The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. Even though Joanne was supposed to take her mother-in-law for Christmas shopping, she never showed . After all, one of the key pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene and Joanns vehicle were dyed blonde hair strands. How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. A hair that does, Why did they fail to test a piece of flesh adhering to a torn fingernail fragment recovered from Joann's chest? The phone wire was located at the opposite end of the basement, which was dark. An infant was lying face down on her stomach. 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Combination locks. 'Wrong Man" is a six-episode series from acclaimed award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost Trilogy) that examines cases of inmates who have been incarcerated for decades and claim they're innocent. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. . Rorrer and Andrew broke off their relationship in 1990, but they remained in regular contact even as Rorrer moved 800 miles away. Authorities confirm former fugitive, Leticia Smith was extradited from Mexico to California. Why was the jury never told that Patricia Rorrer was under surveillance in North Carolina at the time of the crime? The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children created an age enhancement of what he may look like at age 23. 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. Read more: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. Patricia Lynne Rorrer. Superior Court states that the 3 mounted car hairs were sent to the FBI in July 1995, and Rorrers hair samples were taken in November 1995, therefore, since the FBI had possession of the mounted hairs before the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) took Rorrers samples, it is impossible for those hairs to have been switched. 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. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. Michael Workmans son, Fredrick James Workman, disappeared at age 15 and may use the alias "Fred Shields.". Weak wages. 2023 Warner Bros. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted of Murder. 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. $8.99/mo. 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Lehigh Valley: Patricia Rorrer Still A Convenient Suspect? MURDER IN LEHIGH VALLEY: KEITH MORRISON INVESTIGATES is produced for Investigation Discovery by NBC News Peacock Productions with executive producers Elizabeth Fischer and Knute Walker, senior producer Kimberley Ferdinando and the president and general manager of Peacock Productions, Sharon Scott. On Aug. 5, 1993, Holly Piirainen, 10, and her brother went to a neighbor's house to play with puppies. In 1994, a mother, Joann Katrinak, and her baby disappeared and their bodies were later found in Heidelberg Township. On Alexs diaper bag, police found strands of the same type of hair from the car. I was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. 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. (In an exclusive clip, Morrison questions the tactics of prosecutor Michael McIntyre.). He said the court ruled it was not allowed to be tested because of a concept in the law called the law of the case, which he says basically means the evidence didn't have an impact on the case. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. Walmart woe. Patricia also pointed out that when author Tammy Mal started her research and speaking to me, she was not an advocate at all but she reversed and ended up advocating for Patricias innocence. When police traveled to North Carolina to interview Patricia about the murders of Joann and Alex, she said that on the day of the homicides, she had visited a feed store, a tanning salon, and a country music club. She claimed that shed spent that fateful day at a tanning salon and a country music club, but suspicion mounted when the guest book for the latter didnt have her name and a photo shed taken 11 days prior showed her naturally brown hair dyed blonde. Gabby Petitos fianc and person of interest in her fatal strangulation disappeared in mid-September after saying he was going for a hike. Later, they both worked 12-hour graveyard shifts at a textile factory. Prosecutors offered Patricia a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table, but she declined. ), The Wrong Man investigators Ira Todd and Joe Kennedy have some theories of their own. Man Arrested In Connection With Disappearance Of Woman Last Seen At Seattle Mariners Game, The Search Continues For Minnesota Mother After Her Suspicious Disappearance, A Person Of Interest And Reward Established In Search For Missing Mother Heather Mae Kelley, Mystery Remains After 13-Year-Old Girl Vanished From A Minnesota Gas Station In 1989, Maybe Someday Someone Will Break: Alabama Mother Searches For Daughter Who Vanished In 2010, An Alabama Woman Disappeared After Her Boyfriend Dropped Her Off At Home, Have You Seen Semaj Goodwine? You might think such a thing couldnt happen, but thats exactly what did happen in the Rorrer case. Neely has filed a petition for post conviction relief for Rorrer because he says critical evidence in the case doesn't add up. She just stayed in touch with everybody, Kathy Barber said in her interview on NBCs Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports in 2017. The state made a case fueled by circumstantial evidence and public outrage over the deaths of a modern-day madonna and child. Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. Shes the author of four books: Little Girl Lost, Disposable Income, Tortured Minds, and Murder in Susquehanna County. DNA testing showed that Patricia could not be excluded as the source of the hairs and according to the prosecution that, combined with circumstantial evidence, was enough to convict her. Neely said a hair with a root put Rorrer away, which sparked Neely to question the forensic investigation. Another former boyfriend said she talked about Andrew frequently and liked to gaze at old photos of him. You have permission to edit this article. Russia missile attack on Ukraine injures 34, damages homes, May Day: Worlds workers rally, France sees pension anger, FDIC recommends raising insured deposit limit for businesses, Biden, top lawmakers to discuss debt limit at WH May 9, What the Tech? Jennifer and Sarah Hart killed themselves and murdered their six adopted children in 2018 by driving their SUV off a cliff in California. Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand Up, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. His favorite rattle, shaped like a phone, lay near the crime scene. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. !) and detractors (This is another bs attempt to free a psycho). Until next time, cheers. Great catch. Investigation Discovery is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the worlds #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in 220 countries and territories. They theorize that Andrew Katrinak framed Patricia and that the hostile phone call between Patricia and Joann actually took place not on Dec. 12 as Andrew said but rather on Dec. 7. 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. She was born on Jan. 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania and moved back and forth between there and Davidson County, North Carolina. 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. Her newest book, Convenient Suspect, is scheduled for release in the fall of 2017 and recounts the murders of Joann and Alex Katrinak and the potential wrongful conviction of Patricia Rorrer. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. A copy of an undated handout photo of Joann Marie Katrinak and 15-week-old Alex Martin Katrinak, both of Catasauqua, Pa. who were found dead in Dec. of 1994. Police slowly built a case against Patricia. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Patricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. Peacock Productions reaches more than 300 million people worldwide every year across broadcast, cable, syndication, and emerging platforms with its award-winning specials and series. 728 views. And Patricia wasnt all edges. %PDF-1.5 Deal refused. Phone records confirmed Patricia placed the earlier call from North Carolina, not Pennsylvania. Judges Denial of Commonwealth's Motion (pdf) Download. Read More:Where is Jacqueline Crymble Now? Why would somebody tell you, theyre going to fry me, if they didnt do it? Jarrett told Wrong Man. Another witness, Walter Traupman, who never testified, had told state troopers that on the day of Joanns disappearance, he saw a couple who looked like Joann and Andrew arguing about the paternity of a baby. Ever the neutral newsman, Morrison tells PEOPLE he came away from working on the Investigation Discovery special with more questions than answers. They broke up in 1993. Search is on. At the states request, the instructor wore a wire during a phone conversation with Patricia. PATRICIA RORRER, : : Petitioner : v. : CIVIL ACTION NUMBER 19-01398 : WENDY K. NICHOLAS, : : Respondents : MOTION FOR DISCOVERY AND CONSOLIDATED MEMORANDUM OF LAW . Powered by WordPress.com VIP. % Some lawyers call microscopic hair analysis junk science that today wouldnt qualify as evidence in a trial like Rorrers. On January 11, 2021, But when Joann and Alex suddenly vanished from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home on December 15, 1994, suspicion immediately turned towards Andy. That's according to Craig Neely, who worked on the case for years as the defense attorney. This is a genuine puzzler, Morrison tells PEOPLE about the case that inspired Sundays two-part special, Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates. Shes utterly believable. DNA testing revealed the blood came from either Joann or her son. At 17, Patricia dropped out of high school and married landscaper Gary Gabard. Murder victim Joann Katrinak. 2023 Warner Bros. Investigators initially keyed in on Katrinaks husband, Andrew, whod told police he thought someone broke into his house, cut the telephone line and abducted his wife and son. Does he think Rorrer is a killer or a victim of a miscarriage of justice? At 6 a.m. on June 24, 1997, police arrested Patricia at her modest house in Linwood, North Carolina, and took her back to Pennsylvania. When Andy Katrinak comes home to find his wife and infant son gone, he summons the police and tells them he believes they have been abducted, and he suspects his ex-girlfriend Patty Rorrer might be involved. Everything from compromised crime scenes and contaminated evidence, to suspects who were never cleared, witness statements that were withheld from the defense, and crucial evidence that was simply dismissed and ignored has cast doubt on Rorrers guilt and led to a number of unanswered questions. They had a son, Alex Martin, in August of 1994. She had no alibi for the time of the murders, had argued with Joann only days before she disappeared, and allegedly owned the same make and model of gun as that used in the crime. Photo by: Harry Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Images, Harry Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Images. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. Still, no good leads materialized. Produced by NBC News Emmy Award-winning production arm Peacock Productions, the two-part special airs Sunday, March 5 with back-to-back premieres at 8/7c and 9/8c, and features an exclusive phone interview in which Rorrer speaks out from prison for the first time ever. 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. This is an incendiary case that continues to provoke passion on both sides, said Morrison. 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. No show. Tammy Mal is a true-crime writer whos written for True Detective Magazine and Absolute Crime Publishing. The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. After her arraignment, she had to walk past a crowd of dozens of locals screeching hang her! and baby killer! Patricia clung to a Polaroid picture showing her and her own little girl. After eliminating Andrew as a suspect in the killings, detectives set their sights on Rorrer, charging her with two counts of murder and kidnapping. Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. There was an error processing your request. 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. He wanted to move to Colorado and she was against it.. Its one of those stories where, if you listen to one side, you can see, absolutely, that that side has to be correct. Starting at. Further, an early FBI report said the hairs found in the car had no roots which contain the DNA suggesting an evidence switcheroo. 'Wrong Man" is a six-episode series from acclaimed award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost Trilogy) that examines cases of inmates who have been incarcerated for decades and claim they're innocent. The state police dropped him as a suspect. Joann and Alex Katrinak both vanished in 1994. The organization purports that if there were awards for distorted reporting, the Morning Callwould win high honors.. endobj As we wait for the pending appeal, Rorrer shares her first-hand account and I talk with the prosecutor and law enforcement about the new allegations that have thrust this case back into the spotlight.. But none of those charges ever stuck. How to make sure your tax refund, other mail doesn't get stolen, Cher splits from rumoured fianc Alexander AE Edwards, Ed Sheeran tells how he was comforted by Stormzy the day Jamal Edwards died, Noel Gallagher splits with rumoured new girlfriend Dorothea Gundtoft, Katy Perry to be replaced by big time stars on American Idol while she performs at King Charles coronation, Anna Wintour appears to confirm rumoured romance with Bill Nighy at Met Gala, CT: RESTAURANT PREPS FOR KING'S CORONATION, RAW: NY: MET GALA RED CARPET ARRIVALS (MORE), American Idol Top 8 Decided in Twist After Judges Song Contest (RECAP), NY: MET GALA KARL LAGERFELD COSTUME INSTITUTE, RAW: GALA: SERENA WILLIAMS/KARLIE KLOSS ANNOUNCE PREGNANCIES. 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. At 10:30 p.m., Andrew reported his wife missing. Mike McIntyre was the first assistant district attorney in Lehigh County during the case and says he's surprised Rorrer is making another attempt to get out of prison. 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. It makes you crazy, because you challenge her with every allegation, and she acquits herself. One of our nations fastest growing cable networks, ID delivers the highest-quality programming to more than 85 million U.S. households and is available in both high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD). Toxic chemicals in Emmaus water could cost at least $24M to fix, 'Can't wait to see everyone': After 3-year hiatus, beloved Easton deli nears reopening, How do you know your money is safe? Great communicator. 'Wrong Man" is a six-episode series from acclaimed award-winning filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost Trilogy) that examines cases of inmates who have been incarcerated for decades and claim they're innocent.more. No activity on her bank account or credit cards took place after the day she went missing, so investigators dismissed the theory that she took her child and bolted. @!44` ^]5[a$iq`k7jKV&fU-Ru=$^ Next Up "We Can Now Be At Peace": Victims' Families React To "Grim Sleeper" Lonnie Franklin's Death For ID, Sara Kozak is executive producer and senior vice president of production, Jane Latman is executive vice president of development, Kevin Bennett is general manager, and Henry Schleiff is Group President of Investigation Discovery, Destination America, and American Heroes Channel. 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. Join us tonight for #ReasonableDoubt at 10/9c on ID. American Catherine Serou sent her mother a text that read, I hope Im not being abducted.. See production, box office & company info. Joanns car was later found next door in the parking lot of a local tavern. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Ch Read allPatricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. 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. Meticulous primping. And even prosecutor Michael McIntyre, who wrote the book Hair Trigger about the case, acknowledged to Keith Morrison that it was a little odd that the police found blood on the hairs in Joanns car but nowhere else in the vehicle. Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates airs this Sunday, March 5 at 8pm on Investigation Discovery and is produced by NBC News Peacock Productions. Just recently, however, that hope was dashed when the court denied her appeal. - 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 . ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. During Patricias hours-long turn in the witness chair, Michael McIntyre grilled her relentlessly. She had money put aside. <>>> After Joann Katrinak, the wife of Patricia's former flame, turned up dead along . For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. He said, "Frankly, I was appalled at what I saw. 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. Documentary, Drama 2020-2020. Chris Harris has been a senior true crime reporter for PEOPLE since late 2015. He said, "The only possible thing that would make any sense is to claim that the hair that was tested wasn't the hair of the case, it was somehow, some other extraneous hair that got in there. She had dropped out of school at the age of 17 to marry her partner and subsequently worked long graveyard shifts at a textile factory to provide for their family. She made an effort to look perfectly groomed even when she took out the trash, according to her mother, who appeared on Forensic Files. But her reputation wasnt exactly sleek and shiny. How can someone fight it and correct the record? . Plus, he had only a minimal life insurance policy on Joann and he passed polygraphs, according to The FBI Files: Family Secrets. http://starz.tv/FB Despite the new evidence and hypotheses, the courts have rejected all of Patricias bids for a new trial. Back in 1994, a mother, Joann Katrinak, and her baby disappeared and their bodies were later found in Heidelberg Township. I really never thought of it again.. 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?. Incriminating words. <> Why did the police focus on a young mother from another state, who had never met either victim and had not had a romantic relationship with Andy Katrinak in more than five years? 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