Trash-talking ex. Walmart woe. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Culture Editor Tony Sokol is a writer, playwright and musician. Thank you for reading, please use the links, and watch all the videos. Andrew described his existence with Joanne and Alex as a little Camelot., Ex-spouse off list. The authorities charged her with two counts of murder. - 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 advocates say she wasn't even in the same state at the time of the crime. 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. ", "Everything is outrageous," he said. Stable situation. Murder victim. It showed her usually all-brown hair haphazardly highlighted blond. Cancel Anytime. Another thing never presented at trial was the fact that they found flower petals in the soles of Joann's shoes,. But "Wrong Man" investigators discover that there is . Here is the link https://www.amazon.com/Convenient-Suspect-Investigation-Railroading-Innocent/dp/B0777SGHL4/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=tammy%20mal&qid=1588982960&sr=8-1&fbclid=IwAR0xwJARGyijcn3BqdWAzXSX0l9C7kM-9UtBxQio4AsMv62neDLzggK1IrI. Crime 2017. Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! And because some of Patricias advocates have suggested Andrew Katrinak had a motive for murder, I checked into whether he had a life insurance payout to gain upon Joanns demise. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. She was the devoted wife of the late Alvin Haymon Rorrer. Success! He said that the gun had an unusual characteristic: the gun would jam after firing one shot. 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. Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. Episode Info. 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. Not gender neutral. I wasn't hung up on Andy, and I didn't want him back. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. A hidden FBI report found a couple years ago showed that police were unsure if there were roots on the found hairs. (Disclaimer: Im not a big fan of eyewitnesses who come forward years after the fact, but its possible). So lets get going on the recap of the Forensic Files episode A Woman Scorned, along with extra information drawn from internet research: Joann Marie OConnor was born on Oct. 11, 1968, the youngest of Sarah and David OConnors four children. These organelles, found in all eukaryotic cells, are the powerhouse of the cell. In TV clips, Andrew didnt come off as anguished. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. After one bullet didnt kill Joann, the gun locked up, so Patricia had to beat her to death, according to the prosecution. Her alibi about going to the club, called Cowboys Nitelife, got fuzzy when investigators discovered she hadnt signed the guest book on that day. 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. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. 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. So much in this case, and every time she appeals with new evidence she is denied. Patricia seemed like the girl next door but all of a sudden, something snapped, Katrinak later told Wrong Man investigators. Hair we go. Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. It'd be plausible to reason some deniability in Patricia's role if there weren't so many indicators of her involvement. She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. Pat Rorrer received a sentence of life imprisonment for her crime. Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. They never looked into Andy who failed several lie detector tests, tampered with evidence. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Phone calls played a significant role in the case overall. Rorrer claims the DNA . During the interview, the FBI agents noted that I had no cuts, scratches, or bruising on my hand or face, as would be expected if I had been in a life and death struggle only a week earlier. Based on the activity, the victims were there since at least February. 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. Detective Robert Werts stated Rorrer offered four or five alibis for the time of the incident. Learn more about our upcoming events, fundraisers, and more! Error! Patty Rorrer is convicted of the kidnapping and murder of her ex-boyfriends wife and infant son, but Wrong Man investigators discover that the case is not so clear cut. Find a typo or issue with the details of this case? Of course, Patricia denied this. Wrong Man takes viewers on real-time investigations to uncover new evidence, track down key witnesses, consult forensic experts, and interrogate the incarcerated. On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. Does anyone see motive in this scenario? So I was convicted of 2 counts of first degree murder and 2 counts of kidnapping. The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. It addresses each of these issues (better than I can do, certainly). Detective Barry Grube found it odd that Andrew fixed the severed phone line before police examined it in essence tampering with evidence. But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. Patricia was arrested on June 24, 1997. . She was also accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she owned. Phil and Rell will be released on Monday, as well as Leroy Cotton and Jimmy Jackson. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. By that time, we had both moved on and I had no romantic feelings for him. I didn't see other potential suspects highlighted. Patricia Elgin Rorrer, 86, of Lynchburg, went to be with her Lord on Thursday, February 4, 2021. Deal refused. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. Please take the time to read my story. She had a suitcase packed, Devine said. 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. But if Rorrer was a genuine suspect, it's likely investigators would have attempted the mitochondrial DNA match on the hair anyway. One of Patricia's alibis was that she was at a bar on the night of the abduction. To commit the murders, Rorrer took her victims out to a location that was familiar and significant. Share Memories & Support the Family. Her husband Andrew's mother expected Joann to arrive quickly, since they only lived a few minutes away. Damning for Patricia was that this field was only a couple miles from a horse farm that she used to have access to. Both were deceased. Patricia was convicted based on her head hairs being found in the victim's car. Her defense was essentially that she and Andrew Katrinak had remained friendly, so she wouldn't want to hurt him. Born on January 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania, Patricia Rorrer spent most of her life going back and forth between the Keystone State and North Carolina. 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 was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. Clair is black, and no forensic evidence ties him to the crime scene.. I am innocent of these crimes, and I should not have lost the best years of my life in a prison cell. 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. Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016. But if that's the main evidence against her, it seems awfully weak. Supposedly it was the relationship to this trail and Patricia's managing of the Silver Shadow Farms horse stable just a mile away that first brought Rorrer to detectives' attention. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. 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. Patricia Rorrer's Story. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. Thats my life.. During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. New state, new man. The jury found Patricia guilty in just 6 hours in 1998, 4 years after the crime. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Mal told Keith Morrison that Patricias dance teacher originally confirmed her alibi that she was in class on the day of the murder, then changed his mind. Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. We affirm. An early childhood introd 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. 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. That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. TV-MA | Mar 1, 2020 | 53m. 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. - 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 . Patricia Rorrer (right) is led to her hearing in Lehigh County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 26, 1998 by a sheriff's deputy, at left. When Joann failed to arrive, her mother-in-law tried calling, but there was no answer at the Katrinak's. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Patricia has been wrongfully convicted of murdering Joann and Alex Katrinak in 1994. As noted earlier, there was hair found in the victims hand, fingernail fragments found on her body, and also a cigarette butt. Together they had a baby girl, Nicole. When O'Reilly started doing the research, she believed Patricia (Patty) had been . I knew when Andy got married and I was happy for him. This is a list of notable female murderers whose name begins with the letter R. Louise Rorrer Bryant, age 79, of Fieldale, Va., passed away on May 15, 2022. (180) 2017 13+. Where does one pick up flower petal in the dead of winter in PA.? He was sentenced to death after being convicted of the brutal torture and murder of a young babysitter named Linda Rodgers in 1984 in Santa Ana, California. And in a piece of salacious testimony, Patricia Rorrers half sister, Sandra Ireland, said that in May 1995, about six months after the murder, their mother, Patricia Chambers, stopped by the house and asked her to hold onto or hide a gun, or both. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. 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. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. 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. But other things Patricia did also seemed strange, especially according to prosecutor Michael McIntyre. Brad Jackson was able to describe what his daughter Valiree was wearing in incredible detail, down to the color of her socks. 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. They broke up in 1993. By the mid-1990s, Patricia was known for being both warm and caring as well as aggressive and loud. It's sad looking back at those Forensic Files episodes where the science was junk but they portray it as a solid case. 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. Use quotation marks to search as a The state police dropped him as a suspect. 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. He framed this woman who has been in prison 23 years! She was always looking for a fight, Gary Gabard told the Morning Call, which noted that he was a head shorter than Patricia. 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. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. Patricia had of course not registered that night. On a secret recording, Patricia asked Jarrett to vouch for her attendance or she might go to the electric char. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. No comments yet - start the conversation above. So, this pointed to a theory that Joann had either left on her own or encountered foul play within her home. Prosecutors offered Patricia a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table, but she declined. Police converged on the scene and soon realized it was not only the remains of Joann Katrinak, but sadly of Alex too. Patricia Rorrer (PA) SCI Muncy OE2170 Life Without Parole DOB: January 24,1964. It's not often there's a laundry list of clear signals, but it's fun to iterate them when there are so many. It's shocking to think that Patricia Rorrer, being a mother, could end the life of an infant. 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. The footage was quite old and filmed well before the show and theory so it caught my notice after the show stated his percentiles being nearly off the chart. See Commonwealth v. Rorrer, CP-39- CR-0002176-1997 (C.C.P. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings, you know, it brought a tear to my eye. . Season 1. Find where to watch Patricia Rorrer's latest movies and tv shows Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. I'm sure that I'm missing a lot of details here (please add in the comments) but everything seems far too convenient and circumstantial. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) With 400 (and 6) episodes, this progress bar indicates my progress toward finishing all of them. Posted: June 22, 2022 He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. She claimed to be at a dance class in private club but her name was missing from the sign in sheet that night. The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer. Smith claims that she is innocent and that she loved the victim like a daughter., 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. She is a tough one, Sheriff Gerald Hege would later tell the Morning Call in a June 29, 1997 interview. The farmer's remote field bordered an isolated horseback riding trail. As is the alibi (signing into a dance class), one regular at the dance club said the sign-in sheet was not regularly used by many patrons. We all need justice! 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. Traupman claimed that when he reported the dispute, trooper Robert V. Egan III got mad and practically kicked him out of his office. Patricia is and has been fighting that she is innocent from the very beginning. Andrew languished for weeks and then months as investigators failed to suppl any explanation for his wife's and son's mysterious disappearance. McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. after the fact. Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. 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. Patricia Taylor Allanson, the Deadly Magnolia, was released from prison in 1999. 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. Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband . In addition to the Facebook page, there are Reddit threads on her case. These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. I am humbly asking for your help to hire a lawyer and procure a fair trial. It seems Patricia's own daughter and baby Alex Katrinak were very close in age. E 204 Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope. As usual, Rebecca at Forensic Files Now has a thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case and events since her conviction. Prosecutors also claimed DNA hair evidence found in the car matched Patricia's hair at the time (using what was considered valid DNA methods). Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. 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). With Lynnanne Zager, Joann Katrinak, Alex Katrinak, Patricia Rorrer. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. It all gave jurors a lot to think about but only for six hours. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. As for Joanns parents, her father died a year after the murder. 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. I was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. An expert will be allowed to examine evidence from the 1994 . They noted houses near the murder scene would have heard a gunshot in December, when no farm equipment is making noise, and question why the murderer didnt just kill Joann inside her house instead of risking being seen in public in her car. Dance defense. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard. 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. But Patricia had moved from Pennsylvania years ago, and she'd started her own family in North Carolina. A local murder case that made national headlines will be back in the national spotlight Sunday night. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. It was later believed that his recollection was keen, since he'd been the one to dress her posthumously. He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. TV-14. But none of those charges ever stuck. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . He was sentenced to life in prison. 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