BALTIMORE — Rachel Morin's alleged killer was extradited to Maryland on Thursday from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Victor Martinez-Hernandez is accused of raping and murdering the mother of five last August while jogging on the Ma & Pa Trail in Harford County.
He spent months on the run leading investigators on a nationwide manhunt.
RELATED:Rachel Morin's alleged killer extradited to Maryland 5 days after arrest
On Thursday as Hernandez was being escorted back to Maryland to face a judge, Morin's family received a phone call from former President Donald Trump offering his condolences.
"I am deeply touched by President Trump's kindness and concern," Rachel's mother, Patty, said in a statement through family attorney Randolph Rice. "He was genuine and truly wanted to know how our family was coping. He asked about Rachel and showed honest compassion for her untimely death. His words brought comfort to me during this very difficult time."
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Hernandez was in the U.S. illegally from El Salvador. The agency said he was apprehended and expelled from the country on three separate occasions last year, while Title 42 was still in effect.
Morin's killing has sparked new debate about ongoing issues at the U.S. Southern Border and the daily flow of undocumented migrants entering the country.
"The need to take immediate action at the border and shutting down the unrelenting flow of illegal immigrants is common sense policy because it protects Americans from future crimes," said Rice. "If we can prevent even one murder by an illegal immigrant, then it is well worth it. We must regroup and implement measures at the Southern border that prioritize the safety and well-being of all Americans, despite their political party affiliation."
Earlier this week Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler noted Morin's murder is the second in two years at the hands of an undocumented migrant.
The other case involvedKayla Hamilton, a 20 year-old woman with autism who was raped and strangled to death inside her home in Aberdeen back in July 2022. The 17 year-old suspect was also illegally in the U.S. from El Salvador.
Hamilton’s family has since sued the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Servicesin a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit, accusing them of “operational negligence."
As for Hernandez, he's also accused of another homicide in El Salvador, as well as assaulting a woman and 9-year-old girl in Los Angeles.
Hernandez is scheduled for a bail review via Zoom on June 21 at 1pm.
Prosecutors are seeking to have Hernandez held without bail pending trial.
The Maryland Public Defender's Office is currently listed as representing Hernandez.
