TV-14 Information Genre Documentary Released 2022 Run Time 42 min Rated TV-14 Languages Original Audio English . More importantly, the 3 month old baby was the size of a 6 month old, including to have a cranial diameter bigger than 99.99% of all 3 month olds. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. For more on the Katrinak murder case, you can watch Autopsy Six: A Fatal Attraction for free on YouTube. Patricias professional life included short-lived gigs as a Century 21 real estate agent and an Oldsmobile salesperson. However, as profiled on IDs Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters, Joanns husbands ex-girlfriend, Patricia Rorrer, was eventually identified as their perpetrator. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? Three days later, Joann had plans to pick up her mother-in-law, Veronica Katrinak, to go Christmas shopping. In the Katrinak case, they did new (at the time) DNA testing to match the hairs found in the car to Patricia. 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. They allege that the North Carolina resident stealthily drove 500 miles to Pennsylvania and killed out of a sense of deadly indignation. She was born on July 27, 1942, in Henry County, Va., to Edward Rorrer and Susie Morrison Rorrer. (Disclaimer: Im not a big fan of eyewitnesses who come forward years after the fact, but its possible). Probable cause of death: exposure. Wouldn't he have tried to call his mother recall it was with her Joann had planned to go Christmas shopping. . The 5-foot-9-inch-tall Patricia was physically strong, no match for 5-foot-4-inch Joann. Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. 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. One she was out buying feed for horses. Probable cause of death: exposure. But investigators conceded they had no solid evidence against Andrew. Joann grabbed her purse, the diaper bag, and their coats against the December chill in Pennsylvania. In November 2005, she shoots Keith in the head while he . Pat Rorrer received a sentence of life imprisonment for her crime. On closer inspection, he saw it was the body of a woman. Its proximity to the stable she'd managed made an undeniable association to her. The FBI waiting up to 6 months to question people in the class makes it near impossible for her to prove that she was actually there on a random Thursday night. The past two owners of the gun's yards were dug up and many casings of the .22 were discovered. This was further disproved when her bank reported there'd been no activity on Joann's credit cards since her disappearance. Exactly one week after Joann and Alex went missing, the FBI interviewed me at my mother's house. Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. He would be alive today if it were not for Patricia Rorrer. The mild-mannered Sarah died in 2019 at the age of 83. Deal refused. Error! On December 7, 1994 I called Andy to let him know that me and my team had won the National Championship at a team penning competition in Oklahoma. He will never be able to speak if this case! But none of those charges ever stuck. During Patricias hours-long turn in the witness chair, Michael McIntyre grilled her relentlessly. 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? . Tapps lawyer saidWrong Mans in-depth investigation into the Tapp conviction helped free an innocent man.. Image credit: Episode screen capture from, - Sarah OConnor: Joann Katrinaks Mother, - Det. 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. 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. Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports is also available on YouTube, but it costs $1.99 to view (Keith comes off as an advocate for Patricias innocence on the episode). ", "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. More hairs there. Select "match all" to require all fields. Trash-talking ex. Bio by: Karen Valentine 1 hr 25 min Mar 5, 2017 TV-14. Documentary Sep 20, 2022 42 min iTunes. 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. (QUIZ), RAW: FILE: CHRIS ROCK IS SET TO MAKE NETFLIX HISTORY, Outlast Forces Lone Wolf Contestants to Embrace Team Dynamics for Netflix Competition, Diego Luna: Andor Ending With Season 2 Is Really Important for My Mental Health. He said that the gun had an unusual characteristic: the gun would jam after firing one shot. ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. She has been incarcerated for 24+ years. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. During that call, Joann apparently grabbed the phone and told Patricia never to phone her husband again. Detective Robert Werts stated Rorrer offered four or five alibis for the time of the incident. It's been more than 20 years since Patricia Rorrer was convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend's wife, Joann Katrinak, and Katrinak's baby. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had "almond-shaped blue eyes," weighed 18 . "I'm hoping this [show] will be very close to the truth," said Sandy Mizgerd. The missing items included Joann's purse, car, both her and Alex's winter jackets, and the diaper bag. Police treated Joann's car as a potential crime scene, and their investigation turned up several blonde hairs on the head rest. And Patricia wasnt all edges. Wrong Man says she had normally signed in for her line dancing class but didn't on the day Joann and Alex disappeared. Patricia seemed like the girl next door but all of a sudden, something snapped, Katrinak later told Wrong Man investigators. "When I read that petition for the first time about 30 days ago, I couldn't believe it was written by a lawyer.". Neely said the first officer on the scene didn't believe Rorrer committed the crime. MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J. The Free Patricia Rorrer page points to a sliver of a fingernail found at the murder site that didnt come from either Patricia or Joann. Also she worked as a realtor so it's not that unreasonable for her to know which line to cut. State law requires that patrons of the bar sign-in when they come to the bar. Counsel for Patricia Rorrer, 52, . Chapter 1. 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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDGl9dMgHwY&fbclid=IwAR1nlAYf6AcIu_i8kN0fD_MCD3CnxJ6DG_oUgVFdqN3b2EJ4fcLO2ci3wWc. Two of the seasons three cases will feature female inmates. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Joann was fun, likable, beautiful, always happy, said her sister-in-law Cindy Wiard. By: Robert S. In 1994, Joann Katrinak called her mother-in-law and made plans to go holiday shopping. Where does one pick up flower petal in the dead of winter in PA.? Tragedy also touched Patricias life. "I'm very angry, very very very angry," McIntyre said. Rorrer has filed a petition to get new evidence admissible that he said could set her free. Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband . The bodies of Joann Katrinak and her baby were found in a wooded area of Heidelberg Township in 1994. We need to know who killed them! Although the prosecution used it as evidence that she was trying to create a false alibi, it actually sounded more like Patricia was simply trying to nail down the facts he had already asserted to her. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Police converged on the scene and soon realized it was not only the remains of Joann Katrinak, but sadly of Alex too. No one is safe if the justice system is broken and they are putting innocent people in prison. Sad part is this could be your mother, father, kids, all love ones and friends! Patricias defenders also say Andrew Katrinak staged the scene at his house by prying the door and cutting the phone line. Unbloody vehicle. Felix (Phil) Rosado and Terrell (Rell) Woolfolk-Carter, WELCOME HOME!!!!! (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. Any ideas why the fact that their bodies didnt appear to have been in the woods as long as previously thought wasnt brought up in court? 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? There was also a 2017 Dateline Keith Morrison episode which covered some of these facts. Our team of volunteers are committed to helping Patricia. The defense called into question both the motive and the shaky DNA hair evidence at the time. But when did he find the evidence of the break-in? Her husband Andrew's mother expected Joann to arrive quickly, since they only lived a few minutes away. Finally, prosecutors challenged Patricia's alibi. I wonder if any of Alex's pediatrician records still exist after all this time. 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. She did buy a .22 before. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. Friends and family began looking for Joann and Alex. In June of 2016 Patricia Rorrer's petition for a new trial was been thrown out. Patricia is and has been fighting that she is innocent from the very beginning. Some recurring themes in Forensic Files facinate me. There was an error processing your request. Another case is Patricia Rorrer, who has been in prison since 1998, convicted of the murder of a young mother and her 16-week old son in Pennsylvania. Police couldnt determine whether the baby died of exposure or suffocation. ", "I think she gave us something like four or five alibis as to where she was at. 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. Illustration of the location of mitochondrial DNA in human cells. 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. What would a crime show be without them? Mizgerd said she acts as Patricia Rorrer's spiritual advisor and often visits her in prison. Since then, Patricia has appealed her case and fought for exoneration, only to always be denied. '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. I dont think she was ever scared until we put the cuffs on her.. Joann was shot once, then the gun jammed. The show is broadcast on truTV, narrated by Peter Thomas, and produced by Medstar Television, in association with truTV Original Productions.It has broadcast 406 episodes since its debut on TLC in 1996 as Medical Detectives. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. Wrong Man investigators interrogated a confidential informant, the main witness against Evaristo Salas, and he recanted his testimony. Its doors were locked, but the keys were inside the vehicle. 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. After a very early failed marriage, the 24-year-old Joann scored a new husband in Andrew Katrinak, 38, whom she met at a club. We take wrongful convictions to heart. 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. Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. S5 E7: Patricia Rorrer sits in prison for brutally murdering her ex-boyfriend's wife and baby out of spite. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) 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. Book her. 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. 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. The state police dropped him as a suspect. Right now she has no attorney and your generous donation will fund our mission. Your support and contributions will enable us to meet our goals and improve the legal counsel for Patricia. Patricia Taylor Allanson, the Deadly Magnolia, was released from prison in 1999. Does anyone see motive in this scenario? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! To really understand this case, you need to sit down and read this book called Convenient Suspect written by Tammy Mal. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. He contributed to Altvariety, Chiseler, Smashpipe, and other magazines. During these 4 years, many in the Lehigh Valley, PA community developed opinions on the case. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. Crime 2017. Nailed? The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. Thats my life.. A hearing on the issue got heated Tuesday. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol. But "Wrong Man" investigators discover that there is . She claimed to have been home during this period how did her defense team justify such a departure from Patricia's norm? further reading: True Detective Season 3 and the West Memphis Three. Season 1 had a tangible impact on all three cases that were examined. RR, Watch the Forensic Files episode on YouTube, Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports, The Lindbergh Kidnapping: Forensic Files Lost Episode, Dawn Fehring: A Missionary Dies Too Young, Joanne Chambers and Paula Nawrocki: Strange Lesson. So, this pointed to a theory that Joann had either left on her own or encountered foul play within her home. The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. Our Mission. She is a true crime writer who believed I was 100% guilty when she decided to write about my case. How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. The person responsible, needs to be punished. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Patricia's investigators are petitioning to DNA test the single strain of hair found in Joann's hand. Patricia has been wrongfully convicted of murdering Joann and Alex Katrinak in 1994. It showed her usually all-brown hair haphazardly highlighted blond. Joe Berlingers documentary series Wrong Man shows what long form documentary journalism can achieve. But if Andrew wanted to find his wife and his son, why on Earth did he wait until 10:30pm before notifying authorities? A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. She got 12 months of probation for shoplifting at a Walmart in Lexington, North Carolina. And because of the gun jamming, the assailant had to resort to blunt object and beat her about the head. (QUIZ), RAW: FILE: CHRIS ROCK IS SET TO MAKE NETFLIX HISTORY, Outlast Forces Lone Wolf Contestants to Embrace Team Dynamics for Netflix Competition, Diego Luna: Andor Ending With Season 2 Is Really Important for My Mental Health. Regarding the gun, she claims to have said that she didn't have a gun at that time, not that she never had one. Rorrer claims the DNA . Most prosecutors wouldn't even take such paltry evidence into court today. After relocating to Pennsylvania, Patricia met the 6-foot-2-inch Andrew in a restaurant. Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016. ACLU says it could take legal action over Saucon Valley School District rescinding approval for After School Satan Club, 'He was a very humble guy': Reading High soccer coach remembers player killed in Route 33 crash, Big rig crashes from I-81 bridge onto street below in Schuylkill, Eat, Sip, Shop: Refresh your ride at new Lehigh County store, selling high-quality car detailing products, Fire broke out in a Lower Macungie apartment building, Champions of Magic's Alex McAleer gives an exciting look at the upcoming live show, Pet of the Month: Nina from Ruff Life Rescue, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor needs volunteers, Allentown Public Library celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday with children's activities, Kindness Project teams up with Flavor Nation to give away free tacos, History's Headlines: The Lehigh Valley's music man, Berks County Parks invites people to their Winter Wellness Walk, Royals host "kids takeover" game where kids get a taste of the sports business, Wilson School students raise $83k to fight childhood cancer, Berks County Intermediate Unit receives $3.18 million in grants for Head Start programs, 'First in the nation' bill to provide free screenings for breast cancer to receive full Pa. 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? . 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 am humbly asking for your help to hire a lawyer and procure a fair trial. Tribute Archive As for Joanns parents, her father died a year after the murder. With Lynnanne Zager, Joann Katrinak, Alex Katrinak, Patricia Rorrer. Berlingers landmark HBO documentary Paradise Lost Trilogy helped lead to the release of the wrongfully convicted West Memphis Three after 18 years of incarceration. 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. Since 2010, Tammy has been researching the 1994 Katrinak murders in Catasauqua. Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. But was Andrew in on this plan? 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. Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. Movies/Documentaries Murder in Lehigh Valley Forensic Files: A Woman Scorned Deadly Women: Green-Eyed Monsters. Detective Barry Grube found it odd that Andrew fixed the severed phone line before police examined it in essence tampering with evidence. After retracing the prosecutor's claim of Patricia breaking into the basement door, private investigators found it highly unlikely someone like Patricia would have all the tools and know-how to unscrew all the bolts and then navigate through a very long, confusing dark basement to cut a phone line. Andrew's second look in and around their home revealed some disturbing clues. He is the TV Editor at Entertainment. Value of cutting back on your screen time, What the Tech? She was always looking for a fight, Gary Gabard told the Morning Call, which noted that he was a head shorter than Patricia. Combine keywords and attributes to find specific items. He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. 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. In 1995 DNA testing was brand new. 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. See Patricia Rorrer full list of movies and tv shows from their career. The episode claimed the jury required just two hours to deliberate, but other sources indicate it took six. 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? I didn't see other potential suspects highlighted. 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. Around April 1995, the cold and badly decomposed remains of 26-year-old Joann Katrinak and her 3.5-month-old toddler Alex Katrinak were recovered from the woods in Heidelberg Township, Pennsylvania. Police identified the pair as Joann and Alex Katrinak. "Our position is that Patricia Rorrer's sample hairs were switched with crime scene hair, the hair taken from the seat back of Katrinak's vehicle," Neely said. It's as if she had left with young Alex as planned but then somehow simply vanished. It certainly tugged at our heartstrings, you know, it brought a tear to my eye. She was thus sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole, plus an added 10-20 years for the kidnapping charges, to be served consecutively. . And the kidnapping scenario became more plausible when you factor in the privacy of the alleyway behind the Katrinak house. She was bubbly and likable, not disgruntled, according to friend Kathy Barber, who visited her friend in jail. 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. Where to Watch. PATRICIA LYNNE RORRER Appellant No. 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. Patricia denied owning a .22 caliber pistol (the type of gun used to kill Joann). Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. There is a 2-part episode on Wrong Man that just came out this year. This was my thought (I'm behind and just caught the 2nd half yesterday). Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. She said that shes no fan of Forensic Files and that the show had many misrepresentations about her case and that shed heard ForensicFilesNow.com mixed up some facts as well. Select "match any" to find at least one field. Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. 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. More than 20 years after her conviction, Patricia Rorrer still has advocates working to exonerate her. The victims vanished on December 15. This is the hard part. 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. Great catch. The FBI Files (Family Secrets) mentioned that Patty also lied about being at a tanning salon. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos.