In a significant development in the case of Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five who was found dead near a hiking trail in Maryland more than 10 months ago, law enforcement officials have announced the arrest of Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, as the suspect in her murder. The arrest, which took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with the assistance of federal partners, came just five hours after authorities met with Morin's family.
Harford County Sheriff Jeffery Gahler revealed that Martinez-Hernandez, 23, had a history of violent crime, stating, "This suspect fled to the United States after murdering a young woman in El Salvador in January 2023. Once here, he brutally attacked a nine-year-old girl and her mother during a home invasion in Los Angeles in March 2023." DNA evidence collected from the Los Angeles crime scene linked Martinez-Hernandez to Morin's murder.
According to reports, Martinez-Hernandez illegally crossed into the United States through the southern border in February 2023. FBI Baltimore field office special agent in charge William DelBagno explained that investigators were able to trace the suspect's DNA to family members in El Salvador, leading to his identification and arrest.
Sheriff Gahler expressed his frustration with the ongoing border crisis, stating, "We are 1800 miles of the southern border, and American citizens are not safe because of their failed immigration policies." He noted that this was the second time in two years that an innocent Harford County woman had lost her life to a criminal in the country illegally, with both suspects hailing from El Salvador and having ties to criminal gangs.
Gahler emphasized that Martinez-Hernandez did not come to the United States to make a better life for himself or his family but rather to escape the crimes he committed in El Salvador and to murder Rachel Morin. He added, "It is my hope and the hope of all involved, working this case that the arrest of this suspect brings her [Morin's] family and our Harford County community some peace."
State's Attorney for Harford County Alison Healey announced that she would personally lead the prosecution for the case, assuring the community that her office would take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is served for Rachel Morin and her family.
Rachel's mother, Patricia Morin, expressed her gratitude to law enforcement for their hard work and dedication in finding her daughter's murderer. She stated, "They just really cared for our family and for our daughter. They were going to diligently work and find the person who murdered her."
Martinez-Hernandez has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape and will be extradited back to Maryland to face these charges. The arrest marks a significant step forward in the pursuit of justice for Rachel Morin and her family, as well as a somber reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by illegal immigration and the need for effective border security measures.
