Rio Man Acquitted On Homicide Charges

(Columbia County) A Rio man was acquitted on homicide charges this week. Patrick Kraemer was arrested in 2014 for the death of his girlfriend Traci Rataczak by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office following a 17-month investigation. A year prior Rataczak was found dead in her home and Kraemer told law enforcement that she had committed suicide by hanging. Police believed that the crime scene appeared stage and that Rataczak was placed there after her death. A medical examiner who conducted an autopsy said Rataczak’s death was caused by suffocation and appeared consistent with suicide. Following a two week jury trial, Kraemer was found not guilty and was released.