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. How about the phone line being cut? Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. Joann Marie O'Connor Katrinak (1968-1994) - Find a Grave In 2015, I discovered an FBI report that states the hair used to convict me had "No Roots Attached." Lehigh Valley: Patricia Rorrer Still A Convenient Suspect? More than 20 years after her conviction, Patricia Rorrer still has advocates working to exonerate her. After the first season, the Supreme Court overturned the murder conviction of Curtis Flowers, who had been tried six times by nearly all-white juries; Christopher Tapp was exonerated from rape and murder charges after serving 20 years of a 30-year sentence; Evaristo Salas will go to into a new trial represented by a pro bono lawyer. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. Find a typo or issue with the details of this case? Rorrer's attorney, Craig Neely, said after a report by 69 News in December that a police officer contacted him and claimed the first officer on the scene was convinced to lie about the case by the district attorney's office or he would lose his job, but the commonwealth said the first officer on the scene took back those words. He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. She intends to file a motion for a new trial. 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. No comments yet - start the conversation above. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . There was an error processing your request. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. The defense called into question both the motive and the shaky DNA hair evidence at the time. The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . Wrong Man investigators interrogated a confidential informant, the main witness against Evaristo Salas, and he recanted his testimony. I am innocent of these crimes, and I should not have lost the best years of my life in a prison cell. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Cop defends accused. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? Its doors were locked, but the keys were inside the vehicle. Starring Keith Morrison. 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. Police converged on the scene and soon realized it was not only the remains of Joann Katrinak, but sadly of Alex too. Search is on. His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. More hairs there. But there was only one day in question, so it feels like Patricia might have been overselling her story. And it certainly didn't make me mad enough to jump in my car, drive 500 miles one way and kill two people I'd never met--one an infant child. The organization purports that if there were awards for distorted reporting, the Morning Callwould win high honors.. After all, one of the key pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene and Joanns vehicle were dyed blonde hair strands. There is a 2-part episode on Wrong Man that just came out this year. Pulled hairs don't grow roots. Not gender neutral. The past two owners of the gun's yards were dug up and many casings of the .22 were discovered. ), The Wrong Man investigators Ira Todd and Joe Kennedy have some theories of their own. (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. Both were deceased. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. Witness also recalled Rorrer's mom trying to hide a gun. Patricia Rorrer - Wrongful Conviction, Innocent, Nonprofit Both sides agree Joann hung up on Patricia. 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.). 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. Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. The prosecution asked for the death penalty, but the jury chose to sentence me to life in prison without parole which, actually, is just a slower death sentence. 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. There was also a 2017 Dateline Keith Morrison episode which covered some of these facts. . The bodies of Joann Katrinak and her baby were found in a wooded area of Heidelberg Township in 1994. When Joann failed to arrive, her mother-in-law tried calling, but there was no answer at the Katrinak's. The FBI waiting up to 6 months to question people in the class makes it near impossible for her to prove that she was actually there on a random Thursday night. (QUIZ), RAW: FILE: CHRIS ROCK IS SET TO MAKE NETFLIX HISTORY, Outlast Forces Lone Wolf Contestants to Embrace Team Dynamics for Netflix Competition, Diego Luna: Andor Ending With Season 2 Is Really Important for My Mental Health. Patricia Allanson | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Trash-talking ex. There is still an appeal coming up (I believe) but everything else has failed so far to get Patricia another trial. Based on the activity, the victims were there since at least February. To my knowledge these items have never been DNA tested but the prosecutor stipulated that the hair in Joann's hand does not belong to me, and Dr. Tom Jensen, the PSP forensic scientist noted that the fingernail is to large to belong to me.. Who does this evidence belong to? Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. Tragedy also touched Patricias life. Tapps lawyer saidWrong Mans in-depth investigation into the Tapp conviction helped free an innocent man.. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. Phil and Rell will be released on Monday, as well as Leroy Cotton and Jimmy Jackson. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. 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. Rorrer was convicted of killing them four years later. As usual, Rebecca at Forensic Files Now has a thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case and events since her conviction. Patricia was arrested in North Carolina in June of 1997. 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! On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. In addition to the Facebook page, there are Reddit threads on her case. For example, the weight of each organ was listed, it was clear they were not very decomposed. Season 9 | Deadly Women Wiki | Fandom In June of 2016 Patricia Rorrer's petition for a new trial was been thrown out. 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). In November 2005, she shoots Keith in the head while he . Nailed? She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. Joann Katrinak and her infant son were brutally murdered. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! When they found Joann and Alex in a wooded area on April 9 1995. They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. His film Whitey: United States of America V. James J. Bulgeruncovered law enforcement corruption at the highest levels. McIntyre said he was accused of being the mastermind of a conspiracy to frame Rorrer. There are claims that the cigarette butt wasnt examined and that the hair strands had no roots (which contain the DNA), suggesting that nothing truly ties Patricia to the homicides. (McIntyre said that Egan ignored Traupman because he was a nut who said that the man he saw arguing with the woman in a car was Hispanic but wearing a fake mustache and a toupee. Joann had been shot once and then bludgeoned in the head. Patricias phone bill showed no record of a call to Catasauqua that day, but police noticed she didnt make any calls at all from her house in North Carolina that day either suggesting she could have been out of state and used a pay phone to dial up the Katrinaks. . What about Joann's best friend, who told the producer's of Wrong Man that Joann was saving up money and planning to leave Andy right after the holidays? 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 . And James Pfeiffer and Jim Burke have remained on her side. Do any of the TV episodes suggest the possibility of their being held alive for some time? Season 1. 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 defense lawyer Robert Pfeiffer said that plenty of evidence supported Patricias innocence. She had dropped out of school at the age of 17 to marry her partner and subsequently worked long graveyard shifts at a textile factory to provide for their family. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. You have permission to edit this article. At first, a broad-daylight abduction of a mother and her infant seemed unlikely. Andrew's involvement in the latter theory was dismissed when his alibi checked out. Posted: June 22, 2022 Watch enough true crime shows and you're bound to hear one of these gems. This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. Rorrer has filed a petition to get new evidence admissible that he said could set her free. Around April 1995, the cold and badly decomposed remains of 26-year-old Joann Katrinak and her 3.5-month-old toddler Alex Katrinak were recovered from the woods in Heidelberg Township, Pennsylvania. Patricia had of course not registered that night. More importantly, the 3 month old baby was the size of a 6 month old, including to have a cranial diameter bigger than 99.99% of all 3 month olds. 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. Select "match all" to require all fields. Still, no good leads materialized. She needs to be freed! It is believed she may have received over 3,700 pills in less than a year. Patricia Rorrer is imprisoned for murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. 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. But "Wrong Man" investigators discover that there is . She is sitting in Muncey Women's Correctional Facility for over 23 years now for something. 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. However, her name was not on the sign-in list. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 7: Finale Release Time and Season Recap, Tiger King Earned 34 Million Viewers in First 10 Days, Shazam! Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Any ideas why the fact that their bodies didnt appear to have been in the woods as long as previously thought wasnt brought up in court? Rorrer v. Nicholas, Civil Action 19-cv-01398-GEKP - Casetext Does anyone see motive in this scenario? I lived with Andrew Katrinak for approximately 5 years, and we ended our relationship as friends in 1989 when I moved to North Carolina.. We would speak 2 or 3 times a year. The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. Patricia Rorrer Age: 51 Sex: FEMALE At 10:30 p.m., Andrew reported his wife missing. Shouldn't Andrew have mentioned this suspicious, out-of-the-blue phone call from his ex-girlfriend sooner? A photo at the time showed that Patricia had dyed her hair blonde, which matched the hair found. 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. "The issues that we are presenting are not speculative at all," Neely said. Joann and Alex Katrinak: Still No Justice (Update) It seems likely these bodies were dumped here months after initially thought, not killed the day they were kidnapped. . Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. This is a list of notable female murderers whose name begins with the letter R. But when did he find the evidence of the break-in? After Joann Katrinak, the wife of Patricias former flame, turned up dead along with her infant son, prosecutors suspected Patricia. Patricia Rorrer's home phone record did not show her call to the Katrinak house three days prior to the kidnapping because she'd already made the trip to Pennsylvania to see Andrew. A Lehigh County jury spared convicted double murderer Patricia Rorrer's life Monday after hearing impassioned pleas for mercy from her lawyer and family, and being assured there is no parole from . In addition to her . They broke up in 1993. Joann and her 4-month-old son, Alex, were abducted from their home in Catasauqua, PA, and murdered in a rural wooded area near Germansville. 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. So, this pointed to a theory that Joann had either left on her own or encountered foul play within her home. . Her hair color in the picture matched hairs found at two of the crime scenes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDGl9dMgHwY&fbclid=IwAR1nlAYf6AcIu_i8kN0fD_MCD3CnxJ6DG_oUgVFdqN3b2EJ4fcLO2ci3wWc. List of female murderers by name | R | Murderpedia Thank you for reading, please use the links, and watch all the videos. Find where to watch Patricia Rorrer's latest movies and tv shows 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). A local murder case that made national headlines will be back in the national spotlight Sunday night. Andrew languished for weeks and then months as investigators failed to suppl any explanation for his wife's and son's mysterious disappearance. 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. Some recurring themes in Forensic Files facinate me. Docket at pp. Irelands husband buried it in the yard because he didnt feel comfortable with a firearm inside, she said. Police treated Joann's car as a potential crime scene, and their investigation turned up several blonde hairs on the head rest. A hearing on the issue got heated Tuesday. (A good point. ", "I think she gave us something like four or five alibis as to where she was at. McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. 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. Copyright 2021 Patricia Rorrer - All Rights Reserved. In February 2008, Patricia Taylor Allanson, age 70, was arrested and charged with doctor shopping for thousands of pain pills over the past year. When Andrew returned from work several hours later, Joann's car wasn't in its normal spot in the alley behind their house, but otherwise everything looked ordinary. Free Patricia Rorrer - Facebook Brad Jackson was able to describe what his daughter Valiree was wearing in incredible detail, down to the color of her socks. Over 200 people were convicted using this science ( 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). To commit the murders, Rorrer took her victims out to a location that was familiar and significant. All of us could be wrongfully convicted. The state of the bodies suggested the victims had likely been killed the day very they were abducted. Until next time, cheers. 1919 EDA 2016 Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. Mizgerd said she acts as Patricia Rorrer's spiritual advisor and often visits her in prison. I was so excited that I called everyone, and Joanne picked up the phone and she said Andy is married, and I said I know, then she said we have a baby, and I said yea I know, then she said dont ever call here again. What would a crime show be without them? He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. ACLU says it could take legal action over Saucon Valley School District rescinding approval for After School Satan Club, 'He was a very humble guy': Reading High soccer coach remembers player killed in Route 33 crash, Big rig crashes from I-81 bridge onto street below in Schuylkill, Eat, Sip, Shop: Refresh your ride at new Lehigh County store, selling high-quality car detailing products, Fire broke out in a Lower Macungie apartment building, Champions of Magic's Alex McAleer gives an exciting look at the upcoming live show, Pet of the Month: Nina from Ruff Life Rescue, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor needs volunteers, Allentown Public Library celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday with children's activities, Kindness Project teams up with Flavor Nation to give away free tacos, History's Headlines: The Lehigh Valley's music man, Berks County Parks invites people to their Winter Wellness Walk, Royals host "kids takeover" game where kids get a taste of the sports business, Wilson School students raise $83k to fight childhood cancer, Berks County Intermediate Unit receives $3.18 million in grants for Head Start programs, 'First in the nation' bill to provide free screenings for breast cancer to receive full Pa. Senate vote, Reading Area Water Authority looking for leak on North Heidelberg Township line, Former Penn State Berks soccer player among dead in violent Monroe County crash, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, Pot vote has Oklahoma hungry to rake in green from Texas, Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold weather, 6 Nigerian states drop suit to void presidential vote result, The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills, What the Tech? Supposedly it was the relationship to this trail and Patricia's managing of the Silver Shadow Farms horse stable just a mile away that first brought Rorrer to detectives' attention. One she was at a private club. Lawyer: New evidence in 1994 killings of woman, infantCommonwealth v. Rorrer, J-A14029-17 | Casetext Search + Citator Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. Probable cause of death: exposure. . 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. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. Probable cause of death: exposure. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) 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. The Ex Files - Reasonable Doubt (Season 5, Episode 7) | Apple TV It will show you that I have not committed these murders. Green-Eyed Monsters: Directed by Kate Ryerson. Media galore. There is another question, though: Can anyone say . I watched the show the other night and watched some YouTube videos afterwards and there was interview footage of Joanns sister saying that Alex was a big healthy baby. Congratulations to all four of you, especially Rell and Phill, who are both co-founding members of R2R and CADBI. There was at least one hair strand that contained enough skin tissue for a nuclear DNA match and it corroborated the mitochondrial match. 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. Pfeiffer and Burke claimed that police Sgt. She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. Patricias marriage fell apart, and she returned to Pennsylvania, where she fell in love with Andrew Andy Katrinak after meeting him at a restaurant. 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 . They also found a photo of Patricia taken 11 days before the homicide. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. Microsoft AppsBreaking News - "Dateline NBC" Correspondent Keith Morrison Explores Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. Here was some other evidence mentioned in the Forensic Files episode: A forensic entomologist examined insect activity on the victims. Joe Kennedys talks to Michael Brinkle, Patricia Rorrer's former neighbor who reaffirms that he had sold her a .22 Jennings handgun. It was never tested. And who'd be heartless enough to kill an infant as well? 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. But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? When Andrew was told of the location of his young family's remains, he offered investigators a lead. 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. Lehigh Cty.) Our Mission. Forensic Files didnt mention it, but the hairs were actually brown at the top and the rest dyed blond, according to the show Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction. Um why is that? Why would someone want to kidnap and murder the young mother? He gave an audio interview to the Wrong Man investigators when they made a surprise visit to his house, but he declined to appear on camera. Was this on unsolved mysteries too? In the Katrinak case, they did new (at the time) DNA testing to match the hairs found in the car to Patricia. Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted of Murder. Most convictions were procured through microscopic hair comparison which has been debunked as junk science today. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. 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. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Walmart woe. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. Four months later, when their bodies were found in a lonely patch of woods, the police would launch a three-year investigation leading to the arrest of Patricia Lynne Rorrera young mother who had never met either victimas the monster responsible. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? During Patricias hours-long turn in the witness chair, Michael McIntyre grilled her relentlessly. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Rorrer claims the DNA evidence used to send . "I'm hoping this [show] will be very close to the truth," said Sandy Mizgerd.
