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Jury Selection Begins in Rachel Morin Trial
Randolph Rice, attorney for Patty Morin, discusses the initial trial stages, factors surrounding the suspect’s alleged gang connections, and the implications of current U.S. border policies.
On a somber Friday morning, opening statements were delivered in the long-awaited trial concerning the murder of Rachel Morin, as community members recounted the harrowing discovery of her blood trail leading to her body while assisting with a police search in Maryland.
The trial of Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, a 23-year-old from El Salvador, commenced at the Harford County Circuit Court in Bel Air, where he faces charges related to the murder of Morin, 37, which occurred in August 2023.
Family members, including Morin’s mother, Patty, were seen arriving at the courthouse to witness the proceedings.
Martinez-Hernandez is alleged to have assaulted and killed Morin, a mother of five whose body was found along a popular hiking trail.
ILLEGAL ACCUSED IN JOGGER RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER SET TO FACE FAMILY, JURY
Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez faces accusations of raping and killing Rachel Morin in Maryland on August 5, 2023. (Tulsa Police Department/ Facebook)
Family members Rebekah and Patty Morin arrived at Harford County Courthouse on April 4, 2025, for the trial of Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)
Morin was reported missing after she failed to return from a run on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air on August 5.
During the opening statements, Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey revealed that concerned community members, prompted by social media missing person postings, began searching the trail.
Along the creek, they stumbled upon a flattened deer-like pathway and discovered rocks stained with blood. As they ventured through overgrown brush and tunnels, they tragically found Morin’s body, prompting an immediate call to authorities. Investigators traced her final movements along the bloody path and collected rocks believed to have been used in the attack.
Evidence presented noted that Morin was left with her right shoe and socks intact while her left shoe and socks were discarded. It was indicated that her bra had been forcibly repositioned.
The Harford County Courthouse provided a solemn backdrop for the trial proceedings on Friday, April 4, 2025. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)
Morin-Layman, a half-sister of the victim, also attended the courthouse for the trial. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)
Healey stated that Martinez-Hernandez is alleged to have assaulted Morin against the wall of a tunnel, with the attack reportedly occurring between 7:04 PM and 7:10 PM.
Authorities found her phone submerged and shattered in the water, alongside her damaged Apple Watch and AirPods.
MARYLAND SHERIFF’S ‘GUT’ SAYS RACHEL MORIN WAS ‘STALKED’ BY SUSPECT BEFORE HER MURDER
According to autopsy findings, Morin suffered between 15 to 20 blunt force blows to the head and died from a combination of strangulation and blunt force trauma, deemed a homicide.
Her body exhibited signs of trauma, particularly around her neck, and DNA evidence collected from the scene matched that of Martinez-Hernandez.
WATCH: VICTOR MARTINEZ-HERNANDEZ’S OKLAHOMA ARREST
On June 14, 2024, authorities tracked Martinez-Hernandez’s cellphone to a bar in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he eventually confessed his identity after providing a false name at first. During a search of his phone, investigators found searches related to Morin and particular interest in Bel Air, Maryland.
WATCH: BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE OF MIGRANT ACCUSED IN MURDER, RAPE OF MARYLAND MOM RACHEL MORIN
Despite the mounting evidence, Martinez-Hernandez initially denied ever visiting Maryland, claiming his presence had been limited to Texas and Oklahoma.
“Once you review the evidence, you will be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that all of the DNA traces point to the defendant,” Healey asserted during her opening remarks. “You will see that he meticulously planned to abduct her off the trail and conceal her in the tunnel, then committed this appalling crime.”
You will be convinced he left her there and fulfilled a mother’s worst nightmare.
— Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey
Morin’s boyfriend also honored her memory with a tribute on social media. (Facebook)
In his defense, attorney Sawyer Hicks aimed to create doubt about the DNA evidence and proposed that the incident may have stemmed from a crime of passion.
Hicks underscored the prosecution’s obligation to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, asserting that his client remains innocent until proven otherwise.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT INDICTED FOR RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER IN ‘CRUCIAL STEP’: FAMILY LAWYER
“During your deliberation, we are confident that you will identify reasonable doubt in this case and find Hernandez not guilty,” Hicks expressed.
Martinez-Hernandez was extradited to Maryland on June 20, 2024. (Tulsa Police Department)
Hicks contended that there was no connection between Martinez-Hernandez and Morin and appeared to shift focus toward her boyfriend, Richard Tobin, although Tobin has not been implicated in any wrongdoing.
Who is Rachel Morin?
Rachel Morin was reported missing on August 5, 2023, after her boyfriend alerted authorities that she had not returned from a run on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, a typically safe area near Baltimore.
Her remains were discovered the following day near the trail.
In February, police released updated sketches of Martinez-Hernandez, following DNA findings that linked him to a violent home invasion in Los Angeles.
WATCH: Rachel Morin murder suspect linked to LA home invasion, assault
Authorities made the connection using the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which provided a match for an unidentified Hispanic male implicated in the home invasion.
In that incident, a family was attacked in their home, injuring a child and mother before the suspect fled.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT IN RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER EXPECTED TO ARGUE FOR A CHANGE OF VENUE
Victims reported that the suspect had broken in during the night, and surveillance footage captured him leaving the scene shirtless.
PHOTOS OF INITIAL SEARCH IN MARYLAND:
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Morin’s mother, grappling with the emotions surrounding her daughter’s case, expressed gratitude towards law enforcement for their commitment to finding the perpetrator.
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She emphasized the compassion and dedication shown by authorities in their relentless pursuit of justice for her daughter.
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