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. But defense lawyer Robert Pfeiffer said that plenty of evidence supported Patricias innocence. However, a former boyfriend stated that she did own a .22 caliber chrome-plated semi-automatic weapon. She failed miserably to convince me, or anyone else who mattered, of her innocence. I suspect I know. 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. Um why is that? This state is corrupt as in every state! I know I did not commit these murders and they need to get justice for Joann and Alex too. On Instagram, I found a post for a two-part Win at All Costs podcast featuring journalism professor Bill Mousheys interviews with Patricia Rorrer from prison in December 2019. The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. "The issues that we are presenting are not speculative at all," Neely said. (We didnt get into the specifics.). Patricia and her husband broke up after the babys death. (180) 2017 13+. This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . Why did the police not look into these things? Her advocates say she wasn't even in the same state at the time of the crime. Patricia Rorrer's home phone record did not show her call to the Katrinak house three days prior to the kidnapping because she'd already made the trip to Pennsylvania to see Andrew. 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. And if nothing more, it certainly galvanized the law enforcement community and got us moving in the right direction. She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. In March of 1998, a jury returned two guilty verdicts against Patricia Rorrer for murder, and two more for kidnapping. Family members found Joanns tan Toyota sitting vacant in the parking lot of McCartys, a nearby bar. Where are the missing 4 hairs? Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Rorrer claims the DNA . There is another question, though: Can anyone say . More: https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. Based on the activity, the victims were there since at least February. Andrew mentioned to police that his former live-in girlfriend Patricia Rorrer once managed a horse stable two miles from the bodies location and would have been familiar with the riding trails close to the murder scene. And, I was quite angry with the police, that they accused Andy. Dial-a-problem. After all, one of the key pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene and Joanns vehicle were dyed blonde hair strands. 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. Back in March of 2017, Investigation Discovery ran Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates which questioned the conviction of . Sounds like prosecutors made the right call based on this. She just stayed in touch with everybody, Kathy Barber said in her interview on NBCs Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports in 2017. And Patricia wasnt all edges. Police treated Joann's car as a potential crime scene, and their investigation turned up several blonde hairs on the head rest. Success! 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. ", "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. All of us could be wrongfully convicted. It addresses each of these issues (better than I can do, certainly). Thats my life.. In the Katrinak case, they did new (at the time) DNA testing to match the hairs found in the car to Patricia. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. An early childhood introd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lo9AIFM_vc&fbclid=IwAR28Mf5rKuUyaq1N-vBqirZM_382D69Zy42uONlU3Qf0eNEnJ1w_kYRYKIM. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. State police and the Philadelphia division of the FBI appealed to the public for leads. 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? Thats all for this post. 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. At 17, Patricia dropped out of high school and married landscaper Gary Gabard. Once, when a gun-wielding farmer and his buddy caught Patricia and Gary riding motorcycles on his field, Patricia walked up and got in their faces and argued, Gary recalled to the Morning Call. Incriminating words. Docket at pp. Movies/Documentaries Murder in Lehigh Valley Forensic Files: A Woman Scorned Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters. 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. He is the TV Editor at Entertainment. 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. Therefore, today, in her late 50s, Patricia is imprisoned at the maximum-security State Correctional Institution Muncy in Clinton Township, Pennsylvania. By the mid-1990s, Patricia was known for being both warm and caring as well as aggressive and loud. 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? Or identify other people in their lives who might have benefited from either the Katrinak's deaths or disappearance? Combination locks. That hang-up, they said, was the last straw. No show. Pulled hairs don't grow roots. Find a typo or issue with the details of this case? 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. DNA from that and a cigarette butt linked Patricia to the offense. 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. 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. In February 2008, Patricia Taylor Allanson, age 70, was arrested and charged with doctor shopping for thousands of pain pills over the past year. Plus, he had only a minimal life insurance policy on Joann and he passed polygraphs, according to The FBI Files: Family Secrets. Detective Barry Grube found it odd that Andrew fixed the severed phone line before police examined it in essence tampering with evidence. . They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. One on one? Wow this episode was featured on Forensic Files. By the time they asked supposed witnesses, most had forgotten about that random dance class (there were many). This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Rejection and betrayal are good enough reasons for these women to commit heinous crimes. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. No charmed life. An expert will be allowed to examine evidence from the 1994 . For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Puny policy. I dont think she was ever scared until we put the cuffs on her.. ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. Season 1 had a tangible impact on all three cases that were examined. It'd be plausible to reason some deniability in Patricia's role if there weren't so many indicators of her involvement. 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. 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. But other things Patricia did also seemed strange, especially according to prosecutor Michael McIntyre. Chapter 1. Patricia defaulted on her mortgage and then returned to North Carolina, where she eventually moved in with a boyfriend named Brian Ward. An exterior door to their basement had been wrenched open, the lock hasp's screws literally ripped from the wall. 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. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Rorrer and Andrew broke off their . Berlingers landmark HBO documentary Paradise Lost Trilogy helped lead to the release of the wrongfully convicted West Memphis Three after 18 years of incarceration. Also Rorrer had a history of run-ins with the law, including being charged with breaking and entering. This was part of Rorrer's defense strategy it seemed like an unrealistic motive to commit murder. (Disclaimer: Im not a big fan of eyewitnesses who come forward years after the fact, but its possible). 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. I was like OK, maybe she was tired, you know with a new baby. We affirm. INMATE INFORMATION. These hairs being found in the otherwise cleaned car was also odd. An ex-boyfriend of Patricia knew she owned a distinct .22 caliber pistol and knew of its tendency to jam, but Rorrer could only deny owning such a weapon. I think you might have mistaken what's being mentioned in the Washington Post article; that is talking about microscopic hair analysis, which is when they compare two strands of hair for a match. Her car was soon located in a parking lot within walking distance of their home. 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. Mizgerd said she is convinced Rorrer is innocent. 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. Prosecutor pounds away. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. I wonder if any of Alex's pediatrician records still exist after all this time. A Lehigh County jury spared convicted double murderer Patricia Rorrer's life Monday after hearing impassioned pleas for mercy from her lawyer and family, and being assured there is no parole from . Tue, Sep 27, 2022 60 mins. Lehigh Cty.) Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. 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. But thats just some of the ammo on Team Patricias battleship. This was where Joann regularly parked her car and became an even more likely crime scene when the evidence of the basement break-in was discovered. 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. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . . They were hardly decomposed after a mild winter. And the fact that Patricia called Andrew even after he married someone else didnt mean she was still carrying a torch for him, according to one of her friends. Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016. Please walk thru her website and see for yourself how easy it is to be convicted of something you had nothing to do with. Now retired, he declined ForensicFilesNow.coms invitation to spar directly with Patricia via a podcast. Phil and Rell will be released on Monday, as well as Leroy Cotton and Jimmy Jackson. 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, https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/convenient-suspect-a-wrongful-conviction-in-the-murder-in-lehigh-valley. But Patricia had moved from Pennsylvania years ago, and she'd started her own family in North Carolina. But her reputation wasnt exactly sleek and shiny. His film Whitey: United States of America V. James J. Bulgeruncovered law enforcement corruption at the highest levels. Patricia Taylor Allanson, the Deadly Magnolia, was released from prison in 1999. Of course she did--because all that was out there on me was fake news. 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. But there was only one day in question, so it feels like Patricia might have been overselling her story. Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. The authorities charged her with two counts of murder. Patricia has been wrongfully convicted of murdering Joann and Alex Katrinak in 1994. I can't recall if the long distance calls were talked about in the show. 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. after the fact. Startling new allegations surround one of Lehigh County's most notorious murder cases. Patricia Rorrer, an ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, was found guilty of the crimes and sentenced to life in prison. Further, an early FBI report said the hairs found in the car had no roots which contain the DNA suggesting an evidence switcheroo. Do any of the TV episodes suggest the possibility of their being held alive for some time? Wake up people this could be you! By that time, we had both moved on and I had no romantic feelings for him. Copyright 2021 Patricia Rorrer - All Rights Reserved. For two decades, Patricia Rorrer has always maintained her innocence. Episode 7. Dance defense. 6-10. Then 31 years old, she had lived a rocky existence. Patricia Rorrer: Under the Microscope: Patty Rorrer is convicted of the kidnapping and murder of her ex-boyfriend's wife and infant son, but "Wrong Man" investigators discover that the case is not so clear cut. And because of the gun jamming, the assailant had to resort to blunt object and beat her about the head. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. -, Press J to jump to the feed. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Joe Berlingers documentary series Wrong Man shows what long form documentary journalism can achieve. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. With 400 (and 6) episodes, this progress bar indicates my progress toward finishing all of them. Patricia knew her gun tended to jam, but she used it anyway. for the sole purpose of building a stronger case against Andy, their main suspect at the time. There was also a 2017 Dateline Keith Morrison episode which covered some of these facts. Investigation Discovery is profiling the murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son. 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 who still believe in Patricia Rorrer's innocence say it was long enough for him to stage the scene. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. Select "match all" to require all fields. When Andrew was told of the location of his young family's remains, he offered investigators a lead. In November 2005, she shoots Keith in the head while he . Finally, four months after that dreadful day in December, a farmer plowing his fields found what at first seemed to be a pile of discarded clothing. Shes just extremely happy with Andy, her brother, Michael OConnor, told the media. 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. A closer examination of the hairs showed traces of dried blood. At the very least, prosecutors got their story very wrong as they convicted Patricia. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. A newspaper account described Patricia as a soft-spoken, demure woman who had a sweet Southern accent and wore feminine clothes in court. Weak wages. I was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. 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. Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. . Leave a comment below, or contact us! Rachael Ray Ending After 17 Seasons: Its Time for Me to Move On. As a result, Salas, who did not have legal representation at the time of filming, was offered pro bono representation by a Washington State attorney, who believes in his innocence. Joseph Kocevar: Criminal Investigator, - Maj. Robert Werts: Homicide Investigator, Dr. Elizabeth Murray, Forensic Anthropologist, Brad Jackson was able to describe what his daughter Valiree was wearing, Jason Funk's role in Katie Froeschle's murder, Patricia Rorrer has repeatedly appealed for a retrial and exoneration, thoroughly researched article about the Patricia Rorrer case, Earl Bramblett murder of entire Hodges family, Darryl Kuehl take over murder of Paul Gruber, "the police actually said that, Oh, she probably ran away with someone. In a million years, Joann would never, never have run away. 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. 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. The jury found Patricia guilty in just 6 hours in 1998, 4 years after the crime. Success! On December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son Alex disappeared without a trace from . 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. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. The second season will continue to uncover new theories and reveal startling new evidence that could prove that three new inmates are, in fact, not guilty, according to Starzs press statement. He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. It was a pretty big deal, and i was excited enough to call everyone I knew. 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. Shes extremely, extremely happy with the baby. This is a list of notable female murderers whose name begins with the letter R. She is a tough one, Sheriff Gerald Hege would later tell the Morning Call in a June 29, 1997 interview. Her hair color in the picture matched hairs found at two of the crime scenes. ", "Everything is outrageous," he said. She had a lawyer who never tried a crimsoned case let alone a murder case, she believed that it would not be a problem because she was innocent. Together they had a baby girl, Nicole. And why was my defense not provided with the "No Roots Attached" report which is exculpatory evidence, at trial.? For this week, I looked into the defenders reasoning as well as Patricias whereabouts today. My case in a nutshell is this: I was convicted on a DNA match made to the root of a hair found in the victim's car which was located 15 miles from the crime scene. This was my thought (I'm behind and just caught the 2nd half yesterday). They also found a photo of Patricia taken 11 days before the homicide. It's been more than 20 years since Patricia Rorrer was convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend . Ive seen the forensics files episode a few times and Im shocked at how it could be so wrong! Lawyer: New evidence in 1994 killings of woman, infant, Patricia Rorrer serving life sentence for killing Joann Katrinak, 3-month-old son, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. 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. Stable situation. Rorrer was tried and convicted in 1994 for the brutal killing of Katrinak and her three-month-old son. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? Cancel Anytime. Artificial intelligence and machine learning education and literacy: teacher training for primary and secondary education teachers; Chapter 2. Then, despite her multiple alibis, she has an inexplicable five-day gap in this pattern. When Joann failed to arrive, her mother-in-law tried calling, but there was no answer at the Katrinak's. 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. Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. A hearing on the issue got heated Tuesday. Every time you take your infant to the Dr., they take measurements, so I'm wondering if records exist that show the baby was always in the higher percentile, or if he was say, 60-70th percentile, then suddenly BAM! But the Wrong Man team brought in their own experts to review the detailed information on the corpses. Everyone needs to wake up because this could be you, your wife, your husband, your mother, your father, your children! Select "match any" to find at least one field. (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. FBI didn't follow up on Patricia's alibi for months (6 months?) 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's sad looking back at those Forensic Files episodes where the science was junk but they portray it as a solid case. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. At the trial, prosecutor Michael McIntyre alleged that Patricia remained obsessed with Andrew Katrinak long after their breakup despite testimony that shed had many boyfriends and live-in lovers to occupy her bandwidth. 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. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. Most convictions were procured through microscopic hair comparison which has been debunked as junk science today. 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. In 2015, an outside source, through a freedom of information act request, received an FBI . Starting at. After Tapp served nearly 21 years of his sentence, the real killer was finally found through forensic genealogy, according to Time. Police slowly built a case against Patricia. For example, the weight of each organ was listed, it was clear they were not very decomposed. 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. 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. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. The Free Patricia Rorrer page responds to comments from supporters (How is this even possible that this woman is still in jail?!? However, it seems this was only after the bodies of Joann and Alex were found on the remote horse trail. Another former boyfriend said she talked about Andrew frequently and liked to gaze at old photos of him. And dance instructor William Jarrett couldnt remember whether she attended his dance class at the club the night of Joanns disappearance. Criminals aren't always the smartest folks - this area highlights the common (and reoccurring) mistakes they make. Nailed? Mizgerd said Rorrer is aware the show is airing and is hopeful it may bring new attention to her case. Prosecutors offered Patricia a plea deal that would take the death penalty off the table, but she declined. 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. 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. Tribute Archive This had been taken just 11 days before Joann's disappearance. He framed this woman who has been in prison 23 years! Meanwhile, interest in Patricias plight continues on social media. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia.
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