A medical examiner said it was impossible for the two bodies to have been in that wooded area for 4 months (December to April when they were found). 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. 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. An expert will be allowed to examine evidence from the 1994 . Most of all, Patricia said, she would like a rematch with prosecutor Michael McIntyre. When O'Reilly started doing the research, she believed Patricia (Patty) had been . A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. And their phone line had been cut someone had not wanted the Katrinaks to be able to call for help. We affirm. Very true - I can't remember if the show went through that. Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. Kidnapped and killed? In North Carolina, she reportedly enjoyed some success as a horse trader, riding instructor, and rodeo competitor. Most convictions were procured through microscopic hair comparison which has been debunked as junk science today. The jury found Patricia guilty in just 6 hours in 1998, 4 years after the crime. Sir I would not kill somebody and I definitely wouldnt kill somebody I never met, Rorrer said. You couldnt fire a second shot. In 2015, the type of hair DNA science used was finally admitted to be junk by the FBI and incorrect in 96% of cases.
Watch Reasonable Doubt Online | Season 5 (2022) | TV Guide Highly charged case. It would have to have been a different gun. 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). Leave a comment below, or contact us! Joann Katrinaks Killer Still Has Innocence Advocates(A Woman Scorned, Forensic Files). Man, this case was soooo shittily handled. Joann Katrinak and her infant son were brutally murdered. Wrong Man says she had normally signed in for her line dancing class but didn't on the day Joann and Alex disappeared. But if Rorrer was a genuine suspect, it's likely investigators would have attempted the mitochondrial DNA match on the hair anyway. Really? Patricia Rorrer Age: 51 Sex: FEMALE 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. Mike McIntyre, the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case, said the petition is "crazy. Finally, four months after that dreadful day in December, a farmer plowing his fields found what at first seemed to be a pile of discarded clothing. 1 hr 25 min Mar 5, 2017 TV-14. Today, Rorrer's attorney says not only is his client innocent, but she was framed.
Right to Redemption Andrew mentioned to police that his former live-in girlfriend Patricia Rorrer once managed a horse stable two miles from the bodies location and would have been familiar with the riding trails close to the murder scene. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. After Tapp served nearly 21 years of his sentence, the real killer was finally found through forensic genealogy, according to Time. Rorrer was tried and convicted in 1994 for the brutal killing of Katrinak and her three-month-old son. He recalls that Patty also had an alibi. 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. Learn more about our upcoming events, fundraisers, and more! Lehigh Cty.)
Joann and Alex Katrinak: Still No Justice (Update) I dont even know its Christmas.. Patricia was arrested in North Carolina in June of 1997. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. There was also a 2017 Dateline Keith Morrison episode which covered some of these facts. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. Investigation Discovery is profiling the murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son. But none of those charges ever stuck. There was at least one hair strand that contained enough skin tissue for a nuclear DNA match and it corroborated the mitochondrial match. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case.
Patricia Rorrer's Story - RIGHT TO REDEMPTION Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. "I'm very angry, very very very angry," McIntyre said. Thank God she decided to investigate these crimes on her own. We take wrongful convictions to heart. It was later believed that his recollection was keen, since he'd been the one to dress her posthumously. Phil and Rell will be released on Monday, as well as Leroy Cotton and Jimmy Jackson. 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? 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. The Free Patricia Rorrer page responds to comments from supporters (How is this even possible that this woman is still in jail?!? Patricia's investigators are petitioning to DNA test the single strain of hair found in Joann's hand. 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. But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. When I gave samples of my hair, the doctor took a total of 39 hairs, but only 35 can be accounted for. Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence. Part 1. Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. Error! Theyd been missing for four months, but their discovery only gave rise to more questions than answers, especially as the young mother had been shot once in the face before being struck on the head 19 times.
Breaking News - "Dateline NBC" Correspondent Keith Morrison Explores 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. Police treated Joann's car as a potential crime scene, and their investigation turned up several blonde hairs on the head rest. 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. Murder victim. 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. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. 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.
Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. 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. His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. Some lawyers call microscopic hair analysis junk science that today wouldnt qualify as evidence in a trial like Rorrers. The second season will continue to uncover new theories and reveal startling new evidence that could prove that three new inmates are, in fact, not guilty, according to Starzs press statement. One of Patricia's alibis was that she was at a bar on the night of the abduction. I suspect I know. Christopher Tapp, who was convicted of the 1996 sexual assault and murder of an 18-year-old girl in Idaho, was coerced into confessing to the crime after an estimated 150 hours of interrogations.
Patricia Rorrer List of Movies and TV Shows - TV Guide The only eyewitness to the murder a five-year-old child told police officers that a white man did it, reads the statement.
Keith Morrison Explores Claims of Wrongful Conviction in Investigation ", "I think she gave us something like four or five alibis as to where she was at. 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. It seems Patricia's own daughter and baby Alex Katrinak were very close in age. 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. There is still an appeal coming up (I believe) but everything else has failed so far to get Patricia another trial. Illustration of the location of mitochondrial DNA in human cells. The DNA presented at trial, the botching of hair evidence and the revelations in 2015 are thoroughly discussed. Died along with his mother, Joann, as a victim of his father's jealous ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer.
Season 9 | Deadly Women Wiki | Fandom Dr. Edward E. "Gene" Rorrer, Sr. Obituary Also she worked as a realtor so it's not that unreasonable for her to know which line to cut. Both sides agree Joann hung up on Patricia. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. When Joann failed to arrive, her mother-in-law tried calling, but there was no answer at the Katrinak's. Police converged on the scene and soon realized it was not only the remains of Joann Katrinak, but sadly of Alex too. It showed her usually all-brown hair haphazardly highlighted blond.
Starz Renews 'Wrong Man' For Second Season - Deadline Not gender neutral. One she was out buying feed for horses. After all, one of the key pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene and Joanns vehicle were dyed blonde hair strands. 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. 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. Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line.
Alex Martin Katrinak (1994-1994) - Find a Grave Memorial On a secret recording, Patricia asked Jarrett to vouch for her attendance or she might go to the electric char. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, Patricia drove Joanns car to McCartys parking lot and backed it into a parking space. Louise Rorrer Bryant, age 79, of Fieldale, Va., passed away on May 15, 2022. In 2015, I discovered an FBI report that states the hair used to convict me had "No Roots Attached." Felix (Phil) Rosado and Terrell (Rell) Woolfolk-Carter, WELCOME HOME!!!!! ", "Everything is outrageous," he said. However, her name was not on the sign-in list. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. 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. McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. Rorrer was convicted of killing them four years later. The victims vanished on December 15. 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. ", "I can remember till this day, seeing that infant being lifted off the abdomen of his mother. 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! Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det.
Psycho For Love: Patricia Rorrer killed her ex-boyfriend's new wife Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. Some who still believe in Patricia Rorrer's innocence say it was long enough for him to stage the scene. But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. 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. Probable cause of death: exposure. Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. A local murder case that made national headlines will be back in the national spotlight Sunday night. 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. That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. Sounds like prosecutors made the right call based on this. Andrew had an ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, who'd been familiar with the trail, and she'd previously managed a horse stable just a mile from the scene. Tue, Sep 27, 2022 60 mins. In a million years, she wouldnt do anything to harm that.. Right now she has no attorney and your generous donation will fund our mission. By the time they asked supposed witnesses, most had forgotten about that random dance class (there were many). 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. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!
Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. 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. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. Episode 7. This is for them also and freeing an innocent woman! 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. Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt him. 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. Where are the missing 4 hairs? One she was at a tanning salon. She did buy a .22 before. How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. A second helping of justice will be served. By: Robert S. In 1994, Joann Katrinak called her mother-in-law and made plans to go holiday shopping. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. More than 20 years after her conviction, Patricia Rorrer still has advocates working to exonerate her. The episode claimed the jury required just two hours to deliberate, but other sources indicate it took six. Detective Robert Werts stated Rorrer offered four or five alibis for the time of the incident. She does not have a lawyer, her last lawyer was sued by the prosecutor. 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. 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. 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 . When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer.
The Morning Call He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. Puny policy. Pulled hairs don't grow roots.
Both were deceased. Berlingers landmark HBO documentary Paradise Lost Trilogy helped lead to the release of the wrongfully convicted West Memphis Three after 18 years of incarceration. Rorrer and Andrew broke off their . The prosecution asked for the death penalty, but the jury chose to sentence me to life in prison without parole which, actually, is just a slower death sentence. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. No show. Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. Four hours is a long time between Andrew getting home from work and calling the police. A hidden FBI report found a couple years ago showed that police were unsure if there were roots on the found hairs. One she was at a private club. Meticulous primping. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. But if that's the main evidence against her, it seems awfully weak. On Alexs diaper bag, police found strands of the same type of hair from the car. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church.
Where is Patricia Rorrer Now? - The Cinemaholic Phone calls played a significant role in the case overall. Joann was shot once, then the gun jammed. Joanne and baby Alex Katrinak kidnapping and murder by Patricia Rorrer. 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. Also Rorrer had a history of run-ins with the law, including being charged with breaking and entering. The person responsible, needs to be punished. Tapps lawyer saidWrong Mans in-depth investigation into the Tapp conviction helped free an innocent man.. These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. 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. 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.
Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates | Apple TV 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. 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. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. Further, an early FBI report said the hairs found in the car had no roots which contain the DNA suggesting an evidence switcheroo. Joe Kennedys talks to Michael Brinkle, Patricia Rorrer's former neighbor who reaffirms that he had sold her a .22 Jennings handgun.
Wrong Man season 2, episode 4 recap: Under the Microscope - Show Snob Patricia Rorrer - Forensic Files Now This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings, you know, it brought a tear to my eye. I found it necessary to document each time an episode featured one of these. As for an epilogue on ex-flame Andrew Katrinak, he has moved to Colorado and kept a low profile since the trial ended. Culture Editor Tony Sokol cut his teeth on the wire services and also wrote and produced New York CitysVampyr Theatreand the rock operaAssassiNation: We Killed JFK. "When I read that petition for the first time about 30 days ago, I couldn't believe it was written by a lawyer.". That's absolutely ridiculous, yet that is the only motive ever given for why I supposedly committed this crime. Jury Rejects Alibi, Finds Rorrer Guilty In Double Kidnapping-murder Case Woman found guilty in Lehigh Slayings Convicted murderer seeks new DNA tests in '94 murder case. Well, that really caught our attention of course.". But "Wrong Man" investigators discover that there is . TV-MA | Mar 1, 2020 | 53m. Since then our team has proven that Patricia is innocent. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. An infant was lying face down on her stomach. At first, a broad-daylight abduction of a mother and her infant seemed unlikely. 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.
Wrong Man Season 2 Release Date Confirmed (Exclusive) Patricia Rorrer: An Update - Forensic Files Now There was an error processing your request. Select "match any" to find at least one field. (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. And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? Or did they? Fury of the Gods Brings Back the "Shazamily": Inside DC's New Superhero Adventure, Scream 6's Brutal NYC Trip: "You Can't Trust Anyone" This Time, Cocaine Bear Is Not Just About a Killer "Coked-Up" Bear, It's Also an "Underdog Story", How Marvel's Wastelanders Podcast Created an Exciting Story with No Visual Safety Net, Wrong Man Season 2 Release Date Confirmed (Exclusive). Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. The missing items included Joann's purse, car, both her and Alex's winter jackets, and the diaper bag.
The Ex Files - Reasonable Doubt (Season 5, Episode 7) | Apple TV