What would a crime show be without them? I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Starting at. 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? Her husband Andrew's mother expected Joann to arrive quickly, since they only lived a few minutes away. Patricia Rorrer is imprisoned for murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. Wish me luck! He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. And dance instructor William Jarrett couldnt remember whether she attended his dance class at the club the night of Joanns disappearance. She got 12 months of probation for shoplifting at a Walmart in Lexington, North Carolina. (We didnt get into the specifics.). It was never tested. In March of 1998, a jury returned two guilty verdicts against Patricia Rorrer for murder, and two more for kidnapping. Media galore. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. Regarding the gun, she claims to have said that she didn't have a gun at that time, not that she never had one. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! But her reputation wasnt exactly sleek and shiny. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. 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. She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. Crime 2017. Patricia seemed like the girl next door but all of a sudden, something snapped, Katrinak later told Wrong Man investigators. Patricia Rorrer Age: 51 Sex: FEMALE Joann Katrinak and her infant son were brutally murdered. We all need justice! Another former boyfriend said she talked about Andrew frequently and liked to gaze at old photos of him. Patricia Elgin Rorrer, 86, of Lynchburg, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, February 4, 2021. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. After the premiere episode, Wrong Man will air on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. . Please read her story. . Patricia knew her gun tended to jam, but she used it anyway. ), The Wrong Man investigators Ira Todd and Joe Kennedy have some theories of their own. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Andrew languished for weeks and then months as investigators failed to suppl any explanation for his wife's and son's mysterious disappearance. Wrong Man investigators interrogated a confidential informant, the main witness against Evaristo Salas, and he recanted his testimony. Detective Robert Werts stated Rorrer offered four or five alibis for the time of the incident. Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. And their phone line had been cut someone had not wanted the Katrinaks to be able to call for help. The first, Vonda Smith, was convicted of murdering her grandchilds mother, 21-year-old Jessie Morrison. This proves that whatever hair root was DNA tested and matched to me could not have been one of the hairs taken from Joann's car. Patricia Taylor Allanson, the Deadly Magnolia, was released from prison in 1999. 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 was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. During these 4 years, many in the Lehigh Valley, PA community developed opinions on the case. These organelles, found in all eukaryotic cells, are the powerhouse of the cell. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. Tragedy also touched Patricias life. The person responsible, needs to be punished. Rorrer is incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution Muncy, a prison for women in Clinton Township, Pennsylvania. I wonder if any of Alex's pediatrician records still exist after all this time. 1 talking about this. Weak wages. For one thing, her mother never asked Sandra Ireland to hide the gun, and she retrieved it on the way home the next day she worked as a bus driver and couldnt take it with her to school. I was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. One on one? Rejection and betrayal are good enough reasons for these women to commit heinous crimes. This was where Joann regularly parked her car and became an even more likely crime scene when the evidence of the basement break-in was discovered. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. The missing items included Joann's purse, car, both her and Alex's winter jackets, and the diaper bag. By the mid-1990s, Patricia was known for being both warm and caring as well as aggressive and loud. Ive seen the forensics files episode a few times and Im shocked at how it could be so wrong! And, I was quite angry with the police, that they accused Andy. Since then our team has proven that Patricia is innocent. PATRICIA LYNNE RORRER Appellant No. "Our position is that Patricia Rorrer's sample hairs were switched with crime scene hair, the hair taken from the seat back of Katrinak's vehicle," Neely said. The premiere episode will air following the series finale of Power. She was also accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she owned. They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? In his dissenting opinion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas acknowledged the case might not have even been heard by the Supreme Court had it not been for the media that reinvestigated it. Mal told Keith Morrison that Patricias dance teacher originally confirmed her alibi that she was in class on the day of the murder, then changed his mind. Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. This is for them also and freeing an innocent woman! Pal stays true. No charmed life. Wrong Man says she had normally signed in for her line dancing class but didn't on the day Joann and Alex disappeared. We take wrongful convictions to heart. Why would someone want to kidnap and murder the young mother? Phil and Rell will be released on Monday, as well as Leroy Cotton and Jimmy Jackson. ", "An unusual feature about the gun, he [Rorrers ex-boyfriend] stated was the fact that you fire one shot out of the gun, and the gun would jam. The FBI Files (Family Secrets) mentioned that Patty also lied about being at a tanning salon. After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again. Incriminating words. During Patricias hours-long turn in the witness chair, Michael McIntyre grilled her relentlessly. Mizgerd said Rorrer is aware the show is airing and is hopeful it may bring new attention to her case. I'm sure that I'm missing a lot of details here (please add in the comments) but everything seems far too convenient and circumstantial. However, prosecutors contended that Patricia attacked Joann and Alex because she wanted to reconcile with her ex, and his wife had hung up the phone on her when shed called in December 1994. According to the LA Times, the United States Supreme Court struck down the conviction of death row inmate Curtis Flowers, who was prosecuted six times for the same crime of quadruple murder, and by the same prosecutor, in a case riddled with evidentiary problems and allegations of racial bias, according to the press statement. Strands of the accuseds dyed-blond hair at two crime scenes proved it. Stable situation. 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. Docket at pp. Lehigh Cty.) Counsel for Patricia Rorrer, 52, . Man, this case was soooo shittily handled. Wake up people this could be you! They broke up in 1993. "I'm hoping this [show] will be very close to the truth," said Sandy Mizgerd. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. 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. Her advocates say she wasn't even in the same state at the time of the crime. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. 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. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. My kid has had 99th percentile head circumference since birth. He was sentenced to life in prison. Some lawyers call microscopic hair analysis junk science that today wouldnt qualify as evidence in a trial like Rorrers. Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence. 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. Patricia was arrested in North Carolina in June of 1997. 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. Why would somebody tell you, theyre going to fry me, if they didnt do it? Jarrett told Wrong Man. It was later believed that his recollection was keen, since he'd been the one to dress her posthumously. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . On December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son Alex disappeared without a trace from their home in Catasauqua, Pa. Patricia Rorrer, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband, was convicted of the murders and has maintained her innocence for 20 years while serving life behind bars. Very true - I can't remember if the show went through that. According to a Morning Call account from March 5, 1998: McIntyre leaned forward conspiratorially like someone trying to persuade another to tell a secret, lowered his voice and said: Heres what I want to know: After you killed Joann Katrinak, did you kill that baby or just leave it to die?. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Conflicting versions. 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 . Despite the troubling evidence from Joann's car, detectives considered whether or not Joann had taken baby Alex and simply left. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. They DID NOT match the bullets that killed Joann and her son. In TV clips, Andrew didnt come off as anguished. Advocates for her innocence complain of hype surrounding the case. I know that if I get a fair trial, I will win and be freed. It's as if she had left with young Alex as planned but then somehow simply vanished. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. At 17, Patricia dropped out of high school and married landscaper Gary Gabard. 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. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Both were deceased. Based on body decomposition alone, it seems near impossible that they were kidnapped and killed in the same day or even within weeks. Patricia was arrested on June 24, 1997. . Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 7: Finale Release Time and Season Recap, Tiger King Earned 34 Million Viewers in First 10 Days, Shazam! Patricia Rorrer was a cold woman. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. Aside from the hair, there was almost zero forensic evidence. The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. . Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. Where are the missing 4 hairs? Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. After her arraignment, she had to walk past a crowd of dozens of locals screeching hang her! and baby killer! Patricia clung to a Polaroid picture showing her and her own little girl. The bodies of Joann Katrinak and her baby were found in a wooded area of Heidelberg Township in 1994. It's really terrifying that that was regarded as damning evidence, especially now that the rest of the case that might have appeared to give it context has been so undermined. 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? But if Rorrer was a genuine suspect, it's likely investigators would have attempted the mitochondrial DNA match on the hair anyway. Probable cause of death: exposure. After a successful first season, Starz has announced thatWrong Man season 2 will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 9:45 p.m. New state, new man. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. (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. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. Patricia denied owning a .22 caliber pistol (the type of gun used to kill Joann). ", "I can remember till this day, seeing that infant being lifted off the abdomen of his mother. Back in March of 2017, Investigation Discovery ran Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates which questioned the conviction of . Starring Keith Morrison. The indications of Patricia's involvement in Joann's and young Alex's disappearance were numerous. 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. But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. 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? She was the devoted wife of the late Alvin Haymon Rorrer. further reading: True Detective Season 3 and the West Memphis Three. 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. This was my thought (I'm behind and just caught the 2nd half yesterday). The killer was Patricia Rorrer, the jealous ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, Andrew. Therefore, today, in her late 50s, Patricia is imprisoned at the maximum-security State Correctional Institution Muncy in Clinton Township, Pennsylvania. Prosecutors also claimed DNA hair evidence found in the car matched Patricia's hair at the time (using what was considered valid DNA methods). Pulled hairs don't grow roots. Oscar-nominated and Emmywinning director Berlinger (Paradise Lost, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes), a leading voice in non-fiction film and television for over two decades, returns to keep checks on the criminal justice system. She was always looking for a fight, Gary Gabard told the Morning Call, which noted that he was a head shorter than Patricia. 1 hr 25 min Mar 5, 2017 TV-14. When Joann failed to arrive, her mother-in-law tried calling, but there was no answer at the Katrinak's. TV-14. I dont even know its Christmas.. 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. Its proximity to the stable she'd managed made an undeniable association to her. Or was it? Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. (180) 2017 13+. But thats just some of the ammo on Team Patricias battleship. Sad part is this could be your mother, father, kids, all love ones and friends! Unbloody vehicle. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. She needs to be freed! It was a pretty big deal, and i was excited enough to call everyone I knew. They released a list of cases affected by it. The victim in this crime had a hair clutched in her right hand, and three pieces of fingernail found on her body, none of which has ever been tested. 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. But investigators conceded they had no solid evidence against Andrew. Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband Andy but the ex-couple hadn't spoken for close to a year until they had a call one day in December, 1994. By that time, we had both moved on and I had no romantic feelings for him. Born on January 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania, Patricia Rorrer spent most of her life going back and forth between the Keystone State and North Carolina. Andrew described his existence with Joanne and Alex as a little Camelot., Ex-spouse off list. It's not often there's a laundry list of clear signals, but it's fun to iterate them when there are so many. 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. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence testing may be the key to proving her innocence. Share Memories & Support the Family. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. Documentary, Drama 2020-2020. 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 . She had a lawyer who never tried a crimsoned case let alone a murder case, she believed that it would not be a problem because she was innocent. (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). Illustration of the location of mitochondrial DNA in human cells. Wow this episode was featured on Forensic Files. The episode indicated that Andrew Katrinak informed police that Patricia Rorrer had made the phone call to his home three days before Joann's disappearance. His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. Traupman died in 2016. 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. 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. 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. I knew when Andy got married and I was happy for him. Clair is black, and no forensic evidence ties him to the crime scene.. - On December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son Alex disappeared without a trace from their home in Catasauqua, Pa. Patricia Rorrer, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband, was . The jury found Patricia guilty in just 6 hours in 1998, 4 years after the crime. It seems likely these bodies were dumped here months after initially thought, not killed the day they were kidnapped. The DNA presented at trial, the botching of hair evidence and the revelations in 2015 are thoroughly discussed. 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. State police and the Philadelphia division of the FBI appealed to the public for leads. I am humbly asking for your help to hire a lawyer and procure a fair trial. He is the TV Editor at Entertainment. While the police are still investigating the murder of your wife and child? On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. Mizgerd said she is convinced Rorrer is innocent. 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. Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt him. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. As for Joanns parents, her father died a year after the murder. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. How about the phone line being cut? 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. The $60 Murder. You have permission to edit this article. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. 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. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. Inside the locked 1992 vehicle, police discovered some strands of blond hair stained with dried blood. The same source indicates Patricia Rorrer has repeatedly appealed for a retrial and exoneration, but each request has been denied. As usual, Rebecca at Forensic Files Now has a thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case and events since her conviction. 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. Please walk thru her website and see for yourself how easy it is to be convicted of something you had nothing to do with. And Patricia wasnt all edges. after the fact. During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. In addition to her . The 26-year-old was recently married, and this would be four-month-old Alex's first Christmas. Mizgerd said she acts as Patricia Rorrer's spiritual advisor and often visits her in prison. After a very early failed marriage, the 24-year-old Joann scored a new husband in Andrew Katrinak, 38, whom she met at a club. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard. Prosecutor hiding something? This is the hard part. 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? (A good point. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. You have permission to edit this article. Patricias professional life included short-lived gigs as a Century 21 real estate agent and an Oldsmobile salesperson.
Kendall Katwalk To Spectacle Lake, Articles P