Man convicted of killing Maryland mother Rachel Morin to be sentenced in August
The man convicted of killing Maryland mother Rachel Morin in 2023 will face sentencing in August, according to court records.
Victor Martinez-Hernandez was found guilty of murder, rape and kidnapping after Morin was found dead near a walking trail in Harford County.
Martinez-Hernandez entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 and reportedly has ties to gangs, according to law enforcement officials.
He was arrested almost 10 months after Morin's death, following a nationwide manhunt that ended in Oklahoma.
Martinez-Hernandez's murder trial
During Martinez-Hernandez's trial, prosecutors detailed Morin's brutal murder. The 37-year-old mother of five was found attacked and murdered in a drainage culvert.
Prosecutors also revealed that Morin visited the Ma & Pa Trail almost every day during the summer.
During the trial, Morin's children and boyfriend recalled the moments when she stopped responding to texts and calls and the frantic search that was followed by a call to police.
The defense disagreed about who killed Morin, saying she attracted a lot of male attention and her relationship could have upset other men.
An aunt of Martinez-Hernandez revealed that he used to live with her in Temple Hills, Maryland. He left the home about a month after Morin was killed, she told police.
According to prosecutors, Martinez-Hernandez's DNA was found at the crime scene, and his phone had pictures of Morin and searches for the Bel Air area.
The jury deliberated for less than an hour before reaching a guilty verdict.
Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey said the state would be seeking the maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Martinez-Hernandez is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on the morning of August 11, according to court records.
During the hearing, Morin's family and friends will have the opportunity to speak on the impact of Morin's death.
Randolph Rice, the attorney for the Morin family, shared the following statement:
"The Morin family has waited a long time to have their voices heard in court. On August 11, they will finally be able to speak directly to the monster who stole Rachel's life and shattered theirs. They look forward to seeing justice fully served — and to knowing that Victor Martinez-Hernandez will never again walk free to harm another innocent person. We hope the court imposes the only sentence that matches the magnitude of this crime: life without parole, dying behind bars in a Maryland prison."
Morin's murder sparks conversation about U.S. immigration
Morin's murder case made national headlines and sparked conversations about illegal immigration in the U.S.
As the investigation into Martinez-Hernandez unfolded, law enforcement determined that he had entered the U.S. illegally after he was accused of murdering a woman in El Salvador.
Martinez-Hernandez had been apprehended by Border Patrol for entering the country illegally on three occasions in 2023. He was investigated and expelled when no criminal history was found.
Law enforcement also alleged that he assaulted a girl and her mother in a California home in 2023.
In 2024, Morin's brother, Michael Morin, spoke at the Republican National Committee (RNC) Convention, saying his sister's death was preventable.
Following the guilty verdict, Rachel Morin's mother, Patty Morin, joined a White House briefing to talk about her daughter's murder.
She questioned the motive of Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen after he traveled to El Salvador to check on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man who was mistakenly deported from Maryland to a prison in his native country.
Randolph Rice advertises with WJZ CBS News Baltimore and has a sponsored segment that airs on WJZ at 9.
