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. His team includes renowned civil rights attorney Ron Kuby, former prosecutor Sue-Ann Robinson, retired NCIS investigator Joe Kennedy, and Ira Todd of Detroits elite Homicide Task Force. When they found Joann and Alex in a wooded area on April 9 1995. Startling new allegations surround one of Lehigh County's most notorious murder cases. Its proximity to the stable she'd managed made an undeniable association to her. How would an intruder find it? Thank you for reading, please use the links, and watch all the videos. They returned with a guilty verdict and a sentence of two life terms. Everyone needs to wake up because this could be you, your wife, your husband, your mother, your father, your children! If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. Patricia was convicted based on her head hairs being found in the victim's car. 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. I knew when Joann was pregnant and although surprised because Andy had once told me he didn't want children and wasn't sure he could have children, I was again happy for him. 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? For example, the weight of each organ was listed, it was clear they were not very decomposed. It's sad looking back at those Forensic Files episodes where the science was junk but they portray it as a solid case. But her reputation wasnt exactly sleek and shiny. Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. Some recurring themes in Forensic Files facinate me. Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. Murder victim. Witness also recalled Rorrer's mom trying to hide a gun. They would have been held alive. Crime 2017. Regard a similar case where too much detail signaled investigators to look closer at their suspect in Bagging a Killer (s06e25). But when did he find the evidence of the break-in? The 26-year-old was recently married, and this would be four-month-old Alex's first Christmas. ), The Wrong Man investigators Ira Todd and Joe Kennedy have some theories of their own. 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. He will never be able to speak if this case! Probable cause of death: exposure. 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. A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. Artificial intelligence and machine learning education and literacy: teacher training for primary and secondary education teachers; Chapter 2. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. Chapter 1. McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. Whether she suffocated him or left him to die of exposure, there's a special place in hell for someone who's able to live with themselves after such a heinous crime. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. It'd be plausible to reason some deniability in Patricia's role if there weren't so many indicators of her involvement. 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. In TV clips, Andrew didnt come off as anguished. Joann and her 4-month-old son, Alex, were abducted from their home in Catasauqua, PA, and murdered in a rural wooded area near Germansville. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. A photo at the time showed that Patricia had dyed her hair blonde, which matched the hair found. 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. Our team of volunteers are committed to helping Patricia. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. I was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. Starz announces premiere date for Joe Berlinger's Wrong Man Season 2. Leave a comment below, or contact us! Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. At first, a broad-daylight abduction of a mother and her infant seemed unlikely. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. Thats all for this post. Where does one pick up flower petal in the dead of winter in PA.? Patricia Elgin Rorrer, 86, of Lynchburg, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, February 4, 2021. "I'm hoping this [show] will be very close to the truth," said Sandy Mizgerd. 0. During these 4 years, many in the Lehigh Valley, PA community developed opinions on the case. 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. The system is broken sending innocent people to prison! And yikes, he discovered someone had cut one of the houses phone lines and pried the hinge on the basement door. 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. 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. I wonder if any of Alex's pediatrician records still exist after all this time. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. Prosecutor hiding something? Our Mission. I cant lose them, he told the media. Conflicting versions. Some lawyers call microscopic hair analysis junk science that today wouldnt qualify as evidence in a trial like Rorrers. The FBI waiting up to 6 months to question people in the class makes it near impossible for her to prove that she was actually there on a random Thursday night. . He is the TV Editor at Entertainment. There is still an appeal coming up (I believe) but everything else has failed so far to get Patricia another trial. She is a tough one, Sheriff Gerald Hege would later tell the Morning Call in a June 29, 1997 interview. Read and download theDen of Geek Lost in Space Special Edition Magazineright here! S5 E7: Patricia Rorrer sits in prison for brutally murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. 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. I have always maintained my innocence because I am innocent. 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. Detective Barry Grube found it odd that Andrew fixed the severed phone line before police examined it in essence tampering with evidence. When O'Reilly started doing the research, she believed Patricia (Patty) had been . Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. Apr 5, 2016. Unseasonably warm weather in late December suggested that the victims were there since they were killed. And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? 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. 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. The bodies of Joann Katrinak and her baby were found in a wooded area of Heidelberg Township in 1994. After one bullet didnt kill Joann, the gun locked up, so Patricia had to beat her to death, according to the prosecution. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. . It was conceivable that Andrew believed they were still out. Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. A hearing on the issue got heated Tuesday. They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. Patricia Rorrer (PA) SCI Muncy OE2170 Life Without Parole DOB: January 24,1964. Copyright 2021 Patricia Rorrer - All Rights Reserved. After Tapp served nearly 21 years of his sentence, the real killer was finally found through forensic genealogy, according to Time. She needs to be freed! She claimed to be at a dance class in private club but her name was missing from the sign in sheet that night. When I gave samples of my hair, the doctor took a total of 39 hairs, but only 35 can be accounted for. By: Robert S. In 1994, Joann Katrinak called her mother-in-law and made plans to go holiday shopping. Error! Media galore. Prosecutor pounds away. Another former boyfriend said she talked about Andrew frequently and liked to gaze at old photos of him. No show. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . If you subscribe to Hulu and upgrade to Starz (theres a free one-week trial offer), you can stream the Wrong Man episodes about Patricia Rorrer. Tips to help protect your smartphone from thieves, Godfather of soft rock David Lindley dead aged 78 after months of illness, Prince George set to play key role in King Charles coronation but only if hes back in school ASAP after!, Idris Elba: Its MY prerogative to stop labelling myself a black actor, Stephen tWitch Boss widow Allison Holker tells their kids they will find courage, Which Outer Banks Character Are You? 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. 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. On December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son Alex disappeared without a trace from . Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. The victims vanished on December 15. 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. She does not have a lawyer, her last lawyer was sued by the prosecutor. So much in this case, and every time she appeals with new evidence she is denied. The show is broadcast on truTV, narrated by Peter Thomas, and produced by Medstar Television, in association with truTV Original Productions.It has broadcast 406 episodes since its debut on TLC in 1996 as Medical Detectives. I knew when Andy got married and I was happy for him. The DNA presented at trial, the botching of hair evidence and the revelations in 2015 are thoroughly discussed. The state police dropped him as a suspect. Despite the new evidence and hypotheses, the courts have rejected all of Patricias bids for a new trial. Does anyone see motive in this scenario? I think it would really require comparison with his pediatric medical records to determine if the head circumference is relevant. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Both were deceased. MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.: FILED OCTOBER 26, 2017 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals the PCRA court's dismissal of her . (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. There is a 2-part episode on Wrong Man that just came out this year. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. See Patricia Rorrer full list of movies and tv shows from their career. Inside the locked 1992 vehicle, police discovered some strands of blond hair stained with dried blood. Patricia denied owning a .22 caliber pistol (the type of gun used to kill Joann). Rorrer was tried and convicted in 1994 for the brutal killing of Katrinak and her three-month-old son. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDGl9dMgHwY&fbclid=IwAR1nlAYf6AcIu_i8kN0fD_MCD3CnxJ6DG_oUgVFdqN3b2EJ4fcLO2ci3wWc. ", "Due to the fact that she sustained one gunshot wound to the face, and then approximately 19 blows to the head led us to believe that the gun probably had jammed. (A good point. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. We all need justice! The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. Rorrer was convicted of killing them four years later. Wow this episode was featured on Forensic Files. It's shocking to think that Patricia Rorrer, being a mother, could end the life of an infant. This had been taken just 11 days before Joann's disappearance. I'm not sure to what extent it was brought up in the original trial. 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. In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County. 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. However, a former boyfriend stated that she did own a .22 caliber chrome-plated semi-automatic weapon. Until next time, cheers. Dance defense. Patricia Rorrer is found guilty of the abduction and murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. We work hard to help with things that can not be accomplished in prison. The authorities charged her with two counts of murder. (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). (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. Wake up people this could be you! 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. Patricia was living back in North Carolina when the double murders occurred, yet investigators questioned her nonetheless. (We didnt get into the specifics.). The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. PATRICIA RORRER OBITUARY. If Rorrer used to live in the area, then I expect any place in the county was probably within a couple of miles of someplace she used to have access to. Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. 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. Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. She was also accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she owned. 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. Wish me luck! One she was at a tanning salon. Use quotation marks to search as a Great communicator. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Patricia defaulted on her mortgage and then returned to North Carolina, where she eventually moved in with a boyfriend named Brian Ward. The two-hour special, called Murder in the Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates, will premiere at 8 p.m. and air again at 11 p.m. Sunday night. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. I wasn't hung up on Andy, and I didn't want him back. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. For more on the Katrinak murder case, you can watch Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction for free on YouTube. 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. Joann Katrinak and her infant son were brutally murdered. This is the hard part. We take wrongful convictions to heart. Thats my life.. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. One on one? Share Memories & Support the Family. These organelles, found in all eukaryotic cells, are the powerhouse of the cell. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. Family members found Joanns tan Toyota sitting vacant in the parking lot of McCartys, a nearby bar. Patricia Rorrer (right) is led to her hearing in Lehigh County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 26, 1998 by a sheriff's deputy, at left. Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. PATRICIA LYNNE RORRER Appellant No. They theorized might've simply started a new life with another man, but this seemed absurd to everyone who knew Joann. After relocating to Pennsylvania, Patricia met the 6-foot-2-inch Andrew in a restaurant. Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. [1] The mitochondria, and thus mitochondrial DNA, are passed exclusively from mother to offspring through the egg cell. Pulled hairs don't grow roots. What would a crime show be without them? Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Mizgerd said Rorrer is aware the show is airing and is hopeful it may bring new attention to her case. On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. Do any of the TV episodes suggest the possibility of their being held alive for some time? Theres also the matter of a woman who suddenly remembered she saw Joann with another man at a Food Mart store five days after the disappearance. Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. At the very least, prosecutors got their story very wrong as they convicted Patricia. Those who knew Joann pointed out that she didnt like to drive in reverse and would have never parked that way. 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. The killer was Patricia Rorrer, the jealous ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, Andrew. It seems Patricia's own daughter and baby Alex Katrinak were very close in age. Andrew languished for weeks and then months as investigators failed to suppl any explanation for his wife's and son's mysterious disappearance. The six-episode documentary series examines the cases of three different inmates who are serving life sentences on murder convictions but who claim innocence. ", "I can remember till this day, seeing that infant being lifted off the abdomen of his mother. The $60 Murder. They released a list of cases affected by it. She did buy a .22 before. 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. Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. 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. He contributed to Altvariety, Chiseler, Smashpipe, and other magazines. She claimed to have been home during this period how did her defense team justify such a departure from Patricia's norm? Traupman died in 2016. Meticulous primping. Investigation Discovery is profiling the murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son. $4.99/mo. 1 hr 25 min Mar 5, 2017 TV-14. Then, despite her multiple alibis, she has an inexplicable five-day gap in this pattern. Great catch. He gave an audio interview to the Wrong Man investigators when they made a surprise visit to his house, but he declined to appear on camera. Criminals aren't always the smartest folks - this area highlights the common (and reoccurring) mistakes they make. 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. I dont think she was ever scared until we put the cuffs on her.. Police treated Joann's car as a potential crime scene, and their investigation turned up several blonde hairs on the head rest. Cop defends accused. Despite the troubling evidence from Joann's car, detectives considered whether or not Joann had taken baby Alex and simply left. Decades-old Lehigh Valley murder case back in national spotlight, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. 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. He recalls that Patty also had an alibi. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. 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. We affirm. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, Patricia drove Joanns car to McCartys parking lot and backed it into a parking space. 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. Please read her story. Clair is black, and no forensic evidence ties him to the crime scene.. Joe Berlingers documentary series Wrong Man shows what long form documentary journalism can achieve. But defense lawyer Robert Pfeiffer said that plenty of evidence supported Patricias innocence. 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. To commit the murders, Rorrer took her victims out to a location that was familiar and significant. Patricia had won a prize at an out-of-state horse-riding competition less than two weeks before the murders, and she allowed herself to be photographed. Here was some other evidence mentioned in the Forensic Files episode: A forensic entomologist examined insect activity on the victims. His father confirmed his alibi that they were doing construction work together, putting an addition on the house of friends Tom and Kathy Holschwander, at the time of Joanns disappearance. Find a typo or issue with the details of this case? The premiere episode will air following the series finale of Power. An early childhood introd 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. 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.