As noted earlier, there was hair found in the victims hand, fingernail fragments found on her body, and also a cigarette butt. Pat Rorrer received a sentence of life imprisonment for her crime. . Starting at. No show. The state of the bodies suggested the victims had likely been killed the day very they were abducted. Joann grabbed her purse, the diaper bag, and their coats against the December chill in Pennsylvania. After the first season, the Supreme Court overturned the murder conviction of Curtis Flowers, who had been tried six times by nearly all-white juries; Christopher Tapp was exonerated from rape and murder charges after serving 20 years of a 30-year sentence; Evaristo Salas will go to into a new trial represented by a pro bono lawyer. Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. 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. Watch Wrong Man Season 2: Stream Full Episodes on STARZ Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. Another thing never presented at trial was the fact that they found flower petals in the soles of Joann's shoes,. Somebody has to. Prosecutor pounds away. 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. Felix (Phil) Rosado and Terrell (Rell) Woolfolk-Carter, WELCOME HOME!!!!! This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? 99.99 or whatever it was. I am humbly asking for your help to hire a lawyer and procure a fair trial. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. And their phone line had been cut someone had not wanted the Katrinaks to be able to call for help. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. WATCH: ID Examines 1994 Lehigh Valley Double-Murder - Peoplemag The Ex Files - Reasonable Doubt (Season 5, Episode 7) | Apple TV Still, no good leads materialized. EPISODE 1. She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. 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. An infant was lying face down on her stomach. She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. Alex Martin Katrinak (1994-1994) - Find a Grave Memorial 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. 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. 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. Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. Further, an early FBI report said the hairs found in the car had no roots which contain the DNA suggesting an evidence switcheroo. Rorrer claims the DNA . An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. A closer examination of the hairs showed traces of dried blood. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. Therefore, today, in her late 50s, Patricia is imprisoned at the maximum-security State Correctional Institution Muncy in Clinton Township, Pennsylvania. He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. "I'm hoping this [show] will be very close to the truth," said Sandy Mizgerd. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. Plus, he had only a minimal life insurance policy on Joann and he passed polygraphs, according to The FBI Files: Family Secrets. 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. Select "match all" to require all fields. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. 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. Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. Free Patricia Rorrer - Facebook Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. Previously on Wrong Man, we learned about the murder of Joann Katrinak and her baby.Were they murdered because Joann angrily hung the phone up on Patty Rorrer, the ex of Andy Katrinak? The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. Any amount will deeply appreciated. That's absolutely ridiculous, yet that is the only motive ever given for why I supposedly committed this crime. He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. Rorrer claims the DNA evidence used to send . God Bless each of you. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. Very true - I can't remember if the show went through that. Pal stays true. Success! 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. The authorities charged her with two counts of murder. Read and download theDen of Geek Lost in Space Special Edition Magazineright here! 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. Really? Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. Lawyer: New evidence in 1994 killings of woman, infant He said that the gun had an unusual characteristic: the gun would jam after firing one shot. "The DA threatened if he ever said that to anybody he would never work in law enforcement again," Neely said. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. And Patricia wasnt all edges. Died along with his mother, Joann, as a victim of his father's jealous ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer. At the states request, the instructor wore a wire during a phone conversation with Patricia. Her husband Andrew's mother expected Joann to arrive quickly, since they only lived a few minutes away. Was this on unsolved mysteries too? 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). 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. MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.: Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals the PCRA court's dismissal of her fourth PCRA petition as untimely filed. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . The six-episode documentary series examines the cases of three different inmates who are serving life sentences on murder convictions but who claim innocence. - 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 . Louise Bryant Obituary (1942 - 2022) - Fieldale, VA - Martinsville Bulletin Convenient Suspect: A Double Murder, a Flawed Investigation, and the 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. One she was at a tanning salon. Most of all, Patricia said, she would like a rematch with prosecutor Michael McIntyre. An expert will be allowed to examine evidence from the 1994 . According to a Morning Call account from March 5, 1998: McIntyre leaned forward conspiratorially like someone trying to persuade another to tell a secret, lowered his voice and said: Heres what I want to know: After you killed Joann Katrinak, did you kill that baby or just leave it to die?. She was also accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she owned. (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. Patricia is and has been fighting that she is innocent from the very beginning. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. They never looked into Andy who failed several lie detector tests, tampered with evidence. The system is broken sending innocent people to prison! Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. Why was the jury never told that Patricia Rorrer was under surveillance in North Carolina at the time of the crime? Please take the time to read my story. Unbloody vehicle. Watch Forensic Files: Season 5, Episode 3A Woman Scorned. Wrong Man Season 2 Release Date Confirmed (Exclusive) She claimed to have been home during this period how did her defense team justify such a departure from Patricia's norm? . I would really recommend watching the Wrong Man 2-part episode. These organelles, found in all eukaryotic cells, are the powerhouse of the cell. Dr. Edward E. "Gene" Rorrer, Sr. Obituary She seemed like quite an unlikely suspect at least at first. 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. One was a convenience store clerk, who said Joann, her baby and the man were in her store for up to 20 minutes, buying a couple hundred dollars worth of supplies in this small convenience store. They moved into her house in Salisbury County, staying together for about two years. Episode 204 of Starz' Wrong Man winds up its coverage of the Rorrer/Katrinak case, but it leaves us with far more questions than answers. Documentary, Drama 2020-2020. The Morning Call Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. Sir I would not kill somebody and I definitely wouldnt kill somebody I never met, Rorrer said. Tue, Sep 27, 2022 60 mins. When Andrew returned from work several hours later, Joann's car wasn't in its normal spot in the alley behind their house, but otherwise everything looked ordinary. Patricia was living back in North Carolina when the double murders occurred, yet investigators questioned her nonetheless. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. Error! After the premiere episode, Wrong Man will air on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. Great catch. Tragedy also touched Patricias life. Patricia Rorrer's Story - RIGHT TO REDEMPTION We take wrongful convictions to heart. 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. Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files. July 16, 1932 - September 10, 2020, Dr. Edward E. "Gene" Rorrer, Sr. passed away on September 10, 2020 in Abingdon, Virg. The episode made a special point about locating the photograph of Patricia Rorrer with dyed blonde hair. Berlingers recently directed Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, and the feature film on the infamous serial killer, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, for Netflix. Therefore, when Andrew revealed that his ex once worked in a barn near the site of his wife and sons bodies, she became a suspect. Patricia defaulted on her mortgage and then returned to North Carolina, where she eventually moved in with a boyfriend named Brian Ward. Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. Police slowly built a case against Patricia. 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. Rorrer has filed a petition to get new evidence admissible that he said could set her free. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. Today, Patricia Lynne Rorrer resides in State Correctional Institute at Muncy, a medium and maximum security facility that has the highest rate of cancer of all prisons in Pennsylvania, according to a story from northcentralpa.com. Wrong Man investigators interrogated a confidential informant, the main witness against Evaristo Salas, and he recanted his testimony. Supposedly it was the relationship to this trail and Patricia's managing of the Silver Shadow Farms horse stable just a mile away that first brought Rorrer to detectives' attention. 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. As usual, Rebecca at Forensic Files Now has a thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case and events since her conviction. Wrong Man season 2, episode 4 recap: Under the Microscope - Show Snob Pulled hairs don't grow roots. With 400 (and 6) episodes, this progress bar indicates my progress toward finishing all of them. 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. The premiere episode will air following the series finale of Power. FILED DECEMBER 13, 2013 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals from the order entered in the . A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. Artificial intelligence and machine learning education and literacy: teacher training for primary and secondary education teachers; Chapter 2. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. There was an error processing your request. The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. Mizgerd said she is convinced Rorrer is innocent. Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. They DID NOT match the bullets that killed Joann and her son. There was at least one hair strand that contained enough skin tissue for a nuclear DNA match and it corroborated the mitochondrial match. Cop defends accused. Two of the seasons three cases will feature female inmates. Joann answered that night, told me that Andy was married and they had baby and not to call her house again .I honestly didn't think too much about it. The past two owners of the gun's yards were dug up and many casings of the .22 were discovered. Unseasonably warm weather in late December suggested that the victims were there since they were killed. MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.: FILED OCTOBER 26, 2017 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals the PCRA court's dismissal of her . The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. It was conceivable that Andrew believed they were still out. However, it seems this was only after the bodies of Joann and Alex were found on the remote horse trail. His film Whitey: United States of America V. James J. Bulgeruncovered law enforcement corruption at the highest levels. Patricia Rorrer's home phone record did not show her call to the Katrinak house three days prior to the kidnapping because she'd already made the trip to Pennsylvania to see Andrew. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Lehigh Valley: Patricia Rorrer Still A Convenient Suspect? ", "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. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. Combination locks. Conflicting versions. And who'd be heartless enough to kill an infant as well? The FBI Files (Family Secrets) mentioned that Patty also lied about being at a tanning salon. And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? The victim in this crime had a hair clutched in her right hand, and three pieces of fingernail found on her body, none of which has ever been tested.