There’s a very promising update to the Rachel Morin murder case!
The 37-year-old mother of five was reported missing by her boyfriend Richard Tobin back in August 2023, after she never came home from a hike on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. The very next day her family got the heartbreaking news… her body had been found off the trail and all signs pointed towards homicide.
At first, suspicions were high all around, with people pointing fingers towards the boyfriend and others close to the victim. Police looked into Tobin and “many other people who are close to Rachel”, but nothing came of it.
Two weeks after her death, however, law enforcement found evidence that connected her death to a home invasion in Los Angeles, leading to a huge search. See, the suspect had been seen leaving the home he broke into. So now there was footage believed to be of “the person who murdered” Rachel! And now, following that thread, police finally have made an arrest.
Related: Florida Dad Confesses To Brutal Murder Of 2-Year-Old Daughter
Almost a year after the mom’s brutal slaying, on Saturday Harford County Sheriff’s Office announced that Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez had been arrested in connection to the murder. The shockingly young 23-year-old El Salvador native was caught in Tulsa, Oklahoma — a full 1200 miles away from where Rachel’s body was found. He has been charged with first degree murder and first degree rape. Awful.
Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler made a statement about the case during the Facebook livestream, revealing Martinez-Hernandez had illegally crossed the border in February 2023 — just six months before the killing. Tulsa County Jail records also revealed he was on an ICE hold. What the Sheriff revealed next, though, was even more horrifying.
Allegedly, before fleeing to the US, the suspect committed another murder in his hometown in El Salvador back in January 2023. He then reportedly “brutally attacked” a 9-year-old girl and her mother in that LA home invasion that preceded Rachel’s death. It was the DNA evidence from that crime scene that led police to find him halfway across the country. From Los Angeles to Maryland to Tulsa… This guy was running all over America…
The Sheriff’s Office said Martinez-Hernandez will be extradited to Hartford County, Maryland, but it will take “30 to 60 days”. As the investigation is ongoing, he’s being held without bond, and Sheriff Gahler said he’s sure the suspect will “the rest of his days behind bars”. He also noted he hopes the alleged murderer will “die in a Maryland jail”.
At the moment, police aren’t sure if Rachel’s homicide was “random or targeted” but they do believe the suspect “spent some time” in her area before the murder. A motive is currently unknown. The victim’s mom, Patricia, also spoke during Saturday’s press conference. In an emotional statement, she said:
“At one point, when things seemed really bleak and hopeless, the lead detective said to me … ‘Patience will win in the end’. And that’s what they’ve been doing. They’ve been diligently working very hard and they’ve been patiently working through all of the leads, and it’s because of that that we have an arrest today. I’m very thankful, and very grateful to these men. And I’m also very grateful to the press because you kept her story alive.”
You can watch the full press conference (below):
The father of Rachel’s first child, Matt McMahon, also spoke out in wake of Martinez-Hernandez’s arrest. He told The Baltimore Banner:
“I’m feeling relief and gratitude. Gratitude to the HCSO for not giving up on Rachel.”
Such a sad, sad situation. At least this poor family is on the path to getting Rachel the justice she deserves. May she rest in peace.
[Image via Harford County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook]
