patricia rorrer released

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. Tribute Archive 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. ", "I can remember till this day, seeing that infant being lifted off the abdomen of his mother. He will never be able to speak if this case! Of course, Patricia denied this. He was sentenced to life in prison. 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. Her car was soon located in a parking lot within walking distance of their home. Starting at. Chapter 1. I know I did not commit these murders and they need to get justice for Joann and Alex too. One she was at a private club. With Lynnanne Zager, Joann Katrinak, Alex Katrinak, Patricia Rorrer. No one is safe if the justice system is broken and they are putting innocent people in prison. We work hard to help with things that can not be accomplished in prison. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. At 10:30 p.m., Andrew reported his wife missing. 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. Do any of the TV episodes suggest the possibility of their being held alive for some time? Green-Eyed Monsters: Directed by Kate Ryerson. On Alexs diaper bag, police found strands of the same type of hair from the car. 0. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. Joann grabbed her purse, the diaper bag, and their coats against the December chill in Pennsylvania. Wake up people this could be you! Her husband Andrew's mother expected Joann to arrive quickly, since they only lived a few minutes away. 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. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? 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. After a successful first season, Starz has announced thatWrong Man season 2 will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 9:45 p.m. Prosecutors also claimed DNA hair evidence found in the car matched Patricia's hair at the time (using what was considered valid DNA methods). TV-14. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. 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. (A good point. Patricia Rorrer is found guilty of the abduction and murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. 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. Andrew languished for weeks and then months as investigators failed to suppl any explanation for his wife's and son's mysterious disappearance. However, it seems this was only after the bodies of Joann and Alex were found on the remote horse trail. 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). Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. Patricia demonstrated a consistent habit of long-distance calls from home, then had an obvious gap while claiming she. It's really terrifying that that was regarded as damning evidence, especially now that the rest of the case that might have appeared to give it context has been so undermined. A closer examination of the hairs showed traces of dried blood. Joanne and baby Alex Katrinak kidnapping and murder by Patricia Rorrer. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Prosecutors offered Patricia a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table, but she declined. Lawyer: New evidence in 1994 killings of woman, infant, Patricia Rorrer serving life sentence for killing Joann Katrinak, 3-month-old son, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. Our team of volunteers are committed to helping Patricia. 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. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Rorrer claims the DNA evidence used to send . This proves that whatever hair root was DNA tested and matched to me could not have been one of the hairs taken from Joann's car. 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. Use quotation marks to search as a The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. S5 E7: Patricia Rorrer sits in prison for brutally murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. "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. God Bless each of you. Flaw in reasoning. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. Wouldn't he have tried to call his mother recall it was with her Joann had planned to go Christmas shopping. One she was at a tanning salon. We all need justice! Cancel Anytime. This had been taken just 11 days before Joann's disappearance. Murder victim. 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. The first, Vonda Smith, was convicted of murdering her grandchilds mother, 21-year-old Jessie Morrison. How about the phone line being cut? Bio by: Karen Valentine Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. It's as if she had left with young Alex as planned but then somehow simply vanished. Inside the locked 1992 vehicle, police discovered some strands of blond hair stained with dried blood. Media galore. Joann Katrinak and her infant son were brutally murdered. Very true - I can't remember if the show went through that. Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016. ", "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. As usual, Rebecca at Forensic Files Now has a thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case and events since her conviction. I dont even know its Christmas.. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. But none of those charges ever stuck. Patricia is and has been fighting that she is innocent from the very beginning. Aside from the hair, there was almost zero forensic evidence. But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. 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. Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. The killer was Patricia Rorrer, the jealous ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, Andrew. PATRICIA LYNNE RORRER Appellant No. Despite the new evidence and hypotheses, the courts have rejected all of Patricias bids for a new trial. 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. The bodies of Joann Katrinak and her baby were found in a wooded area of Heidelberg Township in 1994. He framed this woman who has been in prison 23 years! They noted houses near the murder scene would have heard a gunshot in December, when no farm equipment is making noise, and question why the murderer didnt just kill Joann inside her house instead of risking being seen in public in her car. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. He wanted to move to Colorado and she was against it.. Lieutenant Christopher Coble and Sergeant Suzanne Pearson would later testify that Patricia cried and apologized to 18-month-old Nicole, telling the baby, Im sorry for doing this to you and lamenting to the officers that she would never see little Nicole again. They DID NOT match the bullets that killed Joann and her son. Police identified the pair as Joann and Alex Katrinak. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. They were hardly decomposed after a mild winter. Probable cause of death: exposure. It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. The state police dropped him as a suspect. 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. My husband passed away of a broken heart, Sarah OConnor said on the Montel Williams Show in 2001. 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. There is another question, though: Can anyone say . Irelands husband buried it in the yard because he didnt feel comfortable with a firearm inside, she said. They would have been held alive. She had money put aside. Patricia Rorrer Age: 51 Sex: FEMALE There is a 2-part episode on Wrong Man that just came out this year. Based on the activity, the victims were there since at least February. This is crazy. 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. Mal told Keith Morrison that Patricias dance teacher originally confirmed her alibi that she was in class on the day of the murder, then changed his mind. Nailed? A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) 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. Culture Editor Tony Sokol cut his teeth on the wire services and also wrote and produced New York CitysVampyr Theatreand the rock operaAssassiNation: We Killed JFK. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. (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. Felix (Phil) Rosado and Terrell (Rell) Woolfolk-Carter, WELCOME HOME!!!!! Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. Season 9 aired from August 7, 2015, to November 6, 2015. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. After Joann Katrinak, the wife of Patricias former flame, turned up dead along with her infant son, prosecutors suspected Patricia. Part 1. Wrong Man investigators interrogated a confidential informant, the main witness against Evaristo Salas, and he recanted his testimony. She claimed to have been home during this period how did her defense team justify such a departure from Patricia's norm? She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. This is for them also and freeing an innocent woman! 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. She was the devoted wife of the late Alvin Haymon Rorrer. You couldnt fire a second shot. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. When they found Joann and Alex in a wooded area on April 9 1995. RR, Watch the Forensic Files episode on YouTube, Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports, The Lindbergh Kidnapping: Forensic Files Lost Episode, Dawn Fehring: A Missionary Dies Too Young, Joanne Chambers and Paula Nawrocki: Strange Lesson. 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. Meticulous primping. Watch Forensic Files: Season 5, Episode 3A Woman Scorned. 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). If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. July 16, 1932 - September 10, 2020, Dr. Edward E. "Gene" Rorrer, Sr. passed away on September 10, 2020 in Abingdon, Virg. In TV clips, Andrew didnt come off as anguished. It's not often there's a laundry list of clear signals, but it's fun to iterate them when there are so many. 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. Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted of Murder. Joann had been shot once and then bludgeoned in the head. Mizgerd said Rorrer is aware the show is airing and is hopeful it may bring new attention to her case. Patricia Rorrer being escorted by the police | Photo Credits: People Magazine. The DNA presented at trial, the botching of hair evidence and the revelations in 2015 are thoroughly discussed. Patricia Rorrer was a cold woman. So I was convicted of 2 counts of first degree murder and 2 counts of kidnapping. 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. I was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. You have permission to edit this article. Movies/Documentaries Murder in Lehigh Valley Forensic Files: A Woman Scorned Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters. More: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve the legal counsel for Patricia. 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? One on one? In a million years, she wouldnt do anything to harm that.. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings, you know, it brought a tear to my eye. The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. He was sentenced to death after being convicted of the brutal torture and murder of a young babysitter named Linda Rodgers in 1984 in Santa Ana, California. No charmed life. Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband . Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. However, a former boyfriend stated that she did own a .22 caliber chrome-plated semi-automatic weapon. (Disclaimer: Im not a big fan of eyewitnesses who come forward years after the fact, but its possible). Apr 5, 2016. The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. There was an error processing your request. Um why is that? The 26-year-old was recently married, and this would be four-month-old Alex's first Christmas. Then, despite her multiple alibis, she has an inexplicable five-day gap in this pattern. Hair we go. Thats all for this post. For example, the weight of each organ was listed, it was clear they were not very decomposed. Andrew's second look in and around their home revealed some disturbing clues. 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. Season 1 had a tangible impact on all three cases that were examined. Those who knew Joann pointed out that she didnt like to drive in reverse and would have never parked that way. Illustration of the location of mitochondrial DNA in human cells. Mizgerd said she acts as Patricia Rorrer's spiritual advisor and often visits her in prison. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. 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. The system is broken sending innocent people to prison! Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt him. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope: Patty Rorrer is convicted of the kidnapping and murder of her ex-boyfriend's wife and infant son, but "Wrong Man" investigators discover that the case is not so clear cut. There was also a 2017 Dateline Keith Morrison episode which covered some of these facts. 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. Pfeiffer and Burke claimed that police Sgt. In North Carolina, she reportedly enjoyed some success as a horse trader, riding instructor, and rodeo competitor. Her advocates say she wasn't even in the same state at the time of the crime. 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. Sounds like prosecutors made the right call based on this. Oscar-nominated and Emmywinning director Berlinger (Paradise Lost, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes), a leading voice in non-fiction film and television for over two decades, returns to keep checks on the criminal justice system. Louise Rorrer Bryant, age 79, of Fieldale, Va., passed away on May 15, 2022. Its definitely getting rougher every day, Andrew told the Morning Call. 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. 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. Three days later, Joann had plans to pick up her mother-in-law, Veronica Katrinak, to go Christmas shopping. New state, new man. 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). Phone calls played a significant role in the case overall. Does anyone see motive in this scenario? Rorrer offered her attendance at a private club in North Carolina as one of her alibies, but the club (per a state regulation) required members to sign in. 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. McIntyre said he was accused of being the mastermind of a conspiracy to frame Rorrer. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. Police slowly built a case against Patricia. At 17, Patricia dropped out of high school and married landscaper Gary Gabard. In February 2008, Patricia Taylor Allanson, age 70, was arrested and charged with doctor shopping for thousands of pain pills over the past year. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. Why was the jury never told that Patricia Rorrer was under surveillance in North Carolina at the time of the crime? 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. It seems likely these bodies were dumped here months after initially thought, not killed the day they were kidnapped. Culture Editor Tony Sokol is a writer, playwright and musician. 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. My kid has had 99th percentile head circumference since birth. I know that if I get a fair trial, I will win and be freed. So, this pointed to a theory that Joann had either left on her own or encountered foul play within her home. But if that's the main evidence against her, it seems awfully weak. Its proximity to the stable she'd managed made an undeniable association to her. 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. Patricia was . During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. She did buy a .22 before. 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. I wonder if any of Alex's pediatrician records still exist after all this time. They returned with a guilty verdict and a sentence of two life terms. However, her name was not on the sign-in list. Mizgerd said she is convinced Rorrer is innocent. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. And yikes, he discovered someone had cut one of the houses phone lines and pried the hinge on the basement door. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Some who still believe in Patricia Rorrer's innocence say it was long enough for him to stage the scene. And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. Sir I would not kill somebody and I definitely wouldnt kill somebody I never met, Rorrer said. It seems Patricia's own daughter and baby Alex Katrinak were very close in age. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. 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. 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 . Although the prosecution used it as evidence that she was trying to create a false alibi, it actually sounded more like Patricia was simply trying to nail down the facts he had already asserted to her. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. They released a list of cases affected by it. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. Episode Info. As noted earlier, there was hair found in the victims hand, fingernail fragments found on her body, and also a cigarette butt. In 2015, I discovered an FBI report that states the hair used to convict me had "No Roots Attached." After relocating to Pennsylvania, Patricia met the 6-foot-2-inch Andrew in a restaurant. Regarding the gun, she claims to have said that she didn't have a gun at that time, not that she never had one. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. After a very early failed marriage, the 24-year-old Joann scored a new husband in Andrew Katrinak, 38, whom she met at a club. for the sole purpose of building a stronger case against Andy, their main suspect at the time. 1 talking about this. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. Starring Keith Morrison. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, Patricia drove Joanns car to McCartys parking lot and backed it into a parking space. As for an epilogue on ex-flame Andrew Katrinak, he has moved to Colorado and kept a low profile since the trial ended. . In addition to the Facebook page, there are Reddit threads on her case. Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. Once, when a gun-wielding farmer and his buddy caught Patricia and Gary riding motorcycles on his field, Patricia walked up and got in their faces and argued, Gary recalled to the Morning Call. 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. ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. It was conceivable that Andrew believed they were still out. 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.

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