Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. Select "match all" to require all fields. 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. Rorrer was convicted at trial in March 1998 of kidnapping Joann Katrinak, 26, and her 3-month-old son, Alex, on Dec. 15, 1994, from their Catasauqua home . Very true - I can't remember if the show went through that. This is crazy. Joann had been shot once and then beaten over the head (presumably because the gun used only shot once). A closer examination of the hairs showed traces of dried blood. 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. ", "An unusual feature about the gun, he [Rorrers ex-boyfriend] stated was the fact that you fire one shot out of the gun, and the gun would jam. Joanne and baby Alex Katrinak kidnapping and murder by Patricia Rorrer. Apr 5, 2016. . Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. By the time they asked supposed witnesses, most had forgotten about that random dance class (there were many). Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! I watched the show the other night and watched some YouTube videos afterwards and there was interview footage of Joanns sister saying that Alex was a big healthy baby. MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J. Patricia Rorrer has been in prison since 1998, convicted of the horrific murder of a young mother, Joann Katrinak, and her 16-week old son, in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. New state, new man. Detective Robert Werts stated Rorrer offered four or five alibis for the time of the incident. The episode claimed the jury required just two hours to deliberate, but other sources indicate it took six. By that time, we had both moved on and I had no romantic feelings for him. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. While the police are still investigating the murder of your wife and child? Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again. Some who still believe in Patricia Rorrer's innocence say it was long enough for him to stage the scene. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. 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. I was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. More: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. 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. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. When Andrew was told of the location of his young family's remains, he offered investigators a lead. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. And, I was quite angry with the police, that they accused Andy. Also she worked as a realtor so it's not that unreasonable for her to know which line to cut. After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again.. 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. So I was convicted of 2 counts of first degree murder and 2 counts of kidnapping. 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. 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. What about Joann's best friend, who told the producer's of Wrong Man that Joann was saving up money and planning to leave Andy right after the holidays? Shouldn't Andrew have mentioned this suspicious, out-of-the-blue phone call from his ex-girlfriend sooner? Green-Eyed Monsters: Directed by Kate Ryerson. According to court papers from Patricia 2017 appeal, DNA on the cigarette butt found near the two bodies belonged to Appellant. (Prosecutor Michael McIntyre, however, told ForensicFilesNow.com that that the cigarette butt was never actually tested). She needs to be freed! MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.: Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals the PCRA court's dismissal of her fourth PCRA petition as untimely filed. 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. This proves that whatever hair root was DNA tested and matched to me could not have been one of the hairs taken from Joann's car. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. Keith Morrison investigates the horrific murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex, and the ongoing claims that Patricia Rorrer, the woman who has already served 19 years in prison for the murders, was wrongfully convicted. An exterior door to their basement had been wrenched open, the lock hasp's screws literally ripped from the wall. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. Weak wages. The woman (who owned the salon) stated that they were closed that day and that she and her husband were out of town celebrating his birthday. A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. 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. 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. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings, you know, it brought a tear to my eye. Our Mission. Knowing that they were not killed the day they were kidnapped, but instead held for potentially months, blows the fact that she didn't make a phone call for a few days out of the water. 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. The jury found Patricia guilty in just 6 hours in 1998, 4 years after the crime. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. So, this pointed to a theory that Joann had either left on her own or encountered foul play within her home. "I'm very angry, very very very angry," McIntyre said. The six-episode documentary series examines the cases of three different inmates who are serving life sentences on murder convictions but who claim innocence. Error! This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. Joe Kennedys talks to Michael Brinkle, Patricia Rorrer's former neighbor who reaffirms that he had sold her a .22 Jennings handgun. I knew when Andy got married and I was happy for him. Somebody has to. I would really recommend watching the Wrong Man 2-part episode. Patricias marriage fell apart, and she returned to Pennsylvania, where she fell in love with Andrew Andy Katrinak after meeting him at a restaurant. MEMORANDUM BY BOWES, J.: FILED OCTOBER 26, 2017 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals the PCRA court's dismissal of her . - 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 . Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. Share Memories & Support the Family. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. After the premiere episode, Wrong Man will air on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. See Patricia Rorrer full list of movies and tv shows from their career. 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). But based on his body/head size and the lack of decomposition of the bodies, it seems likely they had been alive for quite some time after being kidnapped. 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. 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. It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. The killer was Patricia Rorrer, the jealous ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, Andrew. She claimed to be at a dance class in private club but her name was missing from the sign in sheet that night. Keith Morrison investigates the horrific 1994 murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex, the tangled relationships surrounding the crime, and the ongoing claims that Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted. Sad part is this could be your mother, father, kids, all love ones and friends! Joann had been shot once and then bludgeoned in the head. It was never tested. Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. 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. Andrew's second look in and around their home revealed some disturbing clues. Pat Rorrer received a sentence of life imprisonment for her crime. Patricia was arrested in North Carolina in June of 1997. Sir I would not kill somebody and I definitely wouldnt kill somebody I never met, Rorrer said. So now, lets find out everything there is to know about her, shall we? Culture Editor Tony Sokol is a writer, playwright and musician. 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. Some recurring themes in Forensic Files facinate me. To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. 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 still an appeal coming up (I believe) but everything else has failed so far to get Patricia another trial. Any ideas why the fact that their bodies didnt appear to have been in the woods as long as previously thought wasnt brought up in court? 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. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? Stable situation. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Episode Info. 1 talking about this. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. 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. In the Katrinak case, they did new (at the time) DNA testing to match the hairs found in the car to Patricia. I cant lose them, he told the media. Decades-old Lehigh Valley murder case back in national spotlight, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. Patricia had of course not registered that night. At the very least, prosecutors got their story very wrong as they convicted Patricia. ", "I think she gave us something like four or five alibis as to where she was at. Great catch. Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Of course, Patricia denied this. I suspect I know. Died along with his mother, Joann, as a victim of his father's jealous ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. Use quotation marks to search as a Error! He is the TV Editor at Entertainment. By: Robert S. In 1994, Joann Katrinak called her mother-in-law and made plans to go holiday shopping. Then, despite her multiple alibis, she has an inexplicable five-day gap in this pattern. Most of all, Patricia said, she would like a rematch with prosecutor Michael McIntyre. Keith Morrison investigates the horrific 1994 murders of Joann Katrinak and her infant son Alex, the tangled relationships surrounding the crime, and the ongoing claims that Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted.

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