HARFORD COUNTY, M.d. — Court resumes Monday morning in what's expected to be a lengthy trial for the Rachel Morin case, a mother of five killed on the Ma and Pa trail in August 2023.
This week, testimony from several expert witnesses is expected to take place featuring digital forensics, forensic pathology and DNA.
A key part of the case, Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healy told the jury, is that the DNA of defendant Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez "matches" the DNA found on and inside Morin's body.
VIDEO: Expert witnesses expected to testify this week in Rachel Morin case
The defense has suggested, however, it's a crime of passion and the killer had to be somebody who Morin knew, not a complete stranger like Martinez-Hernandez.
DNA and serology experts Tiffany Keener and Carley Chwal are among the nearly 70 people on the state's witness list slated to testify.
Also expected to take the stand this week is digital forensic expert with the Harford County Sheriff's Office Megan Waltimyer.
According to prosecutors, Waltimyer helped to rebuild Morin's phone to extract data because it was so smashed when discovered at the crime scene.
It's Morin's final texts with loved ones on that phone plus more data recovered from her other devices that helped narrow down a six minute window of time from 7:04 to 7:10 p-m in which investigators believe the defendant was able to assault and murder the fitness enthusiast near the trail she went nearly every day.
The attack left behind a 150 foot trail of blood.
Doctor Zabiullah Ali, who has performed more than 9,000 autopsies in his career, and Dr. Roa Alqabbani with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will also provide testimony about Morin's severe head and neck injuries from strangulation, that ultimately led to her death.
Healy told jurors that Morin had 15-20 head wounds, one so severe it was caused by "multiple strikes."
Jurors will also be shown several graphic images, which Healy says are "necessary" to show the brutality of the crime.
Also potential witnesses include Patty Morin, Rachel Morin's mother, and Tania Hernandez, the defendant's cousin.
Last week, opening arguments were heard and the state called its first five witnesses including two of Morin's children.
The trial is anticipated to last through mid-April.
