So now, lets find out everything there is to know about her, shall we? Phone records confirmed Patricia placed the earlier call from North Carolina, not Pennsylvania. Flaw in reasoning. Inside the Alex Murdaugh Double Murder Trial: Could He Go Free? Patricia Rorrer has been portrayed as a bully, petty thief, neglectful horse owner, and heartless killer or a sweet, caring friend railroaded by authorities desperate to solve a double-murder case that snagged worldwide interest. ID has joined forces with Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison to revisit a 1994 double-murder that rattled Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. But when Joann and Alex suddenly vanished from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home on December 15, 1994, suspicion immediately turned towards Andy. It makes you crazy, because you challenge her with every allegation, and she acquits herself. I also communicated with Patricia via email to get her input on some matters. 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. Thats my life.. % Patricia Rorrer: An Update - Forensic Files Now Both sides agree Joann hung up on Patricia. My husband passed away of a broken heart, Sarah OConnor said on the Montel Williams Show in 2001. No charmed life. 728 views. The phone wire was located at the opposite end of the basement, which was dark. After six hours of deliberations, in March 1998, a jury found Patricia guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping. The family of Joseph Smedley, who was found dead in a lake in 2015, still want answers about a mysterious text message and a backpack full of rocks. Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. Rorrer was convicted of murdering Joann Katrinak and her 3 month old son. %Ll-{Xjd>=ktWeO]g&7y1i8|il_s= 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. Partly to mostly cloudy, brisk, and cool. No show. Andrew Katrinak reported missing his wife, Joanne and 3.5-month-old son, Alex, in December 1994. For one thing, her mother never asked Sandra Ireland to hide the gun, and she retrieved it on the way home the next day she worked as a bus driver and couldnt take it with her to school. She failed miserably to convince me, or anyone else who mattered, of her innocence. Success! After Patricia and Andrew broke up in 1990, she moved back to North Carolina but the two remained in touch through sporadic visits and phone calls. Authorities confirm former fugitive, Leticia Smith was extradited from Mexico to California. An award-winning journalist who has worked forRolling Stone and MTV News, Chris enjoys prog rock, cycling, Marvel movies, IPAs, and roller coasters. Pal stays true. State police and the Philadelphia division of the FBI appealed to the public for leads. (A good point. Forensic tests suggested the hair found in the car and at the murder scene came from Patricia. Neely said once state police started to focus on Rorrer as a potential suspect, they went to North Carolina where she was living and they obtained a sample of her hair to compare to the ones found at the scene. Tammy Mal is a true-crime writer whos written for True Detective Magazine and Absolute Crime Publishing. Her mother, Patricia Chambers, provided day care for their baby son, Charles. American Catherine Serou sent her mother a text that read, I hope Im not being abducted.. Peacock Productions, a division of NBC News, is a nonfiction production company that combines the editorial expertise, technical resources, and seasoned talent of NBCUniversal to create series, events, and live specials for global audiences. According to the prosecution it was enough to convict. Stable situation. All rights reserved. Why did the police center all their attention on a hair found 15 miles from the crime scene, but ignore physical evidence left directly on the bodies? She has been telling the same story for over 20 years, Morrison explains. DNA from that and a cigarette butt linked Patricia to the offense. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . 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. Motion for Discovery (pdf) Download. Then, they explore who might actually have done t Spider-Man: No Way Home (Extended Version), TV-MA | 6 SEASONS | DRAMA, LITERARY/BOOK BASED, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. He said, "Frankly, I was appalled at what I saw. DNA testing showed that Rorrer could not be excluded as the source of the hairs. Suzanne Pearson fabricated quotes from Patricia including her claim that Patricia said, Im going to the electric chair upon her arrest because a conviction would boost Pearsons career. Read more: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs. Patricia Lynne Rorrer. Shes attracted the help of writer Tammy Mal (full name Tammy Malinowski OReilly), author of Convenient Suspect, a book about the case. Rorrer and Andrew broke off their . Today, her attorney says not only was his client wrongfully convicted, but she was framed. How would an intruder find it? 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The cause of death has not been determined, according to officials. Together they had a baby girl, Nicole. Contained in Superior Courts 22-page opinion are a minimum of 24 factual errors; many of which are extremely serious. With an appeal pending in Pennsylvania Superior Court that includes allegations of a frame-up, coercion by the District Attorneys office, misidentification of a witness and evidence tampering all of which the state vehemently denies veteran journalist and Dateline NBC correspondent Keith Morrison revisits the crimes in an all-new special MURDER IN LEHIGH VALLEY: KEITH MORRISON INVESTIGATES. She currently has an appeal pending in Pennsylvania Superior Court. 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). A five-year investigation of the case has uncovered compelling new evidence that they did not. 1:57. Sir I would not kill somebody and I definitely wouldnt kill somebody I never met, Rorrer said. Meticulous primping. The police considered the possibility that Joann ran away, a theory disputed by her family. Neely said this new information could reopen the case and set Rorrer free. Will There Finally Be Justice For Megan McDonald? The Ex Files: Directed by Rob Rosen. Young mother Michelle OConnell died under suspicious circumstances while at the house of herboyfriend, who was serving as a sheriff'sdeputy at the time. Photo by: Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image, Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Image. Lehigh Valley: Patricia Rorrer Still A Convenient Suspect? Patricia Rorrer was a cold woman. You might think such a thing couldnt happen, but thats exactly what did happen in the Rorrer case. For more information, please visit InvestigationDiscovery.com, facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery, or twitter.com/DiscoveryID. 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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. Trash-talking ex. Now retired, he declined ForensicFilesNow.coms invitation to spar directly with Patricia via a podcast. 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? 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. 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. After more than 20 years, questions are finally being raised about the many problems that plague this case, and the compelling evidence that points to the wrongful conviction of Patricia Rorrer. Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. ), And in another bombshell, Joanns good friend Karen Devine said Joann planned to leave Andrew after the holidays. Investigators theorized that this action angered Patricia into a jealous rage that ended with abduction and murder. The prosecution alleged that Patricia called the Katrinaks house from a pay phone in Pennsylvania. Alexs cause of death has never been determined. 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. She was sentenced to two life terms in prison without parole. 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. And James Pfeiffer and Jim Burke have remained on her side. Investigators in Nashville, Tennessee are looking for help identifying a young female found deceased in 2018. Both bodies were found four months later along a rural trail close to where Rorrer used to ride horses. 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. He said she did own a firearm, with its serial numbers filed off. 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?. Later, they both worked 12-hour graveyard shifts at a textile factory. Uncover shocking new evidence in Patricia Rorrer's case with a new episode of #WrongMan, now on the STARZ App. Katrinak's husband's ex-girlfriend was convicted of the crime, but now there's a possibility the case could be reopened. Judge's Order Granting Discovery (pdf) Download. The media love the femme fatale., FBI lab blunder. Combination locks. She just stayed in touch with everybody, Kathy Barber said in her interview on NBCs Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports in 2017. 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. 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. Is the wrong person serving a pair of life sentences for the 1994 kidnapping and killing of Pennsylvania mother Joann Katrinak and her 3-month-old son, Alex? RR, Watch the Forensic Files episode on YouTube, Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Reports, 7 Unnerving Facts About the Lindberghs and the Kidnapping, The Lindbergh Kidnapping: Forensic Files Lost Episode, Dawn Fehring: A Missionary Dies Too Young, Daniel and Cynthia McDonnell: Good Cop, Bad Wife. And Patricia wasnt all edges. She is a tough one, Sheriff Gerald Hege would later tell the Morning Call in a June 29, 1997 interview. Neely said, "One document of, which I have right in front of me here specifically states that the hairs from the seat back that were looked at by the FBI did not have a hair root.". Despite the new evidence and hypotheses, the courts have rejected all of Patricias bids for a new trial. Kidnapped and killed? Her friends say she was railroaded by the system and they want Chris and Fatima to join their fight to free her. Why was no root noted on the hairs found in Joanns car until, Why does the FBIs own report state that the hairs found in Joanns car. They allege that the North Carolina resident stealthily drove 500 miles to Pennsylvania and killed out of a sense of deadly indignation. On December 14, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court denied Ms. Rorrer's petition for allowance of appeal, concluding her state appellate proceedings. Patricia Lynne Rorrer made for a good suspect. By the mid-1990s, Patricia was known for being both warm and caring as well as aggressive and loud. See production, box office & company info. Patricia Rorrer has been portrayed as a bully, petty thief, neglectful horse owner, and heartless killer or a sweet, caring friend railroaded by authorities desperate to solve a double-murder case that snagged worldwide interest. 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. 2 0 obj 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. The person responsible, needs to be punished. Superior Court notes that Rorrers attorney, Craig Neely, is being paid at. Patricia Rorrer is serving a life sentence, convicted of driving 500 miles to kill her ex-boyfriend's new wife and his baby. Sundays special is the first of at least two Morrison is working on with Investigation Discovery, who he says have given me unlimited freedom to look into cases that interest me.. I was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. Photo by: Harry Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Images, Harry Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty Images. Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand Up, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Joann Katrinaks car was later found next door in the parking lot of a local tavern. 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). Meanwhile, the case of the missing mother and baby turned into colossal news across the U.S. and internationally. Still, no good leads materialized. There was an error processing your request. Plus, two men, her babys father and his friend, testified they saw Patricia at the line-dancing club the night of the homicide. Further, an early FBI report said the hairs found in the car had no roots which contain the DNA suggesting an evidence switcheroo. The article also notes that most inmates earn around 19 cent an hour at their jobs and must pay $5 each time they need medical attention or medicine. WATCH: ID Examines 1994 Lehigh Valley Double-Murder - People The authorities charged her with two counts of murder. Starting at. Katrinak's husband's ex-girlfriend was convicted of the crime, but now there's a possibility the case could be reopened. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. Plus: Young boys body found in Nevada freezer; man accused of murdering, and Florida serial killer convicted of three murders. Investigation Discovery on Twitter: "Patricia Rorrer sits in prison for Therefore, when Andrew revealed that his ex once worked in a barn near the site of his wife and sons bodies, she became a suspect. Walmart woe. Plus: Dead Louisiana woman found fused to sofa; JonBent Ramseys father seeks governors help with DNA testing; Australian man incarcerated for killing gay American in 1988; and Pennsylvania mother shoots her two boys in the head. After eliminating Andrew as a suspect in the killings, detectives set their sights on Rorrer, charging her with two counts of murder and kidnapping. Why would somebody tell you, theyre going to fry me, if they didnt do it? Jarrett told Wrong Man. Have You Seen Missing Colorado Man Jance Wesly Varela? 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. The Innocence Project has declined to take her case. Although Rorrer would deny any involvement in the crime, the evidence against her seemed almost overwhelming. 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. Testimony from Walter Blalock contradicted Patricias claim that she never had a gun. The Free Patricia Rorrer page responds to comments from supporters (How is this even possible that this woman is still in jail?!? Andrew told investigators that the unpleasant phone call between Joann and Patricia happened just three days before his wifes disappearance. Authorities said a vehicle previously purchased in Lake Orion, Michigan is linked to this Cape Girardeau, Missouri mystery. Patricia Rorrer - Forensic Files Now And yikes, he discovered someone had cut one of the houses phone lines and pried the hinge on the basement door. Since that time, Rorrer has held out hope that Pennsylvania's Superior Court would grant her a hearing to examine the new evidence that has come to light in her case. The team calls on experts to take a fresh look at the evidence that led to Kenneth Clair's conviction in the brutal murder of Linda Rodgers. Moreover, Patricia had been accused of breaking into barns, stealing horses, and underfeeding the ones she cared for charges that never stuck. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Donna Fisher/Allentown Morning Call/TNS via Getty, Arrests Made in Connection with Deadly Druggings at N.Y.C. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. i-InD6g~v~}saG\R -(QdB]+[1xlm>Hv%} i{Fb=i~{/7=hn/JzF3XuccBb Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. They released a poster of Joann and Alex, noting that the baby had almond-shaped blue eyes, weighed 18 pounds, and was circumcised. Or did they? Patricia seemed like the girl next door but all of a sudden, something snapped, Katrinak later told Wrong Man investigators. 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. Unbloody vehicle. 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In 1994, a mother, Joann Katrinak, and her baby disappeared and their bodies were later found in Heidelberg Township. 2023 Warner Bros. Those who knew Joann pointed out that she didnt like to drive in reverse and would have never parked that way. Her brother returned home but she never did. Media galore. 1 talking about this. 2023 Warner Bros. Incriminating words. Joann Katrinaks Killer Still Has Innocence Advocates(A Woman Scorned, Forensic Files). She has never deviated. Its definitely getting rougher every day, Andrew told the Morning Call. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? A nail that does. Dannarriah Finley was only weeks away from turning 5-years-old when she was snatched from her bedroom in the middle of the night, police say. Since that time, Rorrer has held out hope that Pennsylvanias Superior Court would grant her a hearing to examine the new evidence that has come to light in her case. You can read the court documents in their entirety here. Shes the author of four books: Little Girl Lost, Disposable Income, Tortured Minds, and Murder in Susquehanna County. The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. Patricia Rorrer was wrongfully convicted of Murder. 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. Self - Retired Detective Sergeant Homicide Investigator Birmingham AL Police Dept. Investigation Discovery (ID) is the leading mystery-and-suspense network on television. On Aug. 5, 1993, Holly Piirainen, 10, and her brother went to a neighbor's house to play with puppies. This all started because Rorrer filed under the Freedom of Information Act for records from the FBI. 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. Jennifer and Sarah Hart killed themselves and murdered their six adopted children in 2018 by driving their SUV off a cliff in California. Legal Expert Weighs In, Suspect Arrested in Killings of Four University of Idaho Students, Back to the '90s: ID Specials Reexamine Decade that Launched True Crime Craze. DNA testing revealed the blood came from either Joann or her son.

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