Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. Three days later, Joann had plans to pick up her mother-in-law, Veronica Katrinak, to go Christmas shopping. Read More:Where is Jacqueline Crymble Now? Criminals aren't always the smartest folks - this area highlights the common (and reoccurring) mistakes they make. But "Wrong Man" investigators discover that there is . Well, that really caught our attention of course.". Microsoft Apps Movies/Documentaries Murder in Lehigh Valley Forensic Files: A Woman Scorned Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters. We take wrongful convictions to heart. A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors at the time used this angry phone call as motive for Patricia to travel 500 miles to the Katrinak house, cut a phone line, break into the basement door, put them into Joann's car and march Joann and Alex to their eventual death - killing them in a field. God Bless each of you. Patricia demonstrated a consistent habit of long-distance calls from home, then had an obvious gap while claiming she. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. Her advocates say she wasn't even in the same state at the time of the crime. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. 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. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. We need to know who killed them! During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. Joann had been shot once and then bludgeoned in the head. But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. The $60 Murder. Police identified the pair as Joann and Alex Katrinak. Patricias marriage fell apart, and she returned to Pennsylvania, where she fell in love with Andrew Andy Katrinak after meeting him at a restaurant. Leave a comment below, or contact us! Today, Rorrer's attorney says not only is his client innocent, but she was framed. Walmart woe. ir.library.oregonstate.edu DNA testing revealed the blood came from either Joann or her son. Pulled hairs don't grow roots. There is another question, though: Can anyone say . It was never tested. Patricias professional life included short-lived gigs as a Century 21 real estate agent and an Oldsmobile salesperson. She was a real estate agent, a salesperson, and an equestrian, but she also had a rap sheet that included a 12-month probation sentence for shoplifting from a North Carolina Walmart. Four hours is a long time between Andrew getting home from work and calling the police. It seems strange that Patricia would just pick up and drive 500 miles to see and ex-boyfriend from years ago on a whim, leaving her own one-year-old daughter at home in North Carolina. Those who knew Joann pointed out that she didnt like to drive in reverse and would have never parked that way. Or did they? Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. I lived more than 500 miles away, was engaged to be married, was a new mother, and all of a sudden I'm arrested for murdering two people I'd never even met? If I knew I was going to get caught, I never would have brought you into this world, the arresting officers testified they heard her say to Nicole. 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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? 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. Meanwhile, interest in Patricias plight continues on social media. And their phone line had been cut someone had not wanted the Katrinaks to be able to call for help. "Reasonable Doubt" The Ex Files (TV Episode 2022) - IMDb Prosecutor hiding something? Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. They theorized might've simply started a new life with another man, but this seemed absurd to everyone who knew Joann. When O'Reilly started doing the research, she believed Patricia (Patty) had been . Wrong Man takes viewers on real-time investigations to uncover new evidence, track down key witnesses, consult forensic experts, and interrogate the incarcerated. And Patricia wasnt all edges. Share Memories & Support the Family. 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. If you like our work please subscribe to our second channel The History Chronicles https://www.youtube.com/c/TheHistoryChroniclesFor early access. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! Search is on. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) He had worked as a semi-pro boxer in Las Vegas in his youth and later settled into his own construction business. On closer inspection, he saw it was the body of a woman. 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. Andrew's involvement in the latter theory was dismissed when his alibi checked out. After one bullet didnt kill Joann, the gun locked up, so Patricia had to beat her to death, according to the prosecution. (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). One on one? Based on the activity, the victims were there since at least February. Her book tells the truth and the real story of this case. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer. So, this pointed to a theory that Joann had either left on her own or encountered foul play within her home. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Her hair color in the picture matched hairs found at two of the crime scenes. They broke up in 1993. If you subscribe to Hulu and upgrade to Starz (theres a free one-week trial offer), you can stream the Wrong Man episodes about Patricia Rorrer. She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. 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. 'Dateline NBC' Correspondent Keith Morrison Explores Claims of a My husband passed away of a broken heart, Sarah OConnor said on the Montel Williams Show in 2001. Patricia Rorrer's Story. Some who still believe in Patricia Rorrer's innocence say it was long enough for him to stage the scene. 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. 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. And it certainly didn't make me mad enough to jump in my car, drive 500 miles one way and kill two people I'd never met--one an infant child. 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. I have always maintained my innocence because I am innocent. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Keith Morrison Explores Claims of Wrongful Conviction in Investigation Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. 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. Why would somebody tell you, theyre going to fry me, if they didnt do it? Jarrett told Wrong Man. The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. Forensic Files (season 5) - Wikipedia The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? He framed this woman who has been in prison 23 years! I most definitely will not personally afford Patricia a platform, Michael said in an email to ForensicFilesNow.com She had her chance to answer my questions and tell her story in court over 20 years ago. !) and detractors (This is another bs attempt to free a psycho). And, I was quite angry with the police, that they accused Andy. In March of 1998, a jury returned two guilty verdicts against Patricia Rorrer for murder, and two more for kidnapping. Joe Berlingers documentary series Wrong Man shows what long form documentary journalism can achieve. Lawyer: New evidence in 1994 killings of woman, infant Until next time, cheers. Convicted murderer seeks new DNA tests in '94 murder case She does not have a lawyer, her last lawyer was sued by the prosecutor. Also Rorrer had a history of run-ins with the law, including being charged with breaking and entering. 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. Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. As noted earlier, there was hair found in the victims hand, fingernail fragments found on her body, and also a cigarette butt. Died along with his mother, Joann, as a victim of his father's jealous ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. Was this on unsolved mysteries too? How would an intruder find it? Weak wages. 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. Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband . Right to Redemption In TV clips, Andrew didnt come off as anguished. But her reputation wasnt exactly sleek and shiny. Patricia Rorrer Obituary (1935 - 2021) - Lynchburg, VA - The News & Advance ", "Everything is outrageous," he said. Together they had a baby girl, Nicole. 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. 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. 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. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. The six-episode documentary series examines the cases of three different inmates who are serving life sentences on murder convictions but who claim innocence. However, prosecutors contended that Patricia attacked Joann and Alex because she wanted to reconcile with her ex, and his wife had hung up the phone on her when shed called in December 1994. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. Unseasonably warm weather in late December suggested that the victims were there since they were killed. Bio by: Karen Valentine This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. 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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? To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. Pat Rorrer received a sentence of life imprisonment for her crime. They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. Find a typo or issue with the details of this case? For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. With Lynnanne Zager, Joann Katrinak, Alex Katrinak, Patricia Rorrer. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. Oscar-nominated and Emmywinning director Berlinger (Paradise Lost, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes), a leading voice in non-fiction film and television for over two decades, returns to keep checks on the criminal justice system. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Or identify other people in their lives who might have benefited from either the Katrinak's deaths or disappearance? Mike McIntyre, the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case, said the petition is "crazy. 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?. There was an error processing your request. 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 wouldn't do anything to hurt him. They were hardly decomposed after a mild winter. Or was it? Our team of volunteers are committed to helping Patricia. 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. 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. Murder victim. 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. Where does one pick up flower petal in the dead of winter in PA.? An expert will be allowed to examine evidence from the 1994 . Please take the time to read my story. Meticulous primping. So I was convicted of 2 counts of first degree murder and 2 counts of kidnapping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lo9AIFM_vc&fbclid=IwAR28Mf5rKuUyaq1N-vBqirZM_382D69Zy42uONlU3Qf0eNEnJ1w_kYRYKIM. They allege that the North Carolina resident stealthily drove 500 miles to Pennsylvania and killed out of a sense of deadly indignation. Another thing never presented at trial was the fact that they found flower petals in the soles of Joann's shoes,. Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. WATCH: ID Examines 1994 Lehigh Valley Double-Murder - Peoplemag An early childhood introd She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. It's not often there's a laundry list of clear signals, but it's fun to iterate them when there are so many. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. It showed her usually all-brown hair haphazardly highlighted blond. That's absolutely ridiculous, yet that is the only motive ever given for why I supposedly committed this crime. Patricia Rorrer - Wrongful Conviction, Innocent, Nonprofit She just stayed in touch with everybody, Kathy Barber said in her interview on NBCs Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports in 2017. Later, they both worked 12-hour graveyard shifts at a textile factory. This is crazy. Witness also recalled Rorrer's mom trying to hide a gun. And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? It's shocking to think that Patricia Rorrer, being a mother, could end the life of an infant. 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. Green-Eyed Monsters: Directed by Kate Ryerson. Obviously her husband Andy would be the main suspect (and his smirking after Patricia was found guilty was galling) but the Wrong Man team spoke to him and seem convinced that he was being truthful. They released a list of cases affected by it. Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. ", "Due to the fact that she sustained one gunshot wound to the face, and then approximately 19 blows to the head led us to believe that the gun probably had jammed. 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. So now, lets find out everything there is to know about her, shall we? Joann was shot once, then the gun jammed. The episode claimed the jury required just two hours to deliberate, but other sources indicate it took six. It's sad looking back at those Forensic Files episodes where the science was junk but they portray it as a solid case. My kid has had 99th percentile head circumference since birth. Error! Advocates for her innocence complain of hype surrounding the case. State police and the Philadelphia division of the FBI appealed to the public for leads. Rorrer v. Nicholas, Civil Action 19-cv-01398-GEKP - Casetext 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. 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. On December 12, 1994, Joann answered a phone call from a woman shed never met, Patricia Rorrer, her husbands onetime girlfriend. Alex Martin Katrinak (1994-1994) - Find a Grave Memorial Deal refused. Patricia, who moved from PA to North Carolina, made long distance calls from her home practically every day, except for the time period between December 11 and 16. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. Previously on Wrong Man, we learned about the murder of Joann Katrinak and her baby.Were they murdered because Joann angrily hung the phone up on Patty Rorrer, the ex of Andy Katrinak?
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