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.. She was a real estate agent, a salesperson, and an equestrian, but she also had a rap sheet that included a 12-month probation sentence for shoplifting from a North Carolina Walmart. Is the wrong person serving a pair of life sentences for the 1994 kidnapping and killing of Pennsylvania mother Joann Katrinak and her 3-month-old son, Alex? Patricia Rorrer was a cold woman. 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.more. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. A hair sample that helped put Patricia Rorrer behind bars for life could be the key to set her free. No charmed life. Patricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. Katrinak's husband's ex-girlfriend was convicted of the crime, but now there's a possibility the case could be reopened. All rights reserved. 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I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. Aside from the hair, there was almost zero forensic evidence. Contained in Superior Courts 22-page opinion are a minimum of 24 factual errors; many of which are extremely serious. Three days later, Joann had plans to pick up her mother-in-law, Veronica Katrinak, to go Christmas shopping. With Chris Anderson, Fatima Silva. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Judge's Order Granting Discovery (pdf) Download. Michael Workmans son, Fredrick James Workman, disappeared at age 15 and may use the alias "Fred Shields.". Those who knew Joann pointed out that she didnt like to drive in reverse and would have never parked that way. Men who murder are conventional, women are sensational, posits the Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Network. Tammy Mal is a true-crime writer whos written for True Detective Magazine and Absolute Crime Publishing. <>>> But it wasnt until the police linked Rorrer to the crime through a DNA match between her and a hair recovered from Joanns car that they finally had enough to arrest her. 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. Photo by: Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image, Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. Great catch. Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. Join us tonight for #ReasonableDoubt at 10/9c on ID. App of the Day: Poolsuite FM, What the Tech? Jennifer and Sarah Hart killed themselves and murdered their six adopted children in 2018 by driving their SUV off a cliff in California. Years later, conviction in Katrinak murder still raises questions, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. $8.99/mo. That's according to Craig Neely, who worked on the case for years as the defense attorney. 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. Was it just a mistake that one of the highest courts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania got everything so wrong? At 17, Patricia dropped out of high school and married landscaper Gary Gabard. Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates airs this Sunday, March 5 at 8pm on Investigation Discovery and is produced by NBC News Peacock Productions. Or did they? Uncover shocking new evidence in Patricia Rorrer's case with a new episode of #WrongMan, now on the STARZ App. 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. The authorities charged her with two counts of murder. 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. Irelands husband buried it in the yard because he didnt feel comfortable with a firearm inside, she said. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, Patricia drove Joanns car to McCartys parking lot and backed it into a parking space. 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. Photo by: Harry Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Images, Harry Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Images. Her alibi about going to the club, called Cowboys Nitelife, got fuzzy when investigators discovered she hadnt signed the guest book on that day. i-InD6g~v~}saG\R -(QdB]+[1xlm>Hv%} i{Fb=i~{/7=hn/JzF3XuccBb Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty, Arrests Made in Connection with Deadly Druggings at N.Y.C. 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. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. They broke up in 1993. The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. Does he think Rorrer is a killer or a victim of a miscarriage of justice? Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading mystery-and-suspense network on television. On closer inspection, he saw it was the body of a woman. 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. Still, no good leads materialized. Plus, he had only a minimal life insurance policy on Joann and he passed polygraphs, according to The FBI Files: Family Secrets. Murder victim Joann Katrinak. Then 31 years old, she had lived a rocky existence. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. Superior Court notes that Rorrers attorney, Craig Neely, is being paid at. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. I was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. Mike McIntyre was the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case and says he's surprised Rorrer is making another attempt to get out of prison. He wanted to move to Colorado and she was against it.. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. I dont even know its Christmas.. For more on the Katrinak murder case, you can watch Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction for free on YouTube. On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. See production, box office & company info. Within two years, the couple had moved in together, married, and become the proud parents of a new baby boy they named Alex. Meticulous primping. 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. The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. Rorrer and Andrew broke off their . Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. 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Convenient Suspect: A Wrongful Conviction In The Murder In Lehigh Valley? 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. On December 14, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied Ms. Rorrer's petition for allowance of appeal, concluding her state appellate proceedings. If you have any information on this missing mystery, please contact the Cape Girardeau Police Department directly: 573-335-6621. Declaration of DNA Expert on Rorrer's Behalf (pdf) Download. 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. Superior Court states that Patricia Rorrer and Andy Katrinaks romantic relationship ended in May, 1993 only one year before the murders. 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. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Ch Patricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. Gabby Petitos fianc and person of interest in her fatal strangulation disappeared in mid-September after saying he was going for a hike. ET features interviews with all the key players from the 1998 trial of Rorrer, who is currently behind bars. 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. 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.. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. 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. Read More:Where is Jacqueline Crymble Now? She was sentenced to two life terms in prison without parole. stream The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. This is an incendiary case that continues to provoke passion on both sides, said Morrison. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. Toxic chemicals in Emmaus water could cost at least $24M to fix, 'Can't wait to see everyone': After 3-year hiatus, beloved Easton deli nears reopening, How do you know your money is safe? Nailed? % Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. Pick up PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: Cases That Shocked America, on sale now, for the latest on Casey Anthony, JonBent Ramsey and more. Mostly cloudy, brisk, and unseasonably cool with a few scattered showers. For more information, visit: http://www.peacockproductions.tv/. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. Although police initially focused on Andrew as a suspect, they ruled him out and suspicion turned toward his ex-girlfriend Patricia Rorrer four months later, when Joann and Alexs bodies were discovered on a rural trail near where Patricia used to ride horses. Some lawyers call microscopic hair analysis junk science that today wouldnt qualify as evidence in a trial like Rorrers. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. %PDF-1.5 When police traveled to North Carolina to interview Patricia about the murders of Joann and Alex, she said that on the day of the homicides, she had visited a feed store, a tanning salon, and a country music club. Superior Court states that the 3 mounted car hairs were sent to the FBI in July 1995, and Rorrers hair samples were taken in November 1995, therefore, since the FBI had possession of the mounted hairs before the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) took Rorrers samples, it is impossible for those hairs to have been switched. @!44` ^]5[a$iq`k7jKV&fU-Ru=$^ And James Pfeiffer and Jim Burke have remained on her side. The person responsible, needs to be punished. But defense lawyer Robert Pfeiffer said that plenty of evidence supported Patricias innocence. The Free Patricia Rorrer page points to a sliver of a fingernail found at the murder site that didnt come from either Patricia or Joann. My sister will get her justice, insists the 12-year-old murder victims younger sibling. Even though Joanne was supposed to take her mother-in-law for Christmas shopping, she never showed . Motion for Discovery (pdf) Download. This is a despicable crime, prosecutor says of Kelly Renee Turner approving surgery after surgery for the child. During Patricias hours-long turn in the witness chair, Michael McIntyre grilled her relentlessly. Until next time, cheers. Why First Republic failed. Everything from compromised crime scenes and contaminated evidence, to suspects who were never cleared, witness statements that were withheld from the defense, and crucial evidence that was simply dismissed and ignored has cast doubt on Rorrers guilt and led to a number of unanswered questions. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Search is on. As the husband and father, he seemed the logical suspect, and the police worked hard to build a case against him. The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. How can someone fight it and correct the record? 1 0 obj She was always looking for a fight, Gary Gabard told the Morning Call, which noted that he was a head shorter than Patricia. But did the police arrest the right person? Today, her attorney says not only was his client wrongfully convicted, but she was framed. x\[s~L34j+Gv}P$D"UO] For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. It makes you crazy, because you challenge her with every allegation, and she acquits herself. After relocating to Pennsylvania, Patricia met the 6-foot-2-inch Andrew in a restaurant. 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. Rorrer was convicted of murdering Joann Katrinak and her 3 month old son. Indigenous Student Ashley Loring HeavyRunner Still Missing, Toddlers Orrin and Orson West Still Missing From California, Woman Who Helped Find Missing People Disappears, Family Still Hopeful, Edmond Tillman: Police Still Searching For Teen Missing Since 2005, Young Unidentified Female Wearing Vanderbilt University Apparel Still Not Identified, An Unsolved July 4th Child Murder Still Haunts Southeast Texas, Family Still Looking For Answers In 1965 Disappearance Of Elizabeth Gill, Iowa Father Still Searching For Answers 8 Years After Sons Disappearance, Still Shrouded In Mystery: Florida Woman Fatally Shot At Sheriff Deputys Home, An Indiana Family Still Wants Answers In A Young Mans Mysterious Death, An Upstate New York Child Is Still Missing With No Arrests In The Case. All rights reserved. Cop defends accused. 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. Since that time, Rorrer has held out hope that Pennsylvania's Superior Court would grant her a hearing to examine the new evidence that has come to light in her case. 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. ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. Related: Convenient Suspect: A Wrongful Conviction In The Murder In Lehigh Valley? 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. Joann and Alex Katrinak both vanished in 1994. On Aug. 5, 1993, Holly Piirainen, 10, and her brother went to a neighbor's house to play with puppies. 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 Katrinaks husband, was convicted of the murders and has maintained her innocence for 20 years while serving life behind bars. I cant lose them, he told the media. Book her. Jessie Morrison is beaten to death, police zero in on Vonda Smith. Plus: Dead Louisiana woman found fused to sofa; JonBent Ramseys father seeks governors help with DNA testing; Australian man incarcerated for killing gay American in 1988; and Pennsylvania mother shoots her two boys in the head. A three-year investigation culminated in court on March 6, 1998, with Patricia being convicted on two counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping. At the states request, the instructor wore a wire during a phone conversation with Patricia. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . endobj Walmart woe. Joann answered and told Rorrer to leave her family alone before hanging up. 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. He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. Conflicting versions. A hair sample that helped put Patricia Rorrer behind bars for life could be the key to set her free. 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? Then, they explore who might actually have done t Spider-Man: No Way Home (Extended Version), TV-MA | 6 SEASONS | DRAMA, LITERARY/BOOK BASED, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Another former boyfriend said she talked about Andrew frequently and liked to gaze at old photos of him. She had money put aside. Great communicator. The series was produced by Joe Berlinger, who made the Paradise Lost documentaries, which garnered actor Johnny Depps attention and ultimately helped free the West Memphis Three. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. They moved into her house in Salisbury County, staying together for about two years. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. (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. '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. 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. Yet, everything changed when they lost their 3-month-old son to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). There are claims that the cigarette butt wasnt examined and that the hair strands had no roots (which contain the DNA), suggesting that nothing truly ties Patricia to the homicides. The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. 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). (In an exclusive clip, Morrison questions the tactics of prosecutor Michael McIntyre.). 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. Success! Commonwealth's request for reconsideration (pdf) Download. 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. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. Now retired, he declined ForensicFilesNow.coms invitation to spar directly with Patricia via a podcast. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Read more: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. Patricia Lynne Rorrer. Most of all, Patricia said, she would like a rematch with prosecutor Michael McIntyre. : 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. American Catherine Serou sent her mother a text that read, I hope Im not being abducted.. 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. (Silver Spring, Md.) She said that shes no fan of Forensic Files and that the show had many misrepresentations about her case and that shed heard ForensicFilesNow.com mixed up some facts as well. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. Our Mission. People envied the Katrinaks rock-solid marriage and picture-perfect life; with the house, the kid, and the two cars in the drive, they seemed to be living the American dream. Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime 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. Alexs cause of death has never been determined. Then you listen to the other side, and its like, Wait a minute. This case will live with you for a while after you have seen the story, because it is one that has stuck with me., The show which debuts March 5 at both 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Investigators suspect this action triggered Rorrers jealous rage, driving her to kill. . They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. 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