The murder case of Rachel Morin took a chilling turn as new distressing details emerged in court. The Maryland mother of five was brutally beaten, strangled, and raped before being left behind partially naked. Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez, a 23-year-old illegal El Salvadorian migrant, is accused of the heinous crime.
According to reports, Morin had 10-15 head wounds and died from strangulation and blunt force injuries. The fatal assault was so brutal that her family thought her head had been smashed with a rock. Martinez Hernandez allegedly attacked Morin while she was on a trail during her workout, dragging her through the woods to where she was found.
During the bail hearing, Judge Kerwin A. Miller denied bail for Martinez Hernandez, citing him as a flight risk and potential danger to society. The judge noted that Martinez Hernandez had entered the country illegally multiple times and had an ICE detainer and an Interpol warrant.
DNA evidence played a crucial role in identifying Martinez Hernandez as the suspect, linking him to a water bottle and cap found at a home burglary in Los Angeles where a 9-year-old girl was assaulted. He was eventually arrested in a bar in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Relatives of Martinez Hernandez turned over bags of clothes and shoes he left behind in Maryland after fleeing the state. Authorities revealed that he had previously fled El Salvador after allegedly killing a woman there in January 2023, making multiple unsuccessful attempts to cross the U.S. border before finally succeeding.
Martinez Hernandez faces charges of first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree rape, and second-degree assault in the case. The court’s decision to deny bail reflects the seriousness of the accusations and the priority to ensure public safety and the integrity of the judicial process.
