With a suspect now in custody, following a June 14th arrest, we're taking a look back at how we got to where we are now.
Morin, 37, was last seen alive on Saturday, August 5th, when she went to take a walk on the Ma & Pa Trail. Her boyfriend reported her missing that evening, and the following afternoon a woman's body was found just off the trail.
The Sheriff's office later confirmed the body was that of Rachel Morin, a mother of five, whose family was already dealing with the sudden death of Morin's five-month-old niece just over a week before Morin went missing.
Following the discovery of Morin's body, the Sheriff's office stepped up patrols at the Ma & Pa Trail and Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly is working on getting cameras installed on the trail, though the timeline on that is still being worked out.
"The senseless murder of Rachel Morin just really has shaken our community," said Cassilly to WMAR-2 News. "And it's highlighted the need for us to put cameras on the trail."
A Harford County Councilwoman hosted a community walk at the trail just two days after the discovery of Morin's body, but Morin's sister commented on the event posting on Facebook saying that the family had not been contacted and requesting that Rachel's name be taken off the event. Many community members voiced their concern that the family hadn't been involved or spoken to.
Morin's family planned their own walk in her memory for Saturday, August 19.
"We are hoping to have a 'Trail of Flowers and Light' to line both sides of the trail for our walk on the Ma & Pa Trail. If you are able to, we ask that you bring flowers and a battery-operated candle to lay on either side of the trail somewhere as we walk Rachel's last steps," Rebekah Morin, Rachel's sister, posted in a statement from the family on Facebook.
And the search continues for Morin's killer.
The Harford County Sheriff's office has been giving updates throughout the investigation,with the incredible update that this case is linked to a home invasion in Los Angeles, coming out in mid-August.
The Harford County Sheriff’s Department in the state of Maryland announced today that DNA obtained in the Rachel Morin murder matches that of a suspect identified in a residential burglary and assault on March 26, 2023, in the 77th Division.
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) August 18, 2023
Police say the suspect is believed to be a Hispanic male, five foot nine, 160 pounds, around 20 to 30 years old, with dark hair and a muscular build.
If you are able to identify this suspect or have any additional information regarding this case, contact the Harford County Sheriff's Office at 410-836-7788.
At Morin's family-held walk on Saturday, people remembered the joyful Rachel and focused on her life.
Hundreds of people left flowers along the Ma & Pa trail to honor Morin's memory.
A GoFundMe has been created to help cover the costs of her headstone and a memorial fund.
A cash reward for information that leads to the identification and apprehension of the suspect started at $10,000.
In late September, the firm representing Morin's family matched the amount, raising the reward to $20,000.
On October 2, 2023, an anonymous donor also put up another $10,000, making the total reward for information $30,000.
Investigators followed a lead down to DC to speak with an individual there they hoped would be able to point them in the right direction toward identifying the suspect.
The family continues to ask for anyone who knows anything to step forward and held a 30-day prayer initiative in November.
In February, six months after Morin's death, the reward for information in her murder went up to $35,000, with a gift from the creators of a national crime podcast.
Work has also begun on installing cameras and upgrading security on the Ma & Pa Trail.
On February 12, 2024, the Harford County Sheriff's Office released the below sketch of the suspect:
After 10 months, the Harford County Sheriff's Office announced on Saturday that a suspect in the case is in custody.
Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez was arrested on June 14th, in Tulsa, OK.
The Tulsa Police Department released a statement on Facebook.
The arrest comes less than a month after what would have been her 38th birthday.
The suspect was extradited to Maryland on June 20th.
According to charging documents, police used forensic genealogy to help narrow down and identify the suspect. Police tested DNA found on Morin's body and were able to identify family members, which led to the suspect now in custody.
Martinez-Hernandez's first appearance in a Maryland courtroom was on June 21st and he had a second hearing scheduled for mid-July.