", "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. Patricia Rorrer (right) is led to her hearing in Lehigh County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 26, 1998 by a sheriff's deputy, at left. It'd be plausible to reason some deniability in Patricia's role if there weren't so many indicators of her involvement. Starring Keith Morrison. 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. Patricia was convicted based on her head hairs being found in the victim's car. I wasn't hung up on Andy, and I didn't want him back. The system is broken sending innocent people to prison! The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. In addition to her . Mike McIntyre, the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case, said the petition is "crazy. 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. It was conceivable that Andrew believed they were still out. A hidden FBI report found a couple years ago showed that police were unsure if there were roots on the found hairs. MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.: Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals the PCRA court's dismissal of her fourth PCRA petition as untimely filed. They released a list of cases affected by it. Four hours is a long time between Andrew getting home from work and calling the police. In February 2008, Patricia Taylor Allanson, age 70, was arrested and charged with doctor shopping for thousands of pain pills over the past year. One of Patricia's alibis was that she was at a bar on the night of the abduction. The past two owners of the gun's yards were dug up and many casings of the .22 were discovered. There was an error processing your request. Men who murder are conventional, women are sensational, posits the Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Network. 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. He is the TV Editor at Entertainment. Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. What would a crime show be without them? 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. 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.). Based on body decomposition alone, it seems near impossible that they were kidnapped and killed in the same day or even within weeks. These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. Use quotation marks to search as a The person responsible, needs to be punished. We all need justice! Patricia Rorrer being escorted by the police | Photo Credits: People Magazine. 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. Tapps lawyer saidWrong Mans in-depth investigation into the Tapp conviction helped free an innocent man.. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence testing may be the key to proving her innocence. Both were deceased. Unbloody vehicle. After all, one of the key pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene and Joanns vehicle were dyed blonde hair strands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lo9AIFM_vc&fbclid=IwAR28Mf5rKuUyaq1N-vBqirZM_382D69Zy42uONlU3Qf0eNEnJ1w_kYRYKIM. She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. -, Press J to jump to the feed. 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Rorrer was tried and convicted in 1994 for the brutal killing of Katrinak and her three-month-old son. State law requires that patrons of the bar sign-in when they come to the bar. Joann Katrinaks Killer Still Has Innocence Advocates(A Woman Scorned, Forensic Files). Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. There was also a 2017 Dateline Keith Morrison episode which covered some of these facts. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. 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. The person responsible, needs to be punished. 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. Success! After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again.. 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. In June of 2016 Patricia Rorrer's petition for a new trial was been thrown out. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. There is still an appeal coming up (I believe) but everything else has failed so far to get Patricia another trial. Until next time, cheers. ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. But if Rorrer was a genuine suspect, it's likely investigators would have attempted the mitochondrial DNA match on the hair anyway. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt him. He was sentenced to life in prison. Murder victim. Patricia was . During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. 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. (We didnt get into the specifics.). Tragedy also touched Patricias life. 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. Investigation Discovery is profiling the murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son. Or did they? On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. Joanne and baby Alex Katrinak kidnapping and murder by Patricia Rorrer. 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. 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?. 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 . 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. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. More: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. At the very least, prosecutors got their story very wrong as they convicted Patricia. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. A second helping of justice will be served. DNA testing revealed the blood came from either Joann or her son. This is the hard part. TV-14 Information Genre Documentary Released 2022 Run Time 42 min Rated TV-14 Languages Original Audio English . Really? Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. But "Wrong Man" investigators discover that there is . Murder victim. Wrong Man takes viewers on real-time investigations to uncover new evidence, track down key witnesses, consult forensic experts, and interrogate the incarcerated. Read and download theDen of Geek Lost in Space Special Edition Magazineright here! 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. Two of the seasons three cases will feature female inmates. Patricia Rorrer, an ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, was found guilty of the crimes and sentenced to life in prison. Traupman died in 2016. 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). Obviously her husband Andy would be the main suspect (and his smirking after Patricia was found guilty was galling) but the Wrong Man team spoke to him and seem convinced that he was being truthful. Andy also failed at least 2 lie detector tests, and before an arrest was made in the murders, moved almost all the way across the country without telling the police. Where does one pick up flower petal in the dead of winter in PA.? She was always looking for a fight, Gary Gabard told the Morning Call, which noted that he was a head shorter than Patricia. In a million years, she wouldnt do anything to harm that.. Startling new allegations surround one of Lehigh County's most notorious murder cases. Patty Rorrer is convicted of the kidnapping and murder of her ex-boyfriends wife and infant son, but Wrong Man investigators discover that the case is not so clear cut. This is a list of notable female murderers whose name begins with the letter R. That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. But was Andrew in on this plan? Or identify other people in their lives who might have benefited from either the Katrinak's deaths or disappearance? Hair we go. I am innocent of these crimes, and I should not have lost the best years of my life in a prison cell. I suspect I know. However, it seems this was only after the bodies of Joann and Alex were found on the remote horse trail. Yet, everything changed when they lost their 3-month-old son to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). But when did he find the evidence of the break-in? No comments yet - start the conversation above. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. For example, the weight of each organ was listed, it was clear they were not very decomposed. An infant was lying face down on her stomach. 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. After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again. 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. Rorrer and Andrew broke off their . A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Watch Forensic Files: Season 5, Episode 3A Woman Scorned. The police report misspells his name (Troutman) and doesnt include his address, suggesting authorities didnt want anyone to track him down, according to Patricias side. 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. Do any of the TV episodes suggest the possibility of their being held alive for some time? 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. ), The Wrong Man investigators Ira Todd and Joe Kennedy have some theories of their own. (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. (180) 2017 13+. It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. They moved into her house in Salisbury County, staying together for about two years. Today, Patricia Lynne Rorrer resides in State Correctional Institute at Muncy, a medium and maximum security facility that has the highest rate of cancer of all prisons in Pennsylvania, according to a story from northcentralpa.com. 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. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. McIntyre said a conspiracy theory is preposterous and he's surprised Rorrer is making another attempt to get out of prison. Did investigators look for phone calls between Andrew and Patricia prior to December 11, 1994? 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? Keith Morrison investigates the horrific murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex, and the ongoing claims that Patricia Rorrer, the woman who has already served 19 years in prison for the murders, was wrongfully convicted. And Patricia wasnt all edges. 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 . The phone wire was located at the opposite end of the basement, which was dark. 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. I dont even know its Christmas.. Rorrer claims the DNA evidence used to send her away is junk science., read more: Why Netflixs Ted Bundy Movie Avoids Violence, The third inmate whose case is under examination is Kenneth Clair. It's sad looking back at those Forensic Files episodes where the science was junk but they portray it as a solid case. Lehigh Cty.) Patricia has been wrongfully convicted of murdering Joann and Alex Katrinak in 1994. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Thats my life.. Leave a comment below, or contact us! Louise Rorrer Bryant, age 79, of Fieldale, Va., passed away on May 15, 2022. 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. You have permission to edit this article. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Today, Rorrer's attorney says not only is his client innocent, but she was framed. In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County. She seemed like quite an unlikely suspect at least at first. See Commonwealth v. Rorrer, CP-39- CR-0002176-1997 (C.C.P. And even prosecutor Michael McIntyre, who wrote the book Hair Trigger about the case, acknowledged to Keith Morrison that it was a little odd that the police found blood on the hairs in Joanns car but nowhere else in the vehicle. 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. As for Joanns parents, her father died a year after the murder. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. The witness said he would sign in as Richard Nixon or not sign in at all quite often. 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. Crime 2017. 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. 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). Please take the time to read my story. Patricia Rorrer's Story. Police identified the pair as Joann and Alex Katrinak. 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. Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence.
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