Leave a comment below, or contact us! 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? Everyone needs to wake up because this could be you, your wife, your husband, your mother, your father, your children! Patricia was . And yikes, he discovered someone had cut one of the houses phone lines and pried the hinge on the basement door. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. When Andrew was told of the location of his young family's remains, he offered investigators a lead. 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. There was at least one hair strand that contained enough skin tissue for a nuclear DNA match and it corroborated the mitochondrial match. Learn more about our upcoming events, fundraisers, and more! Mizgerd said she is convinced Rorrer is innocent. (A good point. Bio by: Karen Valentine 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. A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. Watch Reasonable Doubt Online | Season 5 (2022) | TV Guide 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). This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. The authorities charged her with two counts of murder. Please walk thru her website and see for yourself how easy it is to be convicted of something you had nothing to do with. Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. 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. ), The Wrong Man investigators Ira Todd and Joe Kennedy have some theories of their own. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. 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. It's shocking to think that Patricia Rorrer, being a mother, could end the life of an infant. Phone records confirmed Patricia placed the earlier call from North Carolina, not Pennsylvania. Ive seen the forensics files episode a few times and Im shocked at how it could be so wrong! Decades-old Lehigh Valley murder case back in national spotlight - WFMZ.com She claimed to have been home during this period how did her defense team justify such a departure from Patricia's norm? Com v. Rorrer, P. (memorandum) - Justia Law Our Mission. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? But there was only one day in question, so it feels like Patricia might have been overselling her story. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Artificial intelligence and machine learning education and literacy: teacher training for primary and secondary education teachers; Chapter 2. Patricia Rorrer (right) is led to her hearing in Lehigh County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 26, 1998 by a sheriff's deputy, at left. One detail the cops noted was how many times Joann was beaten, something like 20 times, the husband was a boxer so it's doubtful he'd need that many. There was an error processing your request. He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. Pfeiffer and Burke claimed that police Sgt. In addition to her . 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. Wish me luck! Select "match all" to require all fields. Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. I suspect I know. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. The FBI Files (Family Secrets) mentioned that Patty also lied about being at a tanning salon. This is a list of notable female murderers whose name begins with the letter R. Prosecutor hiding something? ", "Due to the fact that she sustained one gunshot wound to the face, and then approximately 19 blows to the head led us to believe that the gun probably had jammed. 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. . ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. 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. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. Rorrer claims the DNA evidence used to send . Lehigh Valley: Patricia Rorrer Still A Convenient Suspect? PATRICIA RORRER OBITUARY. The victims vanished on December 15. Patricias marriage fell apart, and she returned to Pennsylvania, where she fell in love with Andrew Andy Katrinak after meeting him at a restaurant. Finally, four months after that dreadful day in December, a farmer plowing his fields found what at first seemed to be a pile of discarded clothing. The indications of Patricia's involvement in Joann's and young Alex's disappearance were numerous. When Joann failed to arrive, her mother-in-law tried calling, but there was no answer at the Katrinak's. Unbloody vehicle. 6-10. 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. Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. 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. On closer inspection, he saw it was the body of a woman. Detective Robert Werts stated Rorrer offered four or five alibis for the time of the incident. One on one? The main one of course was committing murder of a young woman and her infant son over an argument. Episode 7. Damning for Patricia was that this field was only a couple miles from a horse farm that she used to have access to. In North Carolina, she reportedly enjoyed some success as a horse trader, riding instructor, and rodeo competitor. Its definitely getting rougher every day, Andrew told the Morning Call. 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. A medical examiner said it was impossible for the two bodies to have been in that wooded area for 4 months (December to April when they were found). - 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 . Here is the link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDGl9dMgHwY&fbclid=IwAR1nlAYf6AcIu_i8kN0fD_MCD3CnxJ6DG_oUgVFdqN3b2EJ4fcLO2ci3wWc, 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. I cant lose them, he told the media. The media love the femme fatale., FBI lab blunder. Keith Morrison Explores Claims of Wrongful Conviction in Investigation There was an error processing your request. Then 31 years old, she had lived a rocky existence. 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. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. Patricia Rorrer (PA) SCI Muncy OE2170 Life Without Parole DOB: January 24,1964. Based on body decomposition alone, it seems near impossible that they were kidnapped and killed in the same day or even within weeks. 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. July 16, 1932 - September 10, 2020, Dr. Edward E. "Gene" Rorrer, Sr. passed away on September 10, 2020 in Abingdon, Virg. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . 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. 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. Puny policy. Wow this episode was featured on Forensic Files. There is another question, though: Can anyone say . How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? (180) 2017 13+. Detective Barry Grube found it odd that Andrew fixed the severed phone line before police examined it in essence tampering with evidence. . She was born on Jan. 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania and moved back and forth between there and Davidson County, North Carolina. Really? And James Pfeiffer and Jim Burke have remained on her side. Patricia Allanson | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Cop defends accused. Patricia Rorrer being escorted by the police | Photo Credits: People Magazine. Lehigh Cty.) Since then our team has proven that Patricia is innocent. Four months after Joanns disappearance, farmer Paul Kovalchik reported seeing what at first looked like a pile of clothes on his land in Heidelberg Township woods, about 15 miles from the Katrinaks house. 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. Advocates for her innocence complain of hype surrounding the case. . However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. She was also accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she owned. On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. 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. Season 1. Back in March of 2017, Investigation Discovery ran Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates which questioned the conviction of . 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. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Phil and Rell will be released on Monday, as well as Leroy Cotton and Jimmy Jackson. Crime 2017. 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 . They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. That's absolutely ridiculous, yet that is the only motive ever given for why I supposedly committed this crime. The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? Combine keywords and attributes to find specific items. Com. v. Rorrer, P. :: 2017 :: Pennsylvania Superior Court Decisions At 10:30 p.m., Andrew reported his wife missing. 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. They released a list of cases affected by it. Then, despite her multiple alibis, she has an inexplicable five-day gap in this pattern. Yet, everything changed when they lost their 3-month-old son to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Aside from the hair, there was almost zero forensic evidence. As for the words exchanged on the call between the two big-haired women, Joann told Andrew that Patricia had used profanity; Patricia said it was the other way around. Nailed? More than 20 years after her conviction, Patricia Rorrer still has advocates working to exonerate her. 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. As usual, Rebecca at Forensic Files Now has a thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case and events since her conviction. McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. Conflicting versions. Patricia Rorrer Age: 51 Sex: FEMALE "The DA threatened if he ever said that to anybody he would never work in law enforcement again," Neely said. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! "When I read that petition for the first time about 30 days ago, I couldn't believe it was written by a lawyer.". A second helping of justice will be served. In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County. The killer was Patricia Rorrer, the jealous ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, Andrew. 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? Please take the time to read my story. Walmart woe. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Patricia supposedly still cared for Andrew Katrinak, but murdering his son contradicts this notion. Reasonable Doubt: Season 5, Episode 7 - Rotten Tomatoes Watch Wrong Man - S2:E204 Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope (2020 For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Wrong Man says she had normally signed in for her line dancing class but didn't on the day Joann and Alex disappeared. Lawyer: New evidence in 1994 killings of woman, infant He was sentenced to life in prison. Dr. Edward E. "Gene" Rorrer, Sr. Obituary The team on Wrong Man tracked down the history of this gun and found that the police did so as well. Witness also recalled Rorrer's mom trying to hide a gun. Counsel for Patricia Rorrer, 52, . And the fact that Patricia called Andrew even after he married someone else didnt mean she was still carrying a torch for him, according to one of her friends. A local murder case that made national headlines will be back in the national spotlight Sunday night. List of female murderers by name | R | Murderpedia Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. It seems likely these bodies were dumped here months after initially thought, not killed the day they were kidnapped. She said that shes no fan of Forensic Files and that the show had many misrepresentations about her case and that shed heard ForensicFilesNow.com mixed up some facts as well. 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. Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope - YouTube 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. Mizgerd said Rorrer is aware the show is airing and is hopeful it may bring new attention to her case. Rejection and betrayal are good enough reasons for these women to commit heinous crimes. Mike McIntyre, the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case, said the petition is "crazy. 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. For more on the Katrinak murder case, you can watch Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction for free on YouTube. McIntyre said he was accused of being the mastermind of a conspiracy to frame Rorrer. She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. 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. But thats just some of the ammo on Team Patricias battleship. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. I can't recall if the long distance calls were talked about in the show. Murder victim. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. Patricia was arrested in North Carolina in June of 1997. Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt 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. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . ", "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 issues that we are presenting are not speculative at all," Neely said. 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 . Her hair color in the picture matched hairs found at two of the crime scenes. When she stood trial that same year, she maintained her innocence and alleged that she and Andrew Katrinak had continued to stay in touch as good friends, so she wouldnt do anything to hurt him. Tapps lawyer saidWrong Mans in-depth investigation into the Tapp conviction helped free an innocent man.. A hidden FBI report found a couple years ago showed that police were unsure if there were roots on the found hairs. Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. I wasn't hung up on Andy, and I didn't want him back. Documentary, Drama 2020-2020. Why would someone want to kidnap and murder the young mother? 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. It was later believed that his recollection was keen, since he'd been the one to dress her posthumously. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car.