Posted: June 22, 2022 Season 9 aired from August 7, 2015, to November 6, 2015. "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. Investigation Discovery is profiling the murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son. Rorrer Gets Life in Jail for Double Slaying * Jurors in The Katrinak Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports is also available on YouTube, but it costs $1.99 to view (Keith comes off as an advocate for Patricias innocence on the episode). Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. Joann grabbed her purse, the diaper bag, and their coats against the December chill in Pennsylvania. No show. The six-episode documentary series examines the cases of three different inmates who are serving life sentences on murder convictions but who claim innocence. Patricia was convicted based on her head hairs being found in the victim's car. A closer examination of the hairs showed traces of dried blood. Does anyone see motive in this scenario? 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.). In 2015, the type of hair DNA science used was finally admitted to be junk by the FBI and incorrect in 96% of cases. Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. Prosecutors also claimed DNA hair evidence found in the car matched Patricia's hair at the time (using what was considered valid DNA methods). Our team of volunteers are committed to helping Patricia. Prosecutors at the time used this angry phone call as motive for Patricia to travel 500 miles to the Katrinak house, cut a phone line, break into the basement door, put them into Joann's car and march Joann and Alex to their eventual death - killing them in a field. But if that's the main evidence against her, it seems awfully weak. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. 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. His team includes renowned civil rights attorney Ron Kuby, former prosecutor Sue-Ann Robinson, retired NCIS investigator Joe Kennedy, and Ira Todd of Detroits elite Homicide Task Force. This was my thought (I'm behind and just caught the 2nd half yesterday). Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. After six hours of deliberations, in March 1998, a jury found Patricia guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping. Patricia's investigators are petitioning to DNA test the single strain of hair found in Joann's hand. They returned with a guilty verdict and a sentence of two life terms. Darla Carrington, Brian Charles, Robert Pezzeca, Patricia Rorrer . Another thing never presented at trial was the fact that they found flower petals in the soles of Joann's shoes,. Then, despite her multiple alibis, she has an inexplicable five-day gap in this pattern. 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. How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. [1] The mitochondria, and thus mitochondrial DNA, are passed exclusively from mother to offspring through the egg cell. Weak wages. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. Patricia Rorrer has been in prison since 1998, convicted of the horrific murder of a young mother, Joann Katrinak, and her 16-week old son, in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. 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. A Lehigh County jury spared convicted double murderer Patricia Rorrer's life Monday after hearing impassioned pleas for mercy from her lawyer and family, and being assured there is no parole from . In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. . My kid has had 99th percentile head circumference since birth. 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). In addition to her . McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. - 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 . Right to Redemption Smith claims that she is innocent and that she loved the victim like a daughter., The second is Patricia Rorrer, who has been in prison since 1998 after being convicted of the horrific murder of a young mother, Joann Katrinak, and her 15-week old son in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. And who'd be heartless enough to kill an infant as well? Patricias marriage fell apart, and she returned to Pennsylvania, where she fell in love with Andrew Andy Katrinak after meeting him at a restaurant. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. In November 2005, she shoots Keith in the head while he . Patricia Elgin Rorrer, 86, of Lynchburg, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, February 4, 2021. To commit the murders, Rorrer took her victims out to a location that was familiar and significant. 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 Rorrer: Guilty Or Not?. The FBI declared the strongest piece Watch Wrong Man - S2:E204 Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope (2020 The defense called into question both the motive and the shaky DNA hair evidence at the time. The Ex Files - Reasonable Doubt (Season 5, Episode 7) | Apple TV Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. Alex Martin Katrinak (1994-1994) - Find a Grave Memorial The only eyewitness to the murder a five-year-old child told police officers that a white man did it, reads the statement. Crime 2017. 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? 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. Great communicator. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. On closer inspection, he saw it was the body of a woman. 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. I was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. Probable cause of death: exposure. More: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. Forensic Files is an American documentary-style series which reveals how forensic science is used to solve violent crimes, mysterious accidents, and even outbreaks of illness. Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. 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 wouldn't do anything to hurt him. Patricia Rorrer | Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Network - WCJN No one is safe if the justice system is broken and they are putting innocent people in prison. But when did he find the evidence of the break-in? ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. Image Title Airdate Season Episode Series Episode "Sleeping with the Enemy" August 7, 2015: 1: 120 Texan Darlene Gentry is a self-centered former beauty queen who enjoys the party girl lifestyle and whose marriage to husband Keith is collapsing under the debt she has incurred. The organization purports that if there were awards for distorted reporting, the Morning Callwould win high honors.. Barry Grube, one of the few, if not only, police officers sympathetic to Patricias cause, noted that Andrew didnt seem particularly frantic while authorities searched desperately for his wife and son. 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. . PATRICIA RORRER OBITUARY. Cop defends accused. . 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. Walmart woe. Tragedy also touched Patricias life. Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt him. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. In 2015, an outside source, through a freedom of information act request, received an FBI . Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! 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. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. Prosecutor hiding something? Regarding the gun, she claims to have said that she didn't have a gun at that time, not that she never had one. Men who murder are conventional, women are sensational, posits the Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Network. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer. This is crazy. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Thats my life.. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Kidnapped and killed? They allege that the North Carolina resident stealthily drove 500 miles to Pennsylvania and killed out of a sense of deadly indignation. One of Patricia's alibis was that she was at a bar on the night of the abduction. Mike McIntyre, the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case, said the petition is "crazy. Lehigh Cty.) For more on the Katrinak murder case, you can watch Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction for free on YouTube. Mitochondrial DNA - Wikipedia Trash-talking ex. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. The footage was quite old and filmed well before the show and theory so it caught my notice after the show stated his percentiles being nearly off the chart. Leave a comment below, or contact us! 1994 double-murder case returns to Lehigh County Court - Lehighvalleylive Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence. As a result, Salas, who did not have legal representation at the time of filming, was offered pro bono representation by a Washington State attorney, who believes in his innocence. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Police slowly built a case against Patricia. Now retired, he declined ForensicFilesNow.coms invitation to spar directly with Patricia via a podcast. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. If you subscribe to Hulu and upgrade to Starz (theres a free one-week trial offer), you can stream the Wrong Man episodes about Patricia Rorrer. Sounds like prosecutors made the right call based on this. Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016. Four hours is a long time between Andrew getting home from work and calling the police. Sad discovery. God Bless each of you. Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. I know I did not commit these murders and they need to get justice for Joann and Alex too. You couldnt fire a second shot. And, I was quite angry with the police, that they accused Andy. She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. Error! (QUIZ), RAW: FILE: CHRIS ROCK IS SET TO MAKE NETFLIX HISTORY, Outlast Forces Lone Wolf Contestants to Embrace Team Dynamics for Netflix Competition, Diego Luna: Andor Ending With Season 2 Is Really Important for My Mental Health. There was at least one hair strand that contained enough skin tissue for a nuclear DNA match and it corroborated the mitochondrial match. 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). List of female murderers by name | R | Murderpedia Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. By: Robert S. In 1994, Joann Katrinak called her mother-in-law and made plans to go holiday shopping. Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. 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. Someone had shot Joann in the face with a .22-caliber pistol, then beaten her about the head hitting her 19 times in all with a blunt object. Success! Patricia is and has been fighting that she is innocent from the very beginning. 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. Cancel Anytime. The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. When I gave samples of my hair, the doctor took a total of 39 hairs, but only 35 can be accounted for. Then 31 years old, she had lived a rocky existence. The witness said he would sign in as Richard Nixon or not sign in at all quite often. For example, the weight of each organ was listed, it was clear they were not very decomposed. Reasonable Doubt: Season 5, Episode 7 - Rotten Tomatoes Chapter 1. The episode claimed the jury required just two hours to deliberate, but other sources indicate it took six. As is the alibi (signing into a dance class), one regular at the dance club said the sign-in sheet was not regularly used by many patrons. 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. Patricia Rorrer Obituary (1935 - 2021) - Lynchburg, VA - The News & Advance Both sides agree Joann hung up on Patricia. 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. They initially thought Joann's husband Andy may have committed this crime, so they didn't check into Patricia's story of being in a dance class during the time of the kidnapping. for the sole purpose of building a stronger case against Andy, their main suspect at the time. Wow this episode was featured on Forensic Files. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. Error! She did buy a .22 before. 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. Its definitely getting rougher every day, Andrew told the Morning Call. Witness also recalled Rorrer's mom trying to hide a gun. Why did the police not look into these things? Media galore. Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted of Murder. 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. It will show you that I have not committed these murders. Knowing that they were not killed the day they were kidnapped, but instead held for potentially months, blows the fact that she didn't make a phone call for a few days out of the water. FBI didn't follow up on Patricia's alibi for months (6 months?) I lived more than 500 miles away, was engaged to be married, was a new mother, and all of a sudden I'm arrested for murdering two people I'd never even met? (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. 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. 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. Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. The FBI Files (Family Secrets) mentioned that Patty also lied about being at a tanning salon. Share Memories & Support the Family. Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. (Disclaimer: Im not a big fan of eyewitnesses who come forward years after the fact, but its possible). Um why is that? During these 4 years, many in the Lehigh Valley, PA community developed opinions on the case. 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. S5 E7: Patricia Rorrer sits in prison for brutally murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. 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. She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. 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. Please read her story. Why would somebody tell you, theyre going to fry me, if they didnt do it? Jarrett told Wrong Man. He said that the gun had an unusual characteristic: the gun would jam after firing one shot. Andrew's involvement in the latter theory was dismissed when his alibi checked out. The indications of Patricia's involvement in Joann's and young Alex's disappearance were numerous. I think it would really require comparison with his pediatric medical records to determine if the head circumference is relevant. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. The second is Patricia Rorrer, who has been in prison since 1998 after being convicted of the horrific murder of a young mother, Joann Katrinak, and her 15-week old son in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. Whether she suffocated him or left him to die of exposure, there's a special place in hell for someone who's able to live with themselves after such a heinous crime. 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. Or did they? She was born on July 27, 1942, in Henry County, Va., to Edward Rorrer and Susie Morrison Rorrer. She needs to be freed! She claimed to have been home during this period how did her defense team justify such a departure from Patricia's norm? !) and detractors (This is another bs attempt to free a psycho). 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. She is sitting in Muncey Women's Correctional Facility for over 23 years now for something. She was the devoted wife of the late Alvin Haymon Rorrer. After Tapp served nearly 21 years of his sentence, the real killer was finally found through forensic genealogy, according to Time. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. Joann Katrinaks Killer Still Has Innocence Advocates(A Woman Scorned, Forensic Files). TV-MA | Mar 1, 2020 | 53m. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence testing may be the key to proving her innocence. (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). 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. It was conceivable that Andrew believed they were still out. Irelands husband buried it in the yard because he didnt feel comfortable with a firearm inside, she said. Unseasonably warm weather in late December suggested that the victims were there since they were killed. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Part 1. But was Andrew in on this plan? An early childhood introd They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. Lehigh Valley: Patricia Rorrer Still A Convenient Suspect? The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. Or identify other people in their lives who might have benefited from either the Katrinak's deaths or disappearance? $4.99/mo. He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Joann and Alex Katrinak: Still No Justice (Update) Patricia Rorrer's Story - RIGHT TO REDEMPTION

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