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. Why First Republic failed. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. % 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. On Alexs diaper bag, police found strands of the same type of hair from the car. Suzanne Pearson fabricated quotes from Patricia including her claim that Patricia said, Im going to the electric chair upon her arrest because a conviction would boost Pearsons career. : 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. She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. But a child eyewitness told police that he had seen a white man kill her. She beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. 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. All rights reserved. Dannarriah Finley was only weeks away from turning 5-years-old when she was snatched from her bedroom in the middle of the night, police say. DNA from that and a cigarette butt linked Patricia to the offense. Family members found Joanns tan Toyota sitting vacant in the parking lot of McCartys, a nearby bar. Irelands husband buried it in the yard because he didnt feel comfortable with a firearm inside, she said. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. How could Patricia Rorrer have been convicted using DNA from a hair root that doesnt exist. Peacock Productions, a division of NBC News, is a nonfiction production company that combines the editorial expertise, technical resources, and seasoned talent of NBCUniversal to create series, events, and live specials for global audiences. Other loyal friends and associates attested to Patricias kindness toward horses and devotion to her daughter, whom she took along as she worked in stables. Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty, Arrests Made in Connection with Deadly Druggings at N.Y.C. Back in March of 2017, Investigation Discovery ran Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates which questioned the conviction of Patricia Rorrer for the brutal double murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. Im still on the fence, but boy do I ever want to find the answers!. She failed miserably to convince me, or anyone else who mattered, of her innocence. 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. Patricia Rorrer - Wrongful Conviction, Innocent, Nonprofit Alexs cause of death has never been determined. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. He said, "Frankly, I was appalled at what I saw. How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. Inside the locked 1992 vehicle, police discovered some strands of blond hair stained with dried blood. That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. Convenient Suspect: A Wrongful Conviction In The Murder In Lehigh Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. 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?. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. 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. - 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 . She was sentenced to two life terms in prison without parole. Chris and Fatima investigate the case in search of the truth. 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Andrew described his existence with Joanne and Alex as a little Camelot., Ex-spouse off list. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. Most of all, Patricia said, she would like a rematch with prosecutor Michael McIntyre. 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. Tragedy also touched Patricias life. As for an epilogue on ex-flame Andrew Katrinak, he has moved to Colorado and kept a low profile since the trial ended. Prosecutor pounds away. 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. 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? But investigators conceded they had no solid evidence against Andrew. Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. American Catherine Serou sent her mother a text that read, I hope Im not being abducted.. Thats all for this post. More hairs there. At 10:30 p.m., Andrew reported his wife missing. Authorities said a vehicle previously purchased in Lake Orion, Michigan is linked to this Cape Girardeau, Missouri mystery. Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. She was a 23-year-old beauty just coming out of a bad marriage, and he a handsome and successful business owner 14 years her senior. No charmed life. Aside from the hair, there was almost zero forensic evidence. 8GNGn`s/daUnjx OgG^{|;\(l_K -^?g&"!#{ !]uH}tgx=qCB:xN_ bxxx>)MwG@&qG}S,JCWg4f4QU4tFcT*jNjMa/nR>3[i,?R|*Drx|`|Ov 1tsFIed?r?1 (RDFoy$yYIGpc u)O2g(A((g>Igl9H=hE;n&oA?dpXKQ0[_E/OYc[,}gQn-I/02Eis|(:.z\c;.3_|;*S}h ]~+1M Why did they refuse to investigate a hair found in the victims right hand? Where is Patricia Rorrer Now? - The Cinemaholic Police slowly built a case against Patricia. Forensic Files didnt mention it, but the hairs were actually brown at the top and the rest dyed blond, according to the show Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. 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. 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. wG@F3 hJ`F@S/ $wyqOs[q5LYqC?.qp(8'&(QZ)]+YLt% YYySj;f4YwfjX_&W5g5z6,^bU)>XUPLh-TxP #. Deal refused. Joann Katrinaks car was later found next door in the parking lot of a local tavern. Uncover shocking new evidence in Patricia Rorrer's case with a new episode of #WrongMan, now on the STARZ App. 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. 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. The state police dropped him as a suspect. DNA testing showed that Patricia could not be excluded as the source of the hairs and according to the prosecution that, combined with circumstantial evidence, was enough to convict her. 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. 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. As for Joanns parents, her father died a year after the murder. 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. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. How to make sure your tax refund, other mail doesn't get stolen, Cher splits from rumoured fianc Alexander AE Edwards, Ed Sheeran tells how he was comforted by Stormzy the day Jamal Edwards died, Noel Gallagher splits with rumoured new girlfriend Dorothea Gundtoft, Katy Perry to be replaced by big time stars on American Idol while she performs at King Charles coronation, Anna Wintour appears to confirm rumoured romance with Bill Nighy at Met Gala, CT: RESTAURANT PREPS FOR KING'S CORONATION, RAW: NY: MET GALA RED CARPET ARRIVALS (MORE), American Idol Top 8 Decided in Twist After Judges Song Contest (RECAP), NY: MET GALA KARL LAGERFELD COSTUME INSTITUTE, RAW: GALA: SERENA WILLIAMS/KARLIE KLOSS ANNOUNCE PREGNANCIES. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. Flaw in reasoning. Neely said a hair with a root put Rorrer away, which sparked Neely to question the forensic investigation. Keeping a convicted killer in prison on the merits of a case is a good thing, but what about when the courts keep someone incarcerated on completely inaccurate information? Watch Wrong Man: Ep 203 - Patricia Rorrer: The Hang Up Online - STARZ 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. That's according to Craig Neely, who worked on the case for years as the defense attorney. This is a genuine puzzler, Morrison tells PEOPLE about the case that inspired Sundays two-part special, Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates. So now, lets find out everything there is to know about her, shall we? Patricia Rorrer - Forensic Files Now Hair we go. Just recently, however, that hope was dashed when the court denied her appeal. The police report misspells his name (Troutman) and doesnt include his address, suggesting authorities didnt want anyone to track him down, according to Patricias side. b-zl(c=v78s#^#C OMm:Dcm=gG?Ig]h}[2?LF| gy$)3{l;,/q-zB]/W#w OKwabn;__`0T=VIa".%ze(tIB\TnJH0 9E4=aZA The entire forensics examination from beginning to end was just awful.". After six hours of deliberations, in March 1998, a jury found Patricia guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! Read More:Where is Jacqueline Crymble Now? Neely has filed a petition for post conviction relief for Rorrer because he says critical evidence in the case doesn't add up. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. Advocates for her innocence complain of hype surrounding the case. Search is on. 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. How can this happen? endobj Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. She currently has an appeal pending in Pennsylvania Superior Court. She had no alibi for the time of the murders, had argued with Joann only days before she disappeared, and allegedly owned the same make and model of gun as that used in the crime. Patricia also pointed out that when author Tammy Mal started her research and speaking to me, she was not an advocate at all but she reversed and ended up advocating for Patricias innocence. For every fact that is presented, there are two interpretations to give.. In addition to the Facebook page, there are Reddit threads on her case. Dance defense. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. Joanns car was later found next door in the parking lot of a local tavern. <> Legal Expert Weighs In, Suspect Arrested in Killings of Four University of Idaho Students, Back to the '90s: ID Specials Reexamine Decade that Launched True Crime Craze. I cant lose them, he told the media. If you have any information on this missing mystery, please contact the Cape Girardeau Police Department directly: 573-335-6621. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Man Arrested In Connection With Disappearance Of Woman Last Seen At Seattle Mariners Game, The Search Continues For Minnesota Mother After Her Suspicious Disappearance, A Person Of Interest And Reward Established In Search For Missing Mother Heather Mae Kelley, Mystery Remains After 13-Year-Old Girl Vanished From A Minnesota Gas Station In 1989, Maybe Someday Someone Will Break: Alabama Mother Searches For Daughter Who Vanished In 2010, An Alabama Woman Disappeared After Her Boyfriend Dropped Her Off At Home, Have You Seen Semaj Goodwine? endobj After Patricia and Andrew broke up in 1990, she moved back to North Carolina but the two remained in touch through sporadic visits and phone calls. Yet, everything changed when they lost their 3-month-old son to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). With Chris Anderson, Fatima Silva. This all started because Rorrer filed under the Freedom of Information Act for records from the FBI. Patricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. 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She got 12 months of probation for shoplifting at a Walmart in Lexington, North Carolina. It is one of those completely addictive tales where theres so much that just points in both directions, Morrison tells PEOPLE. Phone records confirmed Patricia placed the earlier call from North Carolina, not Pennsylvania. 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. Patricia's Most Recent Federal Appeals. No show. 2023 Warner Bros. Mostly cloudy, brisk, and unseasonably cool with a few scattered showers. x\[s~L34j+Gv}P$D"UO] But did the police arrest the right person? Strands of the accuseds dyed-blond hair at two crime scenes proved it. Back in 1994, a mother, Joann Katrinak, and her baby disappeared and their bodies were later found in Heidelberg Township. Lehigh Valley: Patricia Rorrer Still A Convenient Suspect? Patricias phone bill showed no record of a call to Catasauqua that day, but police noticed she didnt make any calls at all from her house in North Carolina that day either suggesting she could have been out of state and used a pay phone to dial up the Katrinaks. The team calls on experts to take a fresh look at the evidence that led to Kenneth Clair's conviction in the brutal murder of Linda Rodgers. . Russia missile attack on Ukraine injures 34, damages homes, May Day: Worlds workers rally, France sees pension anger, FDIC recommends raising insured deposit limit for businesses, Biden, top lawmakers to discuss debt limit at WH May 9, What the Tech? 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. Shortly before Joann and Alex disappeared, Patricia called the Katrinak house. Neely said, "A very substantial question as to whether the hairs that were actually tested were in fact hairs taken from the seatback or were they part of that general pile of hairs that were taken from Patricia Rorrer in North Carolina?". The organization purports that if there were awards for distorted reporting, the Morning Callwould win high honors.. Walmart woe. WATCH: ID Examines 1994 Lehigh Valley Double-Murder - People On closer inspection, he saw it was the body of a woman. I really never thought of it again.. The prosecutor in this case is so vehemently determined she is guilty that at the end of the day, you are reeling. 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. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. 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. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. t2c2ue\;,&3g^SjZGk? On December 14, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied Ms. Rorrer's petition for allowance of appeal, concluding her state appellate proceedings. Patricia Rorrer (right) is led to her hearing in Lehigh County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 26, 1998 by a sheriffs deputy, at left. You might think such a thing couldnt happen, but thats exactly what did happen in the Rorrer case. Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . All of STARZ blockbuster movies, epic originals, and addictive series. %PDF-1.5 Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. Her brother returned home but she never did. 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. Plus: Young boys body found in Nevada freezer; man accused of murdering, and Florida serial killer convicted of three murders. Investigators suspect this action triggered Rorrers jealous rage, driving her to kill. Superior Court notes that Rorrers attorney, Craig Neely, is being paid at. 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. Patricia Rorrer: An Update - Forensic Files Now It was love at first sight when Joann OConnor met Andy Katrinak in the spring of 1992. Therefore, today, in her late 50s, Patricia is imprisoned at the maximum-security State Correctional Institution Muncy in Clinton Township, Pennsylvania. Kidnapped and killed? Self - Retired Detective Sergeant Homicide Investigator Birmingham AL Police Dept. Joann answered and told Rorrer to leave her family alone before hanging up. And Patricia wasnt all edges. Shes utterly believable. Morrison did speak with Rorrer about the case, but cameras were barred from the prison. Nailed? This is a despicable crime, prosecutor says of Kelly Renee Turner approving surgery after surgery for the child. 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. Join us tonight for #ReasonableDoubt at 10/9c on ID. 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. Later, they both worked 12-hour graveyard shifts at a textile factory. 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. In a million years, she wouldnt do anything to harm that.. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Despite the new evidence and hypotheses, the courts have rejected all of Patricias bids for a new trial. A five-year investigation of the case has uncovered compelling new evidence that they did not. 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. 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. Katrinak's husband's ex-girlfriend was convicted of the crime, but now there's a possibility the case could be reopened. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. 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.. The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. Its definitely getting rougher every day, Andrew told the Morning Call. A nail that does. Documentary, Drama 2020-2020. Both sides agree Joann hung up on Patricia. Success! 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. Investigators in Nashville, Tennessee are looking for help identifying a young female found deceased in 2018. And dance instructor William Jarrett couldnt remember whether she attended his dance class at the club the night of Joanns disappearance. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Judge's Order Granting Discovery (pdf) Download. 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. During Patricias hours-long turn in the witness chair, Michael McIntyre grilled her relentlessly. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. Back in March of 2017, Investigation Discovery ran Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates which questioned the conviction of Patricia Rorrer for the brutal double murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. The case against Rorrer relied heavily on six hairs recovered from Joann Katrinaks car as well as two strands that were found where the bodies had been dumped. 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. He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. 1:57. Years later, conviction in Katrinak murder still raises questions 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. Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. They allege that the North Carolina resident stealthily drove 500 miles to Pennsylvania and killed out of a sense of deadly indignation. Another witness, Walter Traupman, who never testified, had told state troopers that on the day of Joanns disappearance, he saw a couple who looked like Joann and Andrew arguing about the paternity of a baby. (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.
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