Trial Begins for Suspect Accused of Murdering Maryland Mother
The much-anticipated trial is commencing this week for the illegal immigrant charged with the murder of 37-year-old Rachel Morin, a mother of five from Maryland who was tragically killed while hiking.
Jury selection was scheduled to start on Tuesday in Harford County Circuit Court in Bel Air, Maryland, under the supervision of Judge Yolanda Curtin.
Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, a 23-year-old from El Salvador, stands accused of the brutal rape and murder of Morin, whose lifeless body was found on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air in August 2023. She had been brutally beaten and strangled, shocking the local community and shedding light on the shortcomings of the Biden administration’s border policies.
The family’s attorney, Randolph Rice from Rice Law in Baltimore, mentioned that the jury selection process would kick off on Tuesday and could take up to three days, with the trial expected to last around two weeks.
Rice expressed, “The Morin family has been waiting a long time for this moment. This trial marks the beginning of the justice they have been seeking since the day Rachel was taken from them. They are prepared to face the challenging days ahead with resilience and optimism.”
The Morin family intends to be present throughout the trial proceedings.
Details of Rachel Morin’s Murder Case
Rachel Morin, 37, was reported missing by her boyfriend after she failed to return from a run on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air on August 5, 2023. Bel Air, a serene and typically safe town about 28 miles northeast of Baltimore, was shaken by the incident.
Her body was discovered near the trail the following day. In February, new sketches of Martinez-Hernandez were released.
These sketches were released following the linking of Martinez-Hernandez to a Los Angeles home invasion through DNA evidence. The Combined DNA Index System matched the DNA to an unidentified Hispanic male.
The Los Angeles Police Department found a hat left behind at the scene of a violent home invasion in March 2023, where a 9-year-old girl and her mother were injured.
The suspect allegedly broke into the home in the middle of the night, assaulted the family, and was chased out. Surveillance footage showed the shirtless man leaving through the front door.
“I’m going to keep this brief because I’m very emotional,” expressed Patricia Morin, Rachel’s mother. “I just want to take this moment to thank all the law enforcement for their dedication to our family and our daughter. They worked tirelessly to find the person who took her life.”
Martinez-Hernandez’s court-appointed attorney, Marcus Jenkins, was not available for immediate comment.
