PATRICIA RORRER OBITUARY. The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. 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. Other defense claims and recent updates include: Two separate witnesses claim to have seen an unhappy Joann with a man on the day of her disappearance. So I was convicted of 2 counts of first degree murder and 2 counts of kidnapping. Wrong Man takes viewers on real-time investigations to uncover new evidence, track down key witnesses, consult forensic experts, and interrogate the incarcerated. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. So much in this case, and every time she appeals with new evidence she is denied. But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? Thats my life.. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, Patricia drove Joanns car to McCartys parking lot and backed it into a parking space. 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. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. 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. She failed miserably to convince me, or anyone else who mattered, of her innocence. Also Rorrer had a history of run-ins with the law, including being charged with breaking and entering. Barry Grube, one of the few, if not only, police officers sympathetic to Patricias cause, noted that Andrew didnt seem particularly frantic while authorities searched desperately for his wife and son. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) 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. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. Wrong Man says she had normally signed in for her line dancing class but didn't on the day Joann and Alex disappeared. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. Watch enough true crime shows and you're bound to hear one of these gems. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. At 10:30 p.m., Andrew reported his wife missing. Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. Patricia's friends claimed that she was not "stalking" Andy and had fully moved on with her life (new boyfriend, new city, a long time ago etc.). Unbloody vehicle. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. Episode 7. And Andrews explanation of how the intruder got in through the basement door seemed contrived, according to Grube, who gave an interview to Wrong Man, a 2020 true-crime docuseries from the Starz network, which produced two episodes called The Hang Up about the Rorrer case. Police treated Joann's car as a potential crime scene, and their investigation turned up several blonde hairs on the head rest. This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. Probable cause of death: exposure. 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. 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. Traupman died in 2016. After watching the latest Starz episode of Wrong Man (a great investigative show), I started thinking about the Patricia Rorrer case again. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. ", "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. The system is broken sending innocent people to prison! No show. Prosecutors offered Patricia a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table, but she declined. They moved into her house in Salisbury County, staying together for about two years. There is another question, though: Can anyone say . Men who murder are conventional, women are sensational, posits the Worldwide Womens Criminal Justice Network. Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. Episode 204 of Starz' Wrong Man winds up its coverage of the Rorrer/Katrinak case, but it leaves us with far more questions than answers. 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. Tapps lawyer saidWrong Mans in-depth investigation into the Tapp conviction helped free an innocent man.. FILED DECEMBER 13, 2013 Patricia Lynne Rorrer appeals from the order entered in the . 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? The state police dropped him as a suspect. Patricia supposedly still cared for Andrew Katrinak, but murdering his son contradicts this notion. further reading: True Detective Season 3 and the West Memphis Three. Joann Katrinaks Killer Still Has Innocence Advocates(A Woman Scorned, Forensic Files). Patricia Rorrer was a cold woman. 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. 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. Patricia Rorrer Age: 51 Sex: FEMALE 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. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. "When I read that petition for the first time about 30 days ago, I couldn't believe it was written by a lawyer.". Andrew's involvement in the latter theory was dismissed when his alibi checked out. (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. "I'm very angry, very very very angry," McIntyre said. An expert will be allowed to examine evidence from the 1994 . He recalls that Patty also had an alibi. It will show you that I have not committed these murders. The past two owners of the gun's yards were dug up and many casings of the .22 were discovered. 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. And because of the gun jamming, the assailant had to resort to blunt object and beat her about the head. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. Ive seen the forensics files episode a few times and Im shocked at how it could be so wrong! E 204 Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? 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. I am humbly asking for your help to hire a lawyer and procure a fair trial. Prosecutor hiding something? McIntyre said a conspiracy theory is preposterous and he's surprised Rorrer is making another attempt to get out of prison. In a million years, she wouldnt do anything to harm that.. . Prosecutor pounds away. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? 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. But was Andrew in on this plan? Probable cause of death: exposure. Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. They theorized might've simply started a new life with another man, but this seemed absurd to everyone who knew Joann. Here was some other evidence mentioned in the Forensic Files episode: A forensic entomologist examined insect activity on the victims. 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 . These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. She was the devoted wife of the late Alvin Haymon Rorrer. Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. 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. Witness also recalled Rorrer's mom trying to hide a gun. 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. 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. Clair is black, and no forensic evidence ties him to the crime scene.. Joe Kennedys talks to Michael Brinkle, Patricia Rorrer's former neighbor who reaffirms that he had sold her a .22 Jennings handgun. By the time they asked supposed witnesses, most had forgotten about that random dance class (there were many). In 2015, an outside source, through a freedom of information act request, received an FBI . A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. It's possible he was just a big baby/growing faster than average, but if there's some indication that they were alive for some time after their abduction, then it would seem to be an entirely different kind of crime than was first thought. More than 20 years after her conviction, Patricia Rorrer still has advocates working to exonerate her. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. My kid has had 99th percentile head circumference since birth. Do any of the TV episodes suggest the possibility of their being held alive for some time? 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. 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). Please take the time to read my story. I know I did not commit these murders and they need to get justice for Joann and Alex too. PATRICIA LYNNE RORRER Appellant No. 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. Season 9 aired from August 7, 2015, to November 6, 2015. 1919 EDA 2016 Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. I can't recall if the long distance calls were talked about in the show. 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. Back in March of 2017, Investigation Discovery ran Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates which questioned the conviction of . It was later believed that his recollection was keen, since he'd been the one to dress her posthumously. She did buy a .22 before. I was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. Great catch. Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. Rejection and betrayal are good enough reasons for these women to commit heinous crimes. Some who still believe in Patricia Rorrer's innocence say it was long enough for him to stage the scene. Over 200 people were convicted using this science ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/fbi-overstated-forensic-hair-matches-in-nearly-all-criminal-trials-for-decades/2015/04/18/39c8d8c6-e515-11e4-b510-962fcfabc310_story.html). In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. She does not have a lawyer, her last lawyer was sued by the prosecutor. The killer was Patricia Rorrer, the jealous ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, Andrew. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. A hidden FBI report found a couple years ago showed that police were unsure if there were roots on the found hairs. Some recurring themes in Forensic Files facinate me. The witness said he would sign in as Richard Nixon or not sign in at all quite often. 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. Another former boyfriend said she talked about Andrew frequently and liked to gaze at old photos of him. In 2015, I discovered an FBI report that states the hair used to convict me had "No Roots Attached." I didn't see other potential suspects highlighted. 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). It was a pretty big deal, and i was excited enough to call everyone I knew. Murder victim. Rorrer has filed a petition to get new evidence admissible that he said could set her free. The missing items included Joann's purse, car, both her and Alex's winter jackets, and the diaper bag. Really? 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. She was also accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she owned. 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. She had a suitcase packed, Devine said. Flaw in reasoning. 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. She got 12 months of probation for shoplifting at a Walmart in Lexington, North Carolina. McIntyre said he was accused of being the mastermind of a conspiracy to frame Rorrer. Decades-old Lehigh Valley murder case back in national spotlight, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. Read More:Where is Jacqueline Crymble Now? Hello guys! 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 bodies of Joann Katrinak and her baby were found in a wooded area of Heidelberg Township in 1994. Media galore. Did investigators look for phone calls between Andrew and Patricia prior to December 11, 1994? To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDGl9dMgHwY&fbclid=IwAR1nlAYf6AcIu_i8kN0fD_MCD3CnxJ6DG_oUgVFdqN3b2EJ4fcLO2ci3wWc. You have permission to edit this article. Meticulous primping. Criminals aren't always the smartest folks - this area highlights the common (and reoccurring) mistakes they make. 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. Police slowly built a case against Patricia. There was at least one hair strand that contained enough skin tissue for a nuclear DNA match and it corroborated the mitochondrial match. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard.