Here was some other evidence mentioned in the Forensic Files episode: A forensic entomologist examined insect activity on the victims. Patricia Rorrer was tried and convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping in March 1998, in Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, for the murder of Joanne Katrinak and her infant son. Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. Or identify other people in their lives who might have benefited from either the Katrinak's deaths or disappearance? Patricia defaulted on her mortgage and then returned to North Carolina, where she eventually moved in with a boyfriend named Brian Ward. But investigators conceded they had no solid evidence against Andrew. Puny policy. Man, this case was soooo shittily handled. Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. 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. According to the LA Times, the United States Supreme Court struck down the conviction of death row inmate Curtis Flowers, who was prosecuted six times for the same crime of quadruple murder, and by the same prosecutor, in a case riddled with evidentiary problems and allegations of racial bias, according to the press statement. No show. 1 talking about this. . Rorrer and Andrew broke off their . 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. During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. (A good point. 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Senate vote, Reading Area Water Authority looking for leak on North Heidelberg Township line, Former Penn State Berks soccer player among dead in violent Monroe County crash, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, Pot vote has Oklahoma hungry to rake in green from Texas, Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold weather, 6 Nigerian states drop suit to void presidential vote result, The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills, What the Tech? As for Joanns parents, her father died a year after the murder. Based on body decomposition alone, it seems near impossible that they were kidnapped and killed in the same day or even within weeks. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. This was where Joann regularly parked her car and became an even more likely crime scene when the evidence of the basement break-in was discovered. She failed miserably to convince me, or anyone else who mattered, of her innocence. By the mid-1990s, Patricia was known for being both warm and caring as well as aggressive and loud. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. Learn more about our upcoming events, fundraisers, and more! Patricia was convicted based on her head hairs being found in the victim's car. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Book her. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. Police identified the pair as Joann and Alex Katrinak. Joann Katrinaks Killer Still Has Innocence Advocates(A Woman Scorned, Forensic Files). At 6 a.m. on June 24, 1997, police arrested Patricia at her modest house in Linwood, North Carolina, and took her back to Pennsylvania. Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband Andy but the ex-couple hadn't spoken for close to a year until they had a call one day in December, 1994. 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 was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. 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?. And Patricia wasnt all edges. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. FILED DECEMBER 13, 2013 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals from the order entered in the . 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. Patricia Rorrer is found guilty of the abduction and murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. Every time you take your infant to the Dr., they take measurements, so I'm wondering if records exist that show the baby was always in the higher percentile, or if he was say, 60-70th percentile, then suddenly BAM! The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. 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? As for the words exchanged on the call between the two big-haired women, Joann told Andrew that Patricia had used profanity; Patricia said it was the other way around. 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. But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. It seems likely these bodies were dumped here months after initially thought, not killed the day they were kidnapped. 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. ACLU says it could take legal action over Saucon Valley School District rescinding approval for After School Satan Club, 'He was a very humble guy': Reading High soccer coach remembers player killed in Route 33 crash, Big rig crashes from I-81 bridge onto street below in Schuylkill, Eat, Sip, Shop: Refresh your ride at new Lehigh County store, selling high-quality car detailing products, Fire broke out in a Lower Macungie apartment building, Champions of Magic's Alex McAleer gives an exciting look at the upcoming live show, Pet of the Month: Nina from Ruff Life Rescue, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor needs volunteers, Allentown Public Library celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday with children's activities, Kindness Project teams up with Flavor Nation to give away free tacos, History's Headlines: The Lehigh Valley's music man, Berks County Parks invites people to their Winter Wellness Walk, Royals host "kids takeover" game where kids get a taste of the sports business, Wilson School students raise $83k to fight childhood cancer, Berks County Intermediate Unit receives $3.18 million in grants for Head Start programs, 'First in the nation' bill to provide free screenings for breast cancer to receive full Pa. Senate vote, Reading Area Water Authority looking for leak on North Heidelberg Township line, Former Penn State Berks soccer player among dead in violent Monroe County crash, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, Pot vote has Oklahoma hungry to rake in green from Texas, Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold weather, 6 Nigerian states drop suit to void presidential vote result, The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills, What the Tech? What would a crime show be without them? Most convictions were procured through microscopic hair comparison which has been debunked as junk science today. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. Another case is Patricia Rorrer, who has been in prison since 1998, convicted of the murder of a young mother and her 16-week old son in Pennsylvania. 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. Patricia has been wrongfully convicted of murdering Joann and Alex Katrinak in 1994. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. I didn't see other potential suspects highlighted. "When I read that petition for the first time about 30 days ago, I couldn't believe it was written by a lawyer.". Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. The article also notes that most inmates earn around 19 cent an hour at their jobs and must pay $5 each time they need medical attention or medicine. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. 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. TV-MA | Mar 1, 2020 | 53m. She needs to be freed! 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. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. Prosecutor pounds away. Counsel for Patricia Rorrer, 52, . Patricia had of course not registered that night. When Joann failed to arrive, her mother-in-law tried calling, but there was no answer at the Katrinak's. Its definitely getting rougher every day, Andrew told the Morning Call. Apr 5, 2016. Did investigators look for phone calls between Andrew and Patricia prior to December 11, 1994? Search is on. 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. Recall Jason Funk's role in Katie Froeschle's murder in Muffled Cries (s11e31) or the trail of evidence left by Earl Bramblett in Private Thoughts (s08e16). See Patricia Rorrer full list of movies and tv shows from their career. They theorized might've simply started a new life with another man, but this seemed absurd to everyone who knew Joann. Select "match any" to find at least one field. 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. I'm not sure to what extent it was brought up in the original trial. The phone wire was located at the opposite end of the basement, which was dark. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. He said that the gun had an unusual characteristic: the gun would jam after firing one shot. Four hours is a long time between Andrew getting home from work and calling the police. 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 did buy a .22 before. Its doors were locked, but the keys were inside the vehicle. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. How about the phone line being cut? Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. Rorrer has filed a petition to get new evidence admissible that he said could set her free. Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. Very true - I can't remember if the show went through that. And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. How would an intruder find it? 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 her innocence for 20 years while serving life behind bars. "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. 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. There is a 2-part episode on Wrong Man that just came out this year. Perhaps police couldn't get a warrant for a sample of Patricia's hair, the color being inconsistent with the latent hairs found in the car and at the murder scene. 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. 3126 EDA 2012 Appeal from the PCRA Order October 11, 2012 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BOWES, J., LAZARUS, J., and WECHT, J. For this week, I looked into the defenders reasoning as well as Patricias whereabouts today. I have always maintained my innocence because I am innocent. I think it would really require comparison with his pediatric medical records to determine if the head circumference is relevant. They moved into her house in Salisbury County, staying together for about two years. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. At first, a broad-daylight abduction of a mother and her infant seemed unlikely. Conflicting versions. She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. 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. It was later believed that his recollection was keen, since he'd been the one to dress her posthumously. We all need justice! Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. Please walk thru her website and see for yourself how easy it is to be convicted of something you had nothing to do with. Aside from the hair, there was almost zero forensic evidence. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. 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. And because of the gun jamming, the assailant had to resort to blunt object and beat her about the head. This state is corrupt as in every state! Green-Eyed Monsters: Directed by Kate Ryerson.