Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty, Arrests Made in Connection with Deadly Druggings at N.Y.C. Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted of Murder. Or is Patricia Rorrer still just a convenient suspect? A five-year investigation of the case has uncovered compelling new evidence that they did not. A copy of an undated handout photo of Joann Marie Katrinak and 15-week-old Alex Martin Katrinak, both of Catasauqua, Pa. who were found dead in Dec. of 1994. Andrew described his existence with Joanne and Alex as a little Camelot., Ex-spouse off list. 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. 'Wrong Man" is a six-episode series from acclaimed award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost Trilogy) that examines cases of inmates who have been incarcerated for decades and claim they're innocent. That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. 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. You might think such a thing couldnt happen, but thats exactly what did happen in the Rorrer case. On Alexs diaper bag, police found strands of the same type of hair from the car. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. But her reputation wasnt exactly sleek and shiny. And in a piece of salacious testimony, Patricia Rorrers half sister, Sandra Ireland, said that in May 1995, about six months after the murder, their mother, Patricia Chambers, stopped by the house and asked her to hold onto or hide a gun, or both. But thats just some of the ammo on Team Patricias battleship. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. So lets get going on the recap of the Forensic Files episode A Woman Scorned, along with extra information drawn from internet research: Joann Marie OConnor was born on Oct. 11, 1968, the youngest of Sarah and David OConnors four children. Prosecutors offered Patricia a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table, but she declined. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children created an age enhancement of what he may look like at age 23. She has never deviated. Just recently, however, that hope was dashed when the court denied her appeal. Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading mystery-and-suspense network on television. Phone records confirmed Patricia placed the earlier call from North Carolina, not Pennsylvania. Superior Court states that evidence was taken from Joanns. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard. Will There Finally Be Justice For Megan McDonald? MURDER IN LEHIGH VALLEY: KEITH MORRISON INVESTIGATES is produced for Investigation Discovery by NBC News Peacock Productions with executive producers Elizabeth Fischer and Knute Walker, senior producer Kimberley Ferdinando and the president and general manager of Peacock Productions, Sharon Scott. Aside from the hair, there was almost zero forensic evidence. She is sitting in Muncey Women's Correctional Facility for over 23 years now for something. Dance defense. 2023 Warner Bros. Superior Court notes that Rorrers attorney, Craig Neely, is being paid at. wG@F3 hJ`F@S/ $wyqOs[q5LYqC?.qp(8'&(QZ)]+YLt% YYySj;f4YwfjX_&W5g5z6,^bU)>XUPLh-TxP #. The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. As for an epilogue on ex-flame Andrew Katrinak, he has moved to Colorado and kept a low profile since the trial ended. Pick up PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: Cases That Shocked America, on sale now, for the latest on Casey Anthony, JonBent Ramsey and more. : Local economists weigh in after 3rd bank failure in last 2 months, Baby alligator temporarily staying in the Poconos after being found at sewage plant in Allentown, LVHN offering 2nd dose of bivalent COVID-19 booster shot for people 65 and older, immunocompromised people, Work to replace busy bridge connecting Lehigh, Northampton counties is underway; there's some good news for commuters, Allentown Service Plaza to close at night during the week as crews do paving work, High Delaware River water levels lead to additional safety requirements at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area this week, Gov. Patricia has always maintained her innocence. PDF In the United States District Court for The Eastern District of 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. Her brother returned home but she never did. Therefore, when Andrew revealed that his ex once worked in a barn near the site of his wife and sons bodies, she became a suspect. All of STARZ blockbuster movies, epic originals, and addictive series. 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. Sharon Scott is the President and General Manager. Flaw in reasoning. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. She had no alibi for the time of the murders, had argued with Joann only days before she disappeared, and allegedly owned the same make and model of gun as that used in the crime. Great communicator. Joann answered and told Patricia to leave them alone before forcibly hanging up. Katrinak's husband's ex-girlfriend was convicted of the crime, but now there's a possibility the case could be reopened. Back in March of 2017, Investigation Discovery ran Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates which questioned the conviction of Patricia Rorrer for the brutal double murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. Patricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. Andrew mentioned to police that his former live-in girlfriend Patricia Rorrer once managed a horse stable two miles from the bodies location and would have been familiar with the riding trails close to the murder scene. 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. Plus, he had only a minimal life insurance policy on Joann and he passed polygraphs, according to The FBI Files: Family Secrets. Andrew Katrinak reported missing his wife, Joanne and 3.5-month-old son, Alex, in December 1994. Why did they refuse to investigate a hair found in the victims right hand? Contained in Superior Courts 22-page opinion are a minimum of 24 factual errors; many of which are extremely serious. Judge's Order Granting Discovery (pdf) Download. She had a suitcase packed, Devine said. When Andy Katrinak comes home to find his wife and infant son gone, he summons the police and tells them he believes they have been abducted, and he suspects his ex-girlfriend Patty Rorrer m 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. (Disclaimer: Im not a big fan of eyewitnesses who come forward years after the fact, but its possible). 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. Tillman disappeared in from New York City when he was only 14 years old. Superior Court states that all 6 seatback hairs AND the cigarette butt were nuclear DNA tested and matched to Rorrer. Jessie Morrison is beaten to death, police zero in on Vonda Smith. Im still on the fence, but boy do I ever want to find the answers!. Jennifer and Sarah Hart killed themselves and murdered their six adopted children in 2018 by driving their SUV off a cliff in California. Cop defends accused. (In an exclusive clip, Morrison questions the tactics of prosecutor Michael McIntyre.). It is similar to Making a Murderer it just makes you want to learn more.. Neely said, "One document of, which I have right in front of me here specifically states that the hairs from the seat back that were looked at by the FBI did not have a hair root.". Theyd been missing for four months, but their discovery only gave rise to more questions than answers, especially as the young mother had been shot once in the face before being struck on the head 19 times. Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. 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. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. Patricia Rorrer: An Update - Forensic Files Now She was sentenced to two life terms in prison without parole. This all started because Rorrer filed under the Freedom of Information Act for records from the FBI. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Ch Read allPatricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. It is one of those completely addictive tales where theres so much that just points in both directions, Morrison tells PEOPLE. I most definitely will not personally afford Patricia a platform, Michael said in an email to ForensicFilesNow.com She had her chance to answer my questions and tell her story in court over 20 years ago. Then 31 years old, she had lived a rocky existence. Our investigators unravel the mysteries behind Vonda Smiths' possible wrongful conviction and Jessie Morrison's brutal murder. And she would just call out of the blue., According to the Free Patricia Rorrer page on Facebook:I called him to let him know that I was going to the USA finals for a horse show. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Conflicting versions. She currently has an appeal pending in Pennsylvania Superior Court. A hair that does, Why did they fail to test a piece of flesh adhering to a torn fingernail fragment recovered from Joann's chest? When Andy Katrinak comes home to find his wife and infant son gone, he summons the police and tells them he believes they have been abducted, and he suspects his ex-girlfriend Patty Rorrer might be involved. Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. Commonwealth's request for reconsideration (pdf) Download. Peacock Productions, a division of NBC News, is a nonfiction production company that combines the editorial expertise, technical resources, and seasoned talent of NBCUniversal to create series, events, and live specials for global audiences. Alexs cause of death has never been determined. 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. Detective Barry Grube found it odd that Andrew fixed the severed phone line before police examined it in essence tampering with evidence. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her.Patricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. Joann and Alex Katrinak both vanished in 1994. Years later, conviction in Katrinak murder still raises questions, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. After more than 20 years, questions are finally being raised about the many problems that plague this case, and the compelling evidence that points to the wrongful conviction of Patricia Rorrer. A nail that does. 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. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. Back in 1994, a mother, Joann Katrinak, and her baby disappeared and their bodies were later found in Heidelberg Township. Next Up "We Can Now Be At Peace": Victims' Families React To "Grim Sleeper" Lonnie Franklin's Death On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. Authorities said a vehicle previously purchased in Lake Orion, Michigan is linked to this Cape Girardeau, Missouri mystery. But when Joann and Alex suddenly vanished from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home on December 15, 1994, suspicion immediately turned towards Andy. How can this happen? Gabby Petitos fianc and person of interest in her fatal strangulation disappeared in mid-September after saying he was going for a hike. . Together they had a baby girl, Nicole. Cancel Anytime. - 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 . Self - Retired Detective Sergeant Homicide Investigator Birmingham AL Police Dept. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. Sundays special is the first of at least two Morrison is working on with Investigation Discovery, who he says have given me unlimited freedom to look into cases that interest me.. STARZ - Uncover shocking new evidence in Patricia Rorrer's - Facebook Strands of the accuseds dyed-blond hair at two crime scenes proved it. Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. Why did the police focus on a young mother from another state, who had never met either victim and had not had a romantic relationship with Andy Katrinak in more than five years? Both bodies were found four months later along a rural trail close to where Rorrer used to ride horses. Peacock Productions reaches more than 300 million people worldwide every year across broadcast, cable, syndication, and emerging platforms with its award-winning specials and series. Produced by NBC News Emmy Award-winning production arm Peacock Productions, the two-part special airs Sunday, March 5 with back-to-back premieres at 8/7c and 9/8c, and features an exclusive phone interview in which Rorrer speaks out from prison for the first time ever. Even though Joanne was supposed to take her mother-in-law for Christmas shopping, she never showed . Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. Investigators theorized that this action angered Patricia into a jealous rage that ended with abduction and murder. I really never thought of it again.. ), The Wrong Man investigators Ira Todd and Joe Kennedy have some theories of their own. Years later, conviction in Katrinak murder still raises questions Angry that Joann hung up on her, she stalked her for three days, then broke into her basement and cut the phone line, put a gun to Joanns head as she was placing Alex in the car, and forced her to drive to the rural area. The 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. Despite the new evidence and hypotheses, the courts have rejected all of Patricias bids for a new trial. According to court papers from Patricia 2017 appeal, DNA on the cigarette butt found near the two bodies belonged to Appellant. (Prosecutor Michael McIntyre, however, told ForensicFilesNow.com that that the cigarette butt was never actually tested). Rorrer and Andrew broke off their relationship in 1990, but they remained in regular contact even as Rorrer moved 800 miles away. For more on the Katrinak murder case, you can watch Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction for free on YouTube. One on one? No charmed life. From harrowing crimes and salacious scandals to the in-depth investigations and heart-breaking mysteries behind these real people, real stories, the always revealing network challenges our everyday understanding of culture, society and the human condition. The case against Rorrer relied heavily on six hairs recovered from Joann Katrinaks car as well as two strands that were found where the bodies had been dumped. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. For every fact that is presented, there are two interpretations to give.. Louisiana Woman Disappeared After Giving Somebody A Ride. Dial-a-problem. <> Within two years, the couple had moved in together, married, and become the proud parents of a new baby boy they named Alex. Related: Convenient Suspect: A Wrongful Conviction In The Murder In Lehigh Valley? A hair sample that helped put Patricia Rorrer behind bars for life could be the key to set her free. Starting at. He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. Later, they both worked 12-hour graveyard shifts at a textile factory. Are other banks to follow? 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. 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. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. In a million years, she wouldnt do anything to harm that.. endobj They returned with a guilty verdict and a sentence of two life terms. This Sunday, Investigation Discovery and velvety-voiced Dateline NBC correspondent Keith Morrison will revisit the double-homicide. 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. ", Neely said, "If there were no hair roots when this hair went to the FBI, where did a hair with a hair root come from?". Those who knew Joann pointed out that she didnt like to drive in reverse and would have never parked that way. ET features interviews with all the key players from the 1998 trial of Rorrer, who is currently behind bars. Photo by: Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image, Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. But did the police arrest the right person? As we wait for the pending appeal, Rorrer shares her first-hand account and I talk with the prosecutor and law enforcement about the new allegations that have thrust this case back into the spotlight.. 4 0 obj The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. Partly to mostly cloudy, brisk, and cool. Today, her attorney says not only was his client wrongfully convicted, but she was framed. Highly charged case. Murder victim Joann Katrinak. Documentary, Drama 2020-2020. Lehigh County Deputies escort accused murderer Patricia Rorrer, as she arrives for the beginning of her trial at the Lehigh County Courthouse in Allentown, on Friday, Feb. 6, 1998. Rorrer has long maintained her innocence, insisting shes has been framed. Joann Katrinaks car was later found next door in the parking lot of a local tavern. All rights reserved. Puny policy. 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. She is as effective at telling a story today as she was back then. They broke up in 1993. Georgia Teen Vanished In South Carolina, Search Continues For North Carolina Girl, 11, Whose Parents Didnt Report Her Missing For Weeks, Where Is Ella Goodie? For this week, I looked into the defenders reasoning as well as Patricias whereabouts today. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. On December 14, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied Ms. Rorrer's petition for allowance of appeal, concluding her state appellate proceedings. American Catherine Serou sent her mother a text that read, I hope Im not being abducted.. Watch Wrong Man: Ep 203 - Patricia Rorrer: The Hang Up Online - STARZ She failed miserably to convince me, or anyone else who mattered, of her innocence. What Happened To High School Senior Erica Fraysure? Stable situation. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. 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Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. 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. In fifty years, this is the most complicated case Ive ever been involved in, an investigator says of the search for Andrea Knabel. The article also notes that most inmates earn around 19 cent an hour at their jobs and must pay $5 each time they need medical attention or medicine. Judges Denial of Commonwealth's Motion (pdf) Download. Shortly before Katrinak and Alex disappeared, Rorrer called the Katrinak house. Neely has filed a petition for post conviction relief for Rorrer because he says critical evidence in the case doesn't add up. DNA testing showed that Rorrer could not be excluded as the source of the hairs. Another former boyfriend said she talked about Andrew frequently and liked to gaze at old photos of him. x\[s~L34j+Gv}P$D"UO] I dont think she was ever scared until we put the cuffs on her.. Moreover, Patricia had been accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she cared for charges that never stuck. Shes utterly believable. No activity on her bank account or credit cards took place after the day she went missing, so investigators dismissed the theory that she took her child and bolted. Authorities confirm former fugitive, Leticia Smith was extradited from Mexico to California. But a child eyewitness told police that he had seen a white man kill her. Rorrer was convicted of murdering Joann Katrinak and her 3 month old son. She was born on Jan. 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania and moved back and forth between there and Davidson County, North Carolina. On closer inspection, he saw it was the body of a woman. Unbloody vehicle. 'Wrong Man" is a six-episode series from acclaimed award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost Trilogy) that examines cases of inmates who have been incarcerated for decades and claim they're innocent. With an appeal pending in Pennsylvania Superior Court that includes allegations of a frame-up, coercion by the District Attorneys office, misidentification of a witness and evidence tampering all of which the state vehemently denies veteran journalist and Dateline NBC correspondent Keith Morrison revisits the crimes in an all-new special MURDER IN LEHIGH VALLEY: KEITH MORRISON INVESTIGATES. 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. Chris and Fatima investigate the case in search of the truth. PATRICIA RORRER, : : Petitioner : v. : CIVIL ACTION NUMBER 19-01398 : WENDY K. NICHOLAS, : : Respondents : MOTION FOR DISCOVERY AND CONSOLIDATED MEMORANDUM OF LAW . Neely wants another hair to be looked at as well that he says was found in the victim's hand, but does not match the defendant or the victim. The team calls on experts to take a fresh look at the evidence that led to Kenneth Clair's conviction in the brutal murder of Linda Rodgers. Smith will face charges for allegedly killing her husband, Antione Smith. It makes you crazy, because you challenge her with every allegation, and she acquits herself. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. At the states request, the instructor wore a wire during a phone conversation with Patricia. Patricia's Most Recent Federal Appeals. On Instagram, I found a post for a two-part Win at All Costs podcast featuring journalism professor Bill Mousheys interviews with Patricia Rorrer from prison in December 2019. Charged with two counts of capital murder and two counts of kidnapping, Patricia Rorrer was quickly tried, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison without parole.