A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. 3126 EDA 2012 Appeal from the PCRA Order October 11, 2012 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BOWES, J., LAZARUS, J., and WECHT, J. 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. The Ex Files - Reasonable Doubt (Season 5, Episode 7) | Apple TV See Commonwealth v. Rorrer, CP-39- CR-0002176-1997 (C.C.P. The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. 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. . Or did they? His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. Andrew's second look in and around their home revealed some disturbing clues. Com v. Rorrer, P. (memorandum) - Justia Law 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. The main one of course was committing murder of a young woman and her infant son over an argument. Cop defends accused. Forensic Files (season 5) - Wikipedia Irelands husband buried it in the yard because he didnt feel comfortable with a firearm inside, she said. For this week, I looked into the defenders reasoning as well as Patricias whereabouts today. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. Does anyone see motive in this scenario? Highly charged case. Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . Watch enough true crime shows and you're bound to hear one of these gems. Joann had been shot once and then bludgeoned in the head. 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. after the fact. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer. Man, this case was soooo shittily handled. Rorrer was tried and convicted in 1994 for the brutal killing of Katrinak and her three-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. Louise Bryant Obituary (1942 - 2022) - Fieldale, VA - Martinsville Bulletin She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. Police slowly built a case against Patricia. TV-14 Information Genre Documentary Released 2022 Run Time 42 min Rated TV-14 Languages Original Audio English . It's not often there's a laundry list of clear signals, but it's fun to iterate them when there are so many. Please take the time to read my story. When it was only able to fire once, Rorrer had to resort to bludgeoning her victim. 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? Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. The 26-year-old was recently married, and this would be four-month-old Alex's first Christmas. The victims vanished on December 15. Phone calls played a significant role in the case overall. Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. 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). Her husband Andrew's mother expected Joann to arrive quickly, since they only lived a few minutes away. After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again. She claimed to have been home during this period how did her defense team justify such a departure from Patricia's norm? Prosecutor hiding something? You couldnt fire a second shot. 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. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. The missing items included Joann's purse, car, both her and Alex's winter jackets, and the diaper bag. I really never thought of it again.. During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. Regarding the gun, she claims to have said that she didn't have a gun at that time, not that she never had one. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. 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. Right now she has no attorney and your generous donation will fund our mission. 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. Sad discovery. Patricia demonstrated a habit of making almost daily, long-distance phone calls from her home in North Carolina. Rorrer claims the DNA evidence used to send . 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. Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband . Now retired, he declined ForensicFilesNow.coms invitation to spar directly with Patricia via a podcast. And James Pfeiffer and Jim Burke have remained on her side. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. But based on his body/head size and the lack of decomposition of the bodies, it seems likely they had been alive for quite some time after being kidnapped. 'Dateline NBC' Correspondent Keith Morrison Explores Claims of a Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Wake up people this could be you! After a successful first season, Starz has announced thatWrong Man season 2 will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 9:45 p.m. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. Patricia was convicted based on her head hairs being found in the victim's car. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. Catherine Howard - Fifth Wife of Henry VIII Documentary 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. ", "I think she gave us something like four or five alibis as to where she was at. Joann and Alex Katrinak: Still No Justice (Update) They theorize that Andrew Katrinak framed Patricia and that the hostile phone call between Patricia and Joann actually took place not on Dec. 12 as Andrew said but rather on Dec. 7. I think it would really require comparison with his pediatric medical records to determine if the head circumference is relevant. 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. Patricias marriage fell apart, and she returned to Pennsylvania, where she fell in love with Andrew Andy Katrinak after meeting him at a restaurant. Rejection and betrayal are good enough reasons for these women to commit heinous crimes. Over 200 people were convicted using this science ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/fbi-overstated-forensic-hair-matches-in-nearly-all-criminal-trials-for-decades/2015/04/18/39c8d8c6-e515-11e4-b510-962fcfabc310_story.html). Season 1. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. Sir I would not kill somebody and I definitely wouldnt kill somebody I never met, Rorrer said. 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. Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. Joann grabbed her purse, the diaper bag, and their coats against the December chill in Pennsylvania. Tragedy also touched Patricias life. 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. 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 either victimas the monster responsible. 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. 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 . Our Mission. 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. Combine keywords and attributes to find specific items. Pulled hairs don't grow roots. By that time, we had both moved on and I had no romantic feelings for him. Brisk with west to northwest winds around 10-20mph gusting to 30mph.. Mostly cloudy with less wind and a few breaks in the clouds overnight. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! With 400 (and 6) episodes, this progress bar indicates my progress toward finishing all of them. Patricia Allanson | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. As for Joanns parents, her father died a year after the murder. It would have to have been a different gun. Patricia Rorrer - Forensic Files Now Puny policy. After Tapp served nearly 21 years of his sentence, the real killer was finally found through forensic genealogy, according to Time. These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. "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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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? She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. Police converged on the scene and soon realized it was not only the remains of Joann Katrinak, but sadly of Alex too. Right to Redemption The witness said he would sign in as Richard Nixon or not sign in at all quite often. Season 9 | Deadly Women Wiki | Fandom Then 31 years old, she had lived a rocky existence. Convenient Suspect: A Wrongful Conviction In The Murder In Lehigh Patricia had of course not registered that night. Until WCJN has thought that the hair was planted but the FBI has just released a report detailing unscientific and fraudulent analysis of hair samples in criminal cases. 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. INMATE INFORMATION. And the kidnapping scenario became more plausible when you factor in the privacy of the alleyway behind the Katrinak house. Patricia Rorrer | Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Network - WCJN Patricia, who moved from PA to North Carolina, made long distance calls from her home practically every day, except for the time period between December 11 and 16. E 204 Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope. So I was convicted of 2 counts of first degree murder and 2 counts of kidnapping. 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. I lived with Andrew Katrinak for approximately 5 years, and we ended our relationship as friends in 1989 when I moved to North Carolina.. We would speak 2 or 3 times a year. That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. She intends to file a motion for a new trial. Weak wages. This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. That's absolutely ridiculous, yet that is the only motive ever given for why I supposedly committed this crime. Died along with his mother, Joann, as a victim of his father's jealous ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer. Watch Reasonable Doubt Online | Season 5 (2022) | TV Guide MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J. Rorrer's attorney, Craig Neely, said after a report by 69 News in December that a police officer contacted him and claimed the first officer on the scene was convinced to lie about the case by the district attorney's office or he would lose his job, but the commonwealth said the first officer on the scene took back those words. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer. So, this pointed to a theory that Joann had either left on her own or encountered foul play within her home. It seems Patricia's own daughter and baby Alex Katrinak were very close in age. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, Patricia drove Joanns car to McCartys parking lot and backed it into a parking space. 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. They broke up in 1993. In March of 1998, a jury returned two guilty verdicts against Patricia Rorrer for murder, and two more for kidnapping. However, it seems this was only after the bodies of Joann and Alex were found on the remote horse trail. Somebody has to. And their phone line had been cut someone had not wanted the Katrinaks to be able to call for help. 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 theorized might've simply started a new life with another man, but this seemed absurd to everyone who knew Joann. I'm not sure to what extent it was brought up in the original trial. Convenient Suspect - Alliance Digital Media Library - OverDrive Andrew had an ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, who'd been familiar with the trail, and she'd previously managed a horse stable just a mile from the scene. Meticulous primping. Mike McIntyre, the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case, said the petition is "crazy. Patricia Rorrer is found guilty of the abduction and murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt him. Great communicator. Why did the police not look into these things? On Alexs diaper bag, police found strands of the same type of hair from the car. It seems likely these bodies were dumped here months after initially thought, not killed the day they were kidnapped. An ex-boyfriend of Patricia knew she owned a distinct .22 caliber pistol and knew of its tendency to jam, but Rorrer could only deny owning such a weapon. But Patricia had moved from Pennsylvania years ago, and she'd started her own family in North Carolina. Or was it? I dont even know its Christmas.. You have permission to edit this article. A second helping of justice will be served. 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. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . Murder victim. Error! To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. My case in a nutshell is this: I was convicted on a DNA match made to the root of a hair found in the victim's car which was located 15 miles from the crime scene. 1994 double-murder case returns to Lehigh County Court - Lehighvalleylive Charles Robert, the 3-month-old son she had with Gary Gabard, died of sudden infant death syndrome; Patricia found him blue in his crib. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. Traupman died in 2016. Yet, everything changed when they lost their 3-month-old son to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Hello guys! Sad part is this could be your mother, father, kids, all love ones and friends! One she was at a tanning salon. 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. A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. At 17, Patricia dropped out of high school and married landscaper Gary Gabard. And dance instructor William Jarrett couldnt remember whether she attended his dance class at the club the night of Joanns disappearance. 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. This is the hard part. While the police are still investigating the murder of your wife and child? In February 2008, Patricia Taylor Allanson, age 70, was arrested and charged with doctor shopping for thousands of pain pills over the past year. Patricia Rorrer is imprisoned for murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. 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. Convenient Suspect: A Double Murder, a Flawed Investigation, and the It's been more than 20 years since Patricia Rorrer was convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend . 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. Other defense claims and recent updates include: Two separate witnesses claim to have seen an unhappy Joann with a man on the day of her disappearance. 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. During these 4 years, many in the Lehigh Valley, PA community developed opinions on the case. Convicted murderer seeks new DNA tests in '94 murder case More hairs there. 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. But there was only one day in question, so it feels like Patricia might have been overselling her story. Murder in Lehigh Valley Keith Morrison Investigates (1x120) Select "match all" to require all fields. Why would somebody tell you, theyre going to fry me, if they didnt do it? Jarrett told Wrong Man. The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. 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. Starz Renews WRONG MAN for a Second Season - BroadwayWorld 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. Artificial intelligence and machine learning education and literacy: teacher training for primary and secondary education teachers; Chapter 2. Com. v. Rorrer, P. :: 2017 :: Pennsylvania Superior Court Decisions Regard a similar case where too much detail signaled investigators to look closer at their suspect in Bagging a Killer (s06e25). The Morning Call ", "I can remember till this day, seeing that infant being lifted off the abdomen of his mother. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. In TV clips, Andrew didnt come off as anguished. Walmart woe. The jury found Patricia guilty in just 6 hours in 1998, 4 years after the crime. 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. 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. She claimed that shed spent that fateful day at a tanning salon and a country music club, but suspicion mounted when the guest book for the latter didnt have her name and a photo shed taken 11 days prior showed her naturally brown hair dyed blonde. Startling new allegations surround one of Lehigh County's most notorious murder cases. (Disclaimer: Im not a big fan of eyewitnesses who come forward years after the fact, but its possible). Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Three days later, Joann had plans to pick up her mother-in-law, Veronica Katrinak, to go Christmas shopping. And because of the gun jamming, the assailant had to resort to blunt object and beat her about the head. Wrong Man season 2, episode 4 recap: Under the Microscope - Show Snob Most convictions were procured through microscopic hair comparison which has been debunked as junk science today. 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. EPISODE 1. 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. As noted earlier, there was hair found in the victims hand, fingernail fragments found on her body, and also a cigarette butt. The woman (who owned the salon) stated that they were closed that day and that she and her husband were out of town celebrating his birthday. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. It was a pretty big deal, and i was excited enough to call everyone I knew. 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. Both were deceased. He framed this woman who has been in prison 23 years! So now, lets find out everything there is to know about her, shall we? [1] The mitochondria, and thus mitochondrial DNA, are passed exclusively from mother to offspring through the egg cell. One on one? MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.: FILED OCTOBER 26, 2017 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals the PCRA court's dismissal of her . In addition to her . We take wrongful convictions to heart. ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. He recalls that Patty also had an alibi. Both sides agree Joann hung up on Patricia. I am innocent of these crimes, and I should not have lost the best years of my life in a prison cell. Please read her story. Wrong Man season 2, episode 3 recap: The Hang Up - Show Snob

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