In his dissenting opinion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas acknowledged the case might not have even been heard by the Supreme Court had it not been for the media that reinvestigated it. Joanns first husband, New Jersey construction worker Michael Jack, who had reportedly abused her during their marriage, also had a solid alibi. As is the alibi (signing into a dance class), one regular at the dance club said the sign-in sheet was not regularly used by many patrons. 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. 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. One she was out buying feed for horses. I was able to email with Patricia via the PrisonConnect platform around Christmastime. Joann grabbed her purse, the diaper bag, and their coats against the December chill in Pennsylvania. DNA from that and a cigarette butt linked Patricia to the offense. Patricia Rorrer, an ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband, was found guilty of the crimes and sentenced to life in prison. Patricia seemed like the girl next door but all of a sudden, something snapped, Katrinak later told Wrong Man investigators. 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. Search is on. I knew when Joann was pregnant and although surprised because Andy had once told me he didn't want children and wasn't sure he could have children, I was again happy for him. Meticulous primping. 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. And Andrews explanation of how the intruder got in through the basement door seemed contrived, according to Grube, who gave an interview to Wrong Man, a 2020 true-crime docuseries from the Starz network, which produced two episodes called The Hang Up about the Rorrer case. When their bodies were found four months later, police sought the clues to find their killer. Patricia defaulted on her mortgage and then returned to North Carolina, where she eventually moved in with a boyfriend named Brian Ward. There was an error processing your request. 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. In June of 2016 Patricia Rorrer's petition for a new trial was been thrown out. Patricia was arrested in North Carolina in June of 1997. PATRICIA RORRER OBITUARY. 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. This is crazy. I was convicted on the basis of a DNA match made to the root of one (1) hair found in Joann's car. Media galore. No one is safe if the justice system is broken and they are putting innocent people in prison. She was born on Jan. 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania and moved back and forth between there and Davidson County, North Carolina. A young mother and her infant son suddenly went missing just before Christmas in 1994. for the sole purpose of building a stronger case against Andy, their main suspect at the time. How to do some spring cleaning on your smartphone, What the Tech? Joann was shot once, then the gun jammed. They allege that the North Carolina resident stealthily drove 500 miles to Pennsylvania and killed out of a sense of deadly indignation. The phone wire was located at the opposite end of the basement, which was dark. To date, the PA courts refuse to let me test this evidence which will prove my innocence. They broke up in 1993. "I'm hoping this [show] will be very close to the truth," said Sandy Mizgerd. 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. Today, Rorrer's attorney says not only is his client innocent, but she was framed. At 10:30 p.m., Andrew reported his wife missing. 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. Any amount will deeply appreciated. Wish me luck! EPISODE 1. She asked to speak with Andrew, who was home during the call; Joann refused. This explosive case is back in the spotlight, reopening old wounds and creating new ones. Patricias accusers theorized that she resented Joanns domestic bliss with the tall, athletic Andrew Katrinak. Illustration of the location of mitochondrial DNA in human cells. Use quotation marks to search as a The victims vanished on December 15. ", "I think she gave us something like four or five alibis as to where she was at. 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. However, it seems this was only after the bodies of Joann and Alex were found on the remote horse trail. 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. Um why is that? Rorrer was the ex-girlfriend of Joann's husband Andy but the ex-couple hadn't spoken for close to a year until they had a call one day in December, 1994. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. After all, one of the key pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene and Joanns vehicle were dyed blonde hair strands. On Alexs diaper bag, police found strands of the same type of hair from the car. Irelands husband buried it in the yard because he didnt feel comfortable with a firearm inside, she said. Season 9 aired from August 7, 2015, to November 6, 2015. She is a tough one, Sheriff Gerald Hege would later tell the Morning Call in a June 29, 1997 interview. Learn more about our upcoming events, fundraisers, and more! 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. They even lived together for about two years before parting ways for good. Patricia Rorrer (right) is led to her hearing in Lehigh County Courthouse Wednesday morning, August 26, 1998 by a sheriff's deputy, at left. Thats all for this post. Does anyone see motive in this scenario? Police slowly built a case against Patricia. When she stood trial that same year, she maintained her innocence and alleged that she and Andrew Katrinak had continued to stay in touch as good friends, so she wouldn't do anything to hurt him. . Pfeiffer and Burke claimed that police Sgt. Ive seen the forensics files episode a few times and Im shocked at how it could be so wrong! Many of these are circumstantial, so investigators were grateful for their DNA match from the hair. 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. Patricia was wrongfully convicted and we will show you how! Because when she did, she quickly began to realize that there was a lot more to the story than the public ever knew. She was also no stranger to law enforcement because she had a history of violence which included an arrest for getting into a bar brawl with another patron over a guy. Patricia Rorrer is found guilty of the abduction and murder of Joann Katrinak and her infant son, Alex. The media love the femme fatale., FBI lab blunder. But none of those charges ever stuck. Criminals aren't always the smartest folks - this area highlights the common (and reoccurring) mistakes they make. McItyre said this is hearsay and the officer has refuted everything in an affidavit. Mitochondrial DNA is the small circular chromosome found inside mitochondria. How about the phone line being cut? (Media sources vary as to whether she actually worked at the stable or just rented a stall there for her own horse.). 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? Prosecutor pounds away. The case rocked Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and resulted in the conviction of Patricia Rorrer, now 53, the ex-girlfriend of Katrinak's husband. 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. 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. Most convictions were procured through microscopic hair comparison which has been debunked as junk science today. You couldnt fire a second shot. Or did they? Read and download theDen of Geek Lost in Space Special Edition Magazineright here! 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. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016. In April 1995, the family buried Joann and Alex in a single bronze casket after a funeral mass at a Bethlehem church. 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. 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. He framed this woman who has been in prison 23 years! We work hard to help with things that can not be accomplished in prison. The Irish-Italian girl had full, fluffy dark hair, olive skin, and a pretty face. Detectives from the Davidson County sheriff's office took the witness stand to recall the morning of June 24, 1997, when they knocked on the door of Rorrer's Linwood, N.C., home and told her she . He was sentenced to death after being convicted of the brutal torture and murder of a young babysitter named Linda Rodgers in 1984 in Santa Ana, California. . How could I explain to my daughter years later that I took a plea for something I didnt do? she said. 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. Rorrer has appealed her conviction several times and her supporters believe additional DNA evidence . Both sides agree Joann hung up on Patricia. I really never thought of it again.. Or was it? There was also a 2017 Dateline Keith Morrison episode which covered some of these facts. At first, a broad-daylight abduction of a mother and her infant seemed unlikely. 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. I lived with Andrew Katrinak for approximately 5 years, and we ended our relationship as friends in 1989 when I moved to North Carolina.. We would speak 2 or 3 times a year. By that time, we had both moved on and I had no romantic feelings for him. Two-Part Special Premieres Sunday, March 5 at 8/7c; Features Exclusive First-Ever Interview with Inmate Patricia Rorrer (Silver Spring, Md.) 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. Meanwhile, interest in Patricias plight continues on social media. He contributed to Altvariety, Chiseler, Smashpipe, and other magazines. The defense called into question both the motive and the shaky DNA hair evidence at the time. McIntyre said he was accused of being the mastermind of a conspiracy to frame Rorrer. 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. Wouldn't he have tried to call his mother recall it was with her Joann had planned to go Christmas shopping. In 2015, the type of hair DNA science used was finally admitted to be junk by the FBI and incorrect in 96% of cases. After the premiere episode, Wrong Man will air on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. 6-10. The DNA presented at trial, the botching of hair evidence and the revelations in 2015 are thoroughly discussed. The investigation that led to her identification and then turned up enough evidence to arrest and convict Patricia Rorrer was interesting. Murder victim. Innocent nonprofit Wrongful Conviction. Patricia knew her gun tended to jam, but she used it anyway. 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. It seems Patricia's own daughter and baby Alex Katrinak were very close in age. I was convicted on microscopic hair comparison and DNA testing that rendered a "match" of 1 in 37,000. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. Patricia Rorrer was convicted of both deaths in the mid-90's and is serving a life sentence. Born on January 24, 1964, in eastern Pennsylvania, Patricia Rorrer spent most of her life going back and forth between the Keystone State and North Carolina. 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? Did investigators look for phone calls between Andrew and Patricia prior to December 11, 1994? Patricia had won a prize at an out-of-state horse-riding competition less than two weeks before the murders, and she allowed herself to be photographed. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. 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?. With Chris Anderson, Fatima Silva. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Criminal Division at No (s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. 1919 EDA 2016 Appeal from the PCRA Order May 26, 2016 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-39-CR-0002176-1997 BEFORE: BENDER, P.J.E., BOWES AND SHOGAN, J. This is for them also and freeing an innocent woman! 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. The episode claimed the jury required just two hours to deliberate, but other sources indicate it took six. But "Wrong Man" investigators discover that there is . Please read her story. And James Pfeiffer and Jim Burke have remained on her side. It'd be plausible to reason some deniability in Patricia's role if there weren't so many indicators of her involvement. It showed her usually all-brown hair haphazardly highlighted blond. They also found a photo of Patricia taken 11 days before the homicide. Please watch the show Wrong Man which also found new evidence that supports my innocence. By the mid-1990s, Patricia was known for being both warm and caring as well as aggressive and loud. 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. I have always maintained my innocence because I am innocent. It's possible he was just a big baby/growing faster than average, but if there's some indication that they were alive for some time after their abduction, then it would seem to be an entirely different kind of crime than was first thought. 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. The main one of course was committing murder of a young woman and her infant son over an argument. Great catch. Pal stays true. Rejection and betrayal are good enough reasons for these women to commit heinous crimes. The couple moved into Andrews sturdy brick house at 740 Front Street in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. Is to get Patricia a fair trial that will prove her innocence, and give justice to Joann and Alex who died a horrific death. 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. So much in this case, and every time she appeals with new evidence she is denied. Detective Barry Grube found it odd that Andrew fixed the severed phone line before police examined it in essence tampering with evidence. Prosecutors said Rorrer beat Katrinak, shot her and left her and her baby for dead in the woods in Heidelberg Township. I am innocent of these crimes, and I should not have lost the best years of my life in a prison cell. Patricia Rorrer has been in prison since 1998, convicted of the horrific murder of a young mother, Joann Katrinak, and her 16-week old son, in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. On Thursday, December 15, 1994, Joann Katrinak and her three-month-old son, Alex, went missing from their Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, home. Phone records confirmed Patricia placed the earlier call from North Carolina, not Pennsylvania. Starz announces premiere date for Joe Berlinger's Wrong Man Season 2. Dance defense. When they found Joann and Alex in a wooded area on April 9 1995. Ex-boyfriend Walter Blalock said that Patricia wanted him to be more like Andrew. Oscar-nominated and Emmywinning director Berlinger (Paradise Lost, Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes), a leading voice in non-fiction film and television for over two decades, returns to keep checks on the criminal justice system.