The trial of the alleged killer of a Maryland mother of five is set for October, with prosecutors aiming to seek a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Last August, 37-year-old Rachel Morin was raped and murdered while jogging on the Ma & Pa Trail in Harford County, Maryland. Her case gained national attention as investigators collaborated with her family to apprehend the perpetrator. The law firm representing Morin’s family initiated The Rachel Morin Reward Fund, offering a $35,000 reward for information.
Harford County Sheriff’s Office
An extensive 10-month investigation culminated in the recent arrest of Victor Martinez-Hernandez, a 23-year-old citizen of El Salvador, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He faces multiple charges related to Morin’s murder, including first-degree murder, rape, and kidnapping.
After months on the run, Martinez-Hernandez was linked to Morin’s death through advanced DNA technology. He has been extradited to Maryland and is currently in custody without bail pending trial.
The suspect was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the murder and had been deported three times before. Law enforcement also suspects Martinez-Hernandez of a homicide in El Salvador and a home invasion in Los Angeles.
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During the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Morin’s family took the political stage. Rachel’s brother, Michael, spoke about his sister’s tragic death and the role he believes politics played.
“Open borders may seem compassionate, but allowing violent criminals into the country and robbing children of their mother is not compassionate,” he stated. “My sister’s death could have been prevented.”
Martinez-Hernandez is being represented by the Maryland Public Defender’s Office, with a motions hearing scheduled for October 4 and the trial set for October 23. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
