There was an error processing your request. But if Rorrer was a genuine suspect, it's likely investigators would have attempted the mitochondrial DNA match on the hair anyway. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. On December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son Alex disappeared without a trace from . Use quotation marks to search as a The judge didn't make a decision on the findings on Tuesday. But thats just some of the ammo on Team Patricias battleship. And dance instructor William Jarrett couldnt remember whether she attended his dance class at the club the night of Joanns disappearance. They were hardly decomposed after a mild winter. Therefore, today, in her late 50s, Patricia is imprisoned at the maximum-security State Correctional Institution Muncy in Clinton Township, Pennsylvania. 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. Patricia seemed like the girl next door but all of a sudden, something snapped, Katrinak later told Wrong Man investigators. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence .
She was born on Jan. 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania and moved back and forth between there and Davidson County, North Carolina. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. It'd be plausible to reason some deniability in Patricia's role if there weren't so many indicators of her involvement.
Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. Unbloody vehicle. Our team of volunteers are committed to helping Patricia. Starz announces premiere date for Joe Berlinger's Wrong Man Season 2. So much in this case, and every time she appeals with new evidence she is denied. 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 demonstrated a consistent habit of long-distance calls from home, then had an obvious gap while claiming she. "The DA threatened if he ever said that to anybody he would never work in law enforcement again," Neely said. Felix (Phil) Rosado and Terrell (Rell) Woolfolk-Carter, WELCOME HOME!!!!! 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. Wrong Man takes viewers on real-time investigations to uncover new evidence, track down key witnesses, consult forensic experts, and interrogate the incarcerated. Prosecutors offered Patricia a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table, but she declined. Sad discovery. 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. Great communicator. On December 7, 1994 I called Andy to let him know that me and my team had won the National Championship at a team penning competition in Oklahoma. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? ", "Everything is outrageous," he said. The missing items included Joann's purse, car, both her and Alex's winter jackets, and the diaper bag.
Rorrer Gets Life in Jail for Double Slaying * Jurors in The Katrinak Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer.
Wrong Man season 2, episode 3 recap: The Hang Up - Show Snob Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband . 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? Kidnapped and killed?
Reasonable Doubt: Season 5, Episode 7 - Rotten Tomatoes To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. 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. By the time they asked supposed witnesses, most had forgotten about that random dance class (there were many). Louise Rorrer Bryant, age 79, of Fieldale, Va., passed away on May 15, 2022. Regard a similar case where too much detail signaled investigators to look closer at their suspect in Bagging a Killer (s06e25). 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. She just stayed in touch with everybody, Kathy Barber said in her interview on NBCs Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports in 2017. 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. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Both were deceased. Prosecutor pounds away. Mizgerd said she acts as Patricia Rorrer's spiritual advisor and often visits her in prison. The first, Vonda Smith, was convicted of murdering her grandchilds mother, 21-year-old Jessie Morrison. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. I lived more than 500 miles away, was engaged to be married, was a new mother, and all of a sudden I'm arrested for murdering two people I'd never even met? That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. She had dropped out of school at the age of 17 to marry her partner and subsequently worked long graveyard shifts at a textile factory to provide for their family. That's absolutely ridiculous, yet that is the only motive ever given for why I supposedly committed this crime. 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. 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. To commit the murders, Rorrer took her victims out to a location that was familiar and significant. She was also no stranger to law enforcement because she had a history of violence which included an arrest for getting into a bar brawl with another patron over a guy. Brad Jackson was able to describe what his daughter Valiree was wearing in incredible detail, down to the color of her socks.
Watch Wrong Man Season 2: Stream Full Episodes on STARZ The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. Please walk thru her website and see for yourself how easy it is to be convicted of something you had nothing to do with. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. Prosecutors also claimed DNA hair evidence found in the car matched Patricia's hair at the time (using what was considered valid DNA methods). S5 E7: Patricia Rorrer sits in prison for brutally murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. Dial-a-problem.
Joann and Alex Katrinak: Still No Justice (Update) "I'm hoping this [show] will be very close to the truth," said Sandy Mizgerd. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. Leave a comment below, or contact us! The state of the bodies suggested the victims had likely been killed the day very they were abducted. Those who knew Joann pointed out that she didnt like to drive in reverse and would have never parked that way.
SearchWorks catalog Joann had been shot in the face and badly beaten. I found it necessary to document each time an episode featured one of these. Cop defends accused. 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.
Psycho For Love: Patricia Rorrer killed her ex-boyfriend's new wife Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. On a secret recording, Patricia asked Jarrett to vouch for her attendance or she might go to the electric char. Puny policy. Rorrer was tried and convicted in 1994 for the brutal killing of Katrinak and her three-month-old son. Three days later, Joann had plans to pick up her mother-in-law, Veronica Katrinak, to go Christmas shopping.
Patricia Rorrer | Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Network - WCJN 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. She needs to be freed! 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.
Joann Marie O'Connor Katrinak (1968-1994) - Find a Grave This had been taken just 11 days before Joann's disappearance.
Com. v. Rorrer, P. :: 2017 :: Pennsylvania Superior Court Decisions Wouldn't he have tried to call his mother recall it was with her Joann had planned to go Christmas shopping. E 204 Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope. She claimed to be at a dance class in private club but her name was missing from the sign in sheet that night. Some recurring themes in Forensic Files facinate me. Find a typo or issue with the details of this case? (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. Well, that really caught our attention of course.". Does anyone see motive in this scenario? Andy also failed at least 2 lie detector tests, and before an arrest was made in the murders, moved almost all the way across the country without telling the police. Its doors were locked, but the keys were inside the vehicle. It's now up to a judge to decide whether to allow that information, as well as information questioning the validity of hair samples that helped put Rorrer behind bars. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer. 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. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard. 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. A closer examination of the hairs showed traces of dried blood.
Murder in Lehigh Valley Keith Morrison Investigates (1x120) She was always looking for a fight, Gary Gabard told the Morning Call, which noted that he was a head shorter than Patricia. Murder victim. Crime 2017. In November 2005, she shoots Keith in the head while he . A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. There is still an appeal coming up (I believe) but everything else has failed so far to get Patricia another trial.
I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. 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. As for an epilogue on ex-flame Andrew Katrinak, he has moved to Colorado and kept a low profile since the trial ended. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? 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. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. And because of the gun jamming, the assailant had to resort to blunt object and beat her about the head. 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. 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. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. . Patricia has been wrongfully convicted of murdering Joann and Alex Katrinak in 1994. We take wrongful convictions to heart. Learn more about our upcoming events, fundraisers, and more! Pal stays true. Patricia's friends claimed that she was not "stalking" Andy and had fully moved on with her life (new boyfriend, new city, a long time ago etc.). Share Memories & Support the Family. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? 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. 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. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. Pat Rorrer received a sentence of life imprisonment for her crime. Book her. . There is another question, though: Can anyone say . An exterior door to their basement had been wrenched open, the lock hasp's screws literally ripped from the wall. However, it seems this was only after the bodies of Joann and Alex were found on the remote horse trail. Rejection and betrayal are good enough reasons for these women to commit heinous crimes. One she was out buying feed for horses. (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. It would have to have been a different gun. Damning for Patricia was that this field was only a couple miles from a horse farm that she used to have access to. 1 hr 25 min Mar 5, 2017 TV-14. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? The same source indicates Patricia Rorrer has repeatedly appealed for a retrial and exoneration, but each request has been denied. Detectives from the Davidson County sheriff's office took the witness stand to recall the morning of June 24, 1997, when they knocked on the door of Rorrer's Linwood, N.C., home and told her she . Search is on. She seemed like quite an unlikely suspect at least at first. Patricia is and has been fighting that she is innocent from the very beginning. . State police and the Philadelphia division of the FBI appealed to the public for leads. Joann had been shot once and then beaten over the head (presumably because the gun used only shot once). One she was at a private club. Also Rorrer had a history of run-ins with the law, including being charged with breaking and entering. More: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. 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. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. Still, no good leads materialized. It showed her usually all-brown hair haphazardly highlighted blond. Patricia was living back in North Carolina when the double murders occurred, yet investigators questioned her nonetheless.