Martinez-Hernandez Trial's Starts In Death Of Rachel Morin: 'Mother's Worst Nightmare'

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — The rape and killing of a Bel Air mother five out for a jog was called "a mother's worst nightmare" by a prosecutor as the murder trial of Victor Martinez-Hernandez began Friday.

Rachel Morin's body was found along the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air in August 2023, several days after she was reported missing. She frequently jogged the trail near where she was found raped and beaten to death.

On Friday, State's Attorney Alison Healey gave jurors an overview of the case, describing it as "a mother's worst nightmare," according to WBFF. Morin headed to the trail around 6:58 p.m. on Aug. 5, 2023, and data from her watch showed that sometime between 7:04 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. she was killed. Her body eventually was found in a storm drain.

The state's attorney also said during opening statements Friday that DNA was pulled from clothes and other belongings from family members who Martinez-Hernandez had lived with in Prince George's County. That DNA matched what was found on Morin.

Morin's boyfriend, Richard Tobin, testified he searched her house, the walking trail and nearby restaurants for Morin after she didn't respond to his texts. Tobin called 911 and later went to the station.

When Tobin was told her body had been found, "I freaked out,” he said. “I cried. I screamed."

TheBaltimore Bannerreported that Morin's daughter, Violet Custer, also became worried when her mother failed to respond to text messages. She and Tobin went to search for her mother about 3 a.m., Custer testified.

“I went onto the trail,” Custer said, “to try to find my mom.”

Prosecutors said photos of Morin and web searches related to her and her death were found on his phone.

Martinez-Hernandez's legal team reminded the jury about being fair and impartial during their opening statements. They said that Morin had "attracted male attention" and Martinez-Hernandez didn't commit the crime. They redirected the attention to Morin's boyfriend at the time, Richard Tobin, who said he had had sex with Morin the day she died, WBFF reported.

“Rachel Morin was brutally murdered. This was a horrible tragedy," said Assistant Public Defender Sawyer Hicks, one of Martinez-Hernandez's attorneys, in his opening statement. "But Mr. Martinez-Hernandez is not the man that committed this offense.”

Officials have said Martinez-Hernandez, 24, of El Salvador, entered the United States as an undocumented immigrant. Martinez-Hernandez also has been linked by DNA to a home invasion and sexual assault in southern California of a 9-year-old girl and her mother.

Related:

• Rachel Morin Murder Suspect's Trial To Begin Jury Selection
• Rachel Morin Murder Trial Calls For Road Closures, Increased Security In Bel Air
• Rachel Morin's Daughter Sues Grandmother Over GoFundMe Proceeds
• Rachel Morin Case: Harford County Prosecutor Seeks Life Sentence Without Parole
• Clue Uncovered On Rachel Morin's Birthday Led To Suspect, Arrest
• Murder Charge Filed In MD Mom Rachel Morin's Death
• Suspect In Rachel Morin Killing Hid In MD For Months During Investigation: Court Documents
• Rachel Morin's Family Mourns Loss Of 'Bright, Beautiful Spark'