Rachel Morin’s body was discovered last August on the Ma & Pa Trail, where she had gone for a walk. Authorities believe Martinez Hernandez ambushed her from a drainage culvert along the trail.
After a year-long investigation, an arrest has been made in the murder of Rachel Morin, a mother of five who was tragically killed on a well-known hiking trail in Harford County, Maryland.
On Saturday, Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler announced the arrest of Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, a 23-year-old undocumented immigrant from El Salvador. Martinez Hernandez faces charges of first-degree murder and first-degree rape, with Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healy prosecuting the case.
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Rachel Morin’s body was discovered last August on the Ma & Pa Trail, where she had gone for a walk. Authorities believe Martinez Hernandez ambushed her from a drainage culvert along the trail. The breakthrough in the case came when investigators linked her murder to a previous assault and home invasion in Los Angeles on March 26.
In April, Morin’s family issued a public plea for justice, seeking closure for their devastating loss. Rachel’s mother, Patty Morin, expressed a sentiment of hope: “At one point when things seemed really bleak and hopeless, the lead detective said to me—he said, ‘Patience will win in the end.'”
Martinez Hernandez, originally from El Salvador, entered the United States illegally in February 2023. Just a month earlier, he allegedly committed another murder in El Salvador, for which Interpol had issued an arrest warrant. Additionally, in March 2023, he reportedly assaulted a 9-year-old girl and her mother in Los Angeles.
Investigators are now exploring if Martinez Hernandez is connected to other crimes. He has known ties to the Washington, D.C. area, including Virginia and Prince George’s County, and is associated with gang activity.
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“Victor Hernandez did not come here to make a better life for himself or his family,” Sheriff Gahler stated. “He came here to escape the crime he committed in El Salvador. He came here and murdered Rachel and, God willing, no one else.”
A lead from genetic genealogy provided the key breakthrough. Sheriff Gahler shared that on May 20, what would have been Rachel’s 38th birthday, investigators discovered a crucial lead, which eventually led to Martinez Hernandez.
Detectives located Martinez Hernandez in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and apprehended him at a bar on Friday night. When confronted, he attempted to mislead officers about his identity and the accusations against him.
“Hopefully he’ll never have the opportunity to walk free again,” Sheriff Gahler remarked.
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The Harford County community, especially those who frequent the Ma & Pa trail, expressed relief at the news of the arrest. “It’s just a relief and God bless that family,” said Pat Balducci of Bel Air. “So, I’m glad for them.”
Martinez Hernandez is currently awaiting extradition to Maryland, a process that could take 30 to 60 days.