BEL AIR, Md. (AP) — A man wanted in El Salvador was found guilty Monday for the 2023 murder of Rachel Morin, who was attacked while exercising on a popular trail northeast of Baltimore.
Victor Martinez-Hernandez, 24, was convicted of first-degree murder and rape after prosecutors said he ambushed Morin, assaulted her, and hid her body in a drainage culvert. The case relied heavily on DNA evidence that linked him to the crime scene.
“The Morin family is incredibly relieved that justice was served today,” said Randolph Rice, the family’s attorney.
Authorities said Martinez-Hernandez entered the U.S. illegally after allegedly killing a woman in El Salvador and was also connected to a 2023 home invasion in Los Angeles. He was arrested in Oklahoma and had reportedly been living in Bel Air at the time of the attack.
Morin’s murder in August 2023 shocked the Bel Air community and became a national political issue during the 2024 presidential election. Former President Donald Trump cited the case to advocate for stricter border control and immigration policies.
During the trial, the defense argued Martinez-Hernandez was wrongly accused and emphasized gaps in the prosecution’s narrative, including motive. However, prosecutors presented DNA evidence collected from Morin’s body and items Martinez-Hernandez left behind after fleeing the state.
Morin, 37, was a mother of five. Her 14-year-old daughter emotionally testified about the moments following her mother’s disappearance.
