memories & Support the Family. So much in this case, and every time she appeals with new evidence she is denied. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. "The DA threatened if he ever said that to anybody he would never work in law enforcement again," Neely said. Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. . Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. I think it would really require comparison with his pediatric medical records to determine if the head circumference is relevant. Rorrer was convicted of killing them four years later. Shouldn't Andrew have mentioned this suspicious, out-of-the-blue phone call from his ex-girlfriend sooner? !) and detractors (This is another bs attempt to free a psycho). I think you might have mistaken what's being mentioned in the Washington Post article; that is talking about microscopic hair analysis, which is when they compare two strands of hair for a match.

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