#joann katrinak

[fletchermarple]

Quick Review of the True Crime Books I Read in 2018 (Part 1)

Review of books in 2017 Part 1 and Part 2

Review of books in 2016 Part 1 and Part 2

Review of books in 2015

Inside the Mind of BTK by John Douglas and Johnny Dodd: I’m a big fan of John Douglas and his books, but I think this one is probably the worst one I’ve read from him. I think the problem is that inserting himself in this particular story feels a little forced, since in reality Douglas had little to do with serial killer Dennis Rader, aka BTK, until well after his arrest and imprisonment (in fact, he did a profile while he was still unidentified that turned out to be completely wrong). The little tidbits of John Douglas’ life in the middle of the story of Rader are unnecessary and harm the narrative, which is often dull. It doesn’t help that Rader himself is such a bland, uninteresting and down right dumb person who aside from his horrific murders has little to offer in terms of captivating character. That being said, this book certainly offers an in depth and complete portrayal of who he was and how he worked, so at the end you still feel like you learned a lot about the case.

Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth: As you probably know, this book was the basis for the show The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and that’s because it’s really the best account of Andrew Cunanan’s murder spree that there is out there. That doesn’t mean it’s not without its flaws. While I have to commend the author for her very well researched profile of Cunanan, it still leaves so many questions. That’s not really her fault: this killer was such a mystery that we’ll likely never understand all of what he did, and we’ll never get the complete details of his murders. The main problem I found with the book is that it feels very outdated. It was originally published in 1999, and you can tell by the way Orth talks about gay culture that there’s a lot of ignorance and prejudice that seems unacceptable in this day an age. Because she wrote it so close to the crimes, it also lacks the benefit of a deeper reflection that only time and distance can give.

I’ll be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara: You can find a more extensive review of this book here, but in short, this is a brilliantly written novel of one woman’s obsession with solving a long standing mystery. I had issues with the structure of the novel and some editing issues that are likely because the author tragically died before she could finish the book (or find out that the case she put so much time in was solved in 2018). Still, this is a must read for any true crime enthusiast, even if now knowing the identity of the Golden State Killer makes it just a little less compelling.

Unsolved Child Murders by Emily G. Thompson: I wrote a longer review of this book here. The debut non fiction novel of our own @congenitaldisease​ is a great selection of horrific cases, some more familiar than others, told with all the relevant information available and in a very compassionate and non sensational way. What I liked the most about this book is that the author took time to explain the social repercussions of these crimes and how they’ve helped shaped new laws, which makes it even more relevant to know about these cases.

I Will Find You by Joe Kenda: I’ve never watched Homicide Hunter, the Investigation Discovery show that features some of the cases of Detective Kenda’s career, so I didn’t really know about him before this book. I was expecting a Douglas type of book that would mix interesting cases with some teachings about crime and investigative techniques, but I was wrong. This book is really a disjointed potpourri of cases Kenda worked in, but most of them aren’t really presented in an interesting way. Sometimes he doesn’t even tell you the names of the people involved, so it’s more like he’s just remembering stuff from his life and telling it as it comes to him, and less a structured narrative that has something to offer to anyone that’s not a previous fan of him. This book lost my interest before the middle mark, and unless you’re an avid watcher of Homicide Hunter, I would not recommend it.

Unanswered Cries by Thomas French: Now here is one of those rare jewels in the true crime genre, a book that combines thorough and flawless investigation with great penmanship. It comes from a brilliant journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for his article about the murders of the Rogers women by Oba Chandler (you can, and should, read it here). Unanswered Cries covers the not very known case of Karen Gregory, a woman who was murdered in a quiet neighborhood of Florida and even though many of her neighbors heard her screaming for help, no one thought to call police. The book is a really deep dive into everything about the case from the point of view of several characters involved, and it’s written just like a thriller, in which the reader doesn’t really know who the culprit is beforehand (so if you are thinking of reading it and don’t want to be spoiled, I recommend not reading anything about it). French understands the importance of having relatable characters to follow, so instead of writing about dozens of investigators, he focuses on just a few of them. He also does the rare thing of telling us what went inside the jury room while during trial they were discussing their verdict, which really gives us priceless information about how this process truly works.

Convenient Suspect by Tammy Mal: This book is about the murder of Joann Katrinak and her 3 month old son Alex, who disappeared one afternoon of 1994 in Lehigh Valley and were found a couple of months later in the woods, shot. Patricia Rorrer, the ex girlfriend of Joann’s husband Andy was eventually convicted and sentenced to life for the crime, but this book wants us to believe that Patricia was the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice. I’ll be honest and say that I started to read this book with a lot of contempt for the author’s claim and completely determined to dismiss her theory and to keep believing that Patricia Rorrer is guilty. I kept that belief for at least half of the book, especially because Tammy Mal is so eager to defend Patricia, that she has a tendency to drag Joann through the mud and point her fingers at a lot of other potential suspects. However, when she gets to the trial and all the post trial motions, I have to say I can definitely see why this case has many flaws, and I finished the book in serious doubt that Patricia Rorrer killed Joann and Alex. There’s a lot of details that I won’t go in depth here, but wonky and questionable science and a prosecution changing his timeline of the crime are two main things, not to mention the unanswered questions about Andy Katrinak. If you like difficult cases and poking holes at the criminal justice system, this is definitely a book for you.

[morbidology]

Hi! I know you have a ton of requests, but if you get time I'd love to hear your take on the Joann and Alex Katrinak case.

Sure, I'll put it on my list of requests :)

[liedetectortest0-blog]

Polygraph (Lie Detector) Fraudulence Out of hand

Sound judgment would certainly have us assume that of all the specialists, lie detector (lie detector) inspectors would certainly value fact greater than lots of people. And also a lot of them do. Some polygraph inspectors are straight-out scams as well as self-confidence males. Hundreds of individuals are dropping victim to these supposed supervisors annually as well as are paying hard-earned cash to obtain absolutely nothing in return however smoke as well as mirrors. Polygraphy, additionally understood as lie discovery, is a reputable scientific research that has actually been around for over 80 years as well as proceeds to develop as well as boost. When an examination is done inaccurately, it's much better not to have actually the examination done at all.  For more details visit www.liedetectortest.us

If the inspector is functioning in one of the states that calls for a polygraph permit, he or she should get that certificate. These "supervisors" generally educate themselves exactly how to carry out tests by reviewing publications as well as handbooks, after that hang out their roof shingles. In any type of instance, you have a supervisor that is not educated to do polygraph screening. Validate the inspector's key lie detector training. Confirm the inspector's APA or AAPP subscription. Be mindful of any type of inspector billing dramatically much less compared to the typical rate for your location.

Michael Martin (President, Global Polygraph Network).

Michael Martin has actually been a qualified PDD (psychophysiological discovery of deceptiveness) inspector considering that 1984 as well as has actually performed almost 9,000 examinations in his job, consisting of over 350 looks on nationwide and also global tv as a lie detector professional. Martin has actually carried out examinations about the Columbine High School capturings, the Joanne Katrinak murder instance, as well as the Robert Chambers "Preppie Murder" situation. Martin is a court-qualified lie detector specialist.

[samehardwick1]

Murder in Lehigh Valley Keith Morrison Investigates March 5 on ID

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[undervideobanner] 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. Today, her attorney says not only was his client wrongfully convicted, but she was framed. An appeal pending in Pennsylvania Superior Court that includes allegations of a frame-up, coercion by the District Attorney’s 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,” airing 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. [undervideotext]

Murder in Lehigh Valley Keith Morrison Investigates March 5 on ID originated at http://ift.tt/2daJ7Bb

[samehardwick1]

Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates

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[undervideobanner] 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. [undervideotext]

The article, Murder in Lehigh Valley: Keith Morrison Investigates, is available on Lehigh Valley PA Guide Articles