In a series of developments, Maryland authorities have announced the arrest of a suspect in connection to the murder of Rachel Morin, a mother of five whose body was discovered on a hiking trail in August 2023. The suspect, identified as Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, is an El Salvador native who allegedly entered the United States illegally in February 2023 and is believed to have ties to street gangs and connections in the Washington area.
According to reports, Martinez-Hernandez is accused of murdering a young woman in El Salvador in January 2023, leading to an Interpol Red Notice being issued for his arrest. He was identified through DNA evidence and surveillance video from a home invasion case in Los Angeles where he attacked a nine-year-old girl and her mother in March 2023.
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler announced the arrest at a press conference on June 15, stating that Martinez-Hernandez was taken into custody in Tulsa, Oklahoma for allegedly trespassing. He is currently being held without bond at a Tulsa County jail and faces charges in Morin's homicide as well as a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Rachel Morin's body was found on August 6, 2023 along the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, with her car discovered nearby. Investigators believe she was snatched off the path and dragged into the woods where her body was found in a culvert.
The investigation into Morin's murder is ongoing, with authorities still working to determine a motive for the crime. Martinez-Hernandez will be extradited to Maryland for prosecution once he has been processed through the legal system in Oklahoma.
This case gained national attention due to its high-profile nature and the large number of people who were reached through social media campaigns in English and Spanish. An analysis of data on social media shows that over 18 million people around the world have caught some portion of the story involving Rachel Morin's killing.
