Harford County, Maryland, prosecutors describe the brutal rape and murder of 37-year-old Rachel Morin as the most horrific case they have ever encountered. Morin, a mother of five, was allegedly attacked by Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, an illegal alien from El Salvador with connections to the MS-13 gang.
Morin disappeared on August 5, 2023, after going for a walk on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. When she did not return, her boyfriend, Richard Tobin, reported her missing. Her body was discovered the next day, showing signs of severe trauma, including 10 to 15 head wounds.
In June 2024, Tulsa Police arrested 23-year-old Martinez Hernandez in connection with Morin’s murder. He is also accused of assaulting a nine-year-old girl and her mother in Los Angeles. Martinez Hernandez is among the roughly two million illegal aliens who have crossed the U.S. border undetected during President Joe Biden’s administration.
Prosecutors allege that Martinez Hernandez raped and strangled Morin. The case has drawn significant attention, with Morin’s family blaming the Biden administration’s immigration policies for her death. “Biden’s first day in office was to remove every executive order that Trump had put in place to secure our border,” said Erin Morin Layman, Morin’s half-sister.
Martinez Hernandez had been apprehended by Border Patrol three times in 2023 but was returned to Mexico each time. After his last return, he crossed the border again and allegedly committed further crimes in California before traveling to Maryland.
The suspect is currently held without bail at the Harford County Detention Center, with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer placed on him. Former President Donald Trump expressed his condolences to Morin’s family, with Layman hoping her sister’s story will push for stricter border security to prevent future tragedies.
The case has highlighted the ongoing debate over immigration policies and border security, with calls for significant changes to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
