The household of Rachel Morin say they’re ‘satisfied’ the unlawful immigrant arrested and charged along with her homicide has additionally killed others.
Victor Martinez Hernandez, 23, was arrested on Friday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in reference to the the 37-year-old’s killing after her bare physique was discovered on a Maryland climbing path virtually a 12 months in the past.
The case had remained a thriller for 10 months after Morin was reported lacking by her boyfriend.
Hernandez, a recognized Salvadoran gang member, was arrested whereas sitting at a bar in Tulsa and has been charged with first-degree homicide and first-degree rape.
He’s additionally accused of attacking a nine-year-old lady and her mom in Los Angeles in March 2023, earlier than Morin’s homicide.
Police arrested an unlawful immigrant on Friday on suspicion of raping and murdering Maryland mom Rachel Morin, 37, in August 2023
Victor Martinez Hernandez, 23, was arrested on Friday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the homicide of Rachel Morin, 37, whose bare physique was discovered on a Maryland climbing path virtually a 12 months in the past
Hernandez had illegally crossed the southern border in February 2023 after he additionally allegedly murdered one other girl in El Salvador a month earlier.
‘One thing we have been involved about is that there are different victims on the market … whether or not they had been attacked and it ended the identical approach as my sister, or possibly there are some on the market who’re nonetheless alive however by no means got here ahead,’ Rachel’s sister, Rebekah, 43, stated to the New York Publish.
‘Hopefully now they do come ahead.’
Rebekah stated that one concern the household has is the months-long durations in between his recognized crimes within the U.S.
‘Anyone who commits a lot of these crimes does them as a result of they do not care. They do not take into consideration what they’re doing, and an individual who does not care about human life can simply do that to anyone they arrive throughout.
‘It is a aid to have a suspect in custody and to have a reputation and a face to (put to) any individual … for this,’ Rebekah stated. ‘We wish to be certain the killer is rarely in a position to stroll the streets once more.’
Rachel Morin’s household are ‘satisfied’ the unlawful migrant accused of killing her has murdered others. Her sister Rebekah, left, and mom, Patty, proper are seen right here
Rachel Morin’s mom, Patty, is seen unveiling her gravestone at her grave final month
Hernandez was arrested on Friday however the Morin household imagine there could also be different victims
The household’s lawyer, Randolph Rice, additionally believes there are extra victims.
‘Utilizing the regulation of likelihood the place you homicide somebody in El Salvador in January, you go to California in March and commit assault on a mom and daughter, then there is a hole from March to August when he rapes and murders Rachel, adopted by one other 10 month hole till he is arrested … it is onerous to assume he hasn’t dedicated one other crime in these durations or gaps of time,’ Rice stated to The Publish.
‘I’ve little question that there are different victims on the market. We hope this man’s arrest will give them the braveness to come back ahead as a result of he cannot hurt them anymore or they could now see him and acknowledge and might establish him.’
Hernandez was recognized to flow into between Maryland, Virginia, Los Angeles, and Tulsa.
‘Our investigative genetic family tree staff in Baltimore labored numerous hours to establish the suspect by utilizing crime scene DNA and tracing that DNA to potential members of the family,’ defined Invoice DelBango of the FBI.
‘Investigators even traveled to El Salvador as a part of their efforts to establish this killer. To search out the suspect, we have supplied technical help serving to to pinpoint his location. That brings us to Friday night time, the place Tulsa police and FBI brokers had been in a position to efficiently apprehend and arrest the suspect in Oklahoma.’
Morin’s homicide remained unsolved for 10 months till the arrest of a suspect on Friday
The boyfriend of a murdered mother-of-five has damaged his silence after an unlawful immigrant was arrested on suspicion of her homicide
Writing on Fb this previous weekend, Morin’s boyfriend, Richard Tobin, wrote a message for Morin, alongside a photograph of her, whereas additionally referencing Hernandez’s arrest.
‘Love you child. The information I bought this morning is absolutely indescribable (sic)!! They captured Rachel’s Assassin. I attempt to forgive, however I sware (sic) on every part I really like, Your (sic) going to rot in jail for the remainder of your sorry a** life!!!’, Tobin wrote.
On Saturday afternoon, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler slammed Biden’s White Home and ‘members of Congress’ in a press convention.
‘We’re 1,800 miles of the southern border and Americans aren’t secure due to their failed immigration insurance policies,’ Gahler stated throughout an emotionally charged press convention through which Morin’s mom, Patty, additionally spoke.
‘That is the second time in two years that an harmless Harford County girl has misplaced her life to a felony in our nation illegally,’ he stated. ‘In each circumstances, they’re suspects from El Salvador with ties to felony gangs. This shouldn’t be taking place.
‘Victor Hernandez didn’t come to this nation to make a greater life for him or his household, he got here right here to flee the crimes he dedicated in El Salvador. He got here right here to homicide Rachel and God-willing, nobody else.
‘However that ought to have by no means been allowed to occur.’
Patty added: ‘At one level, when issues appeared actually bleak and hopeless, the lead detective stated to me, ‘Endurance will win in the long run.”
‘That is what they have been doing, they have been diligently working onerous via all of the leads and it is due to that that we have now an arrest.’
Morin was reported lacking by her boyfriend Richard Tobin (pictured collectively) after she went for a run on climbing trails and didn’t return
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler stated at a press convention he and his staff spent the most effective a part of 10 months on the lookout for the killer and laid blame with the disaster on the southern border
The sheriff stated he and his staff had spent the most effective a part of 10 months on the lookout for the alleged killer and arrested him on what would have been her thirty eighth birthday with the Sheriff terming it ‘poetic justice’ or Morin’s personal ‘divine intervention’.
‘Rachel’s assassin is not a free man,’ Sheriff Gahler stated, including that ‘DNA proof that allowed investigators to place a reputation to the picture of the suspect within the video from the Los Angeles assault that was launched after Rachel’s loss of life.’
Investigators managed to trace the suspect from Prince George’s County in Maryland 1,300 miles west to Oklahoma.
‘He labored odd jobs and did not reside an costly life-style. It is a free nation, so when you’re right here, you progress from one jurisdiction to the subsequent,’ he added.
‘He went from El Salvador to the U.S., Los Angeles to Harford County, then Prince George’s County, Virginia, then Oklahoma. We aren’t positive the place else he is been. We definitely know he has connections in D.C. and Prince George’s. We imagine he has ties to recognized gangs and that is how he lived his life.’
Gahler stated that he believed ought to Hernandez be convicted, he shouldn’t be despatched again To El Salvador.
‘That is the final place he needs to go. Our jails are higher right here than they’re in El Salvador. He will spend, God prepared, the remainder of his days behind bars,’ Gahler stated.
‘We concern on a regular basis that we will stumble throughout one other crime via DNA or different science that he is dedicated. I by no means need him to go away Maryland once more.. we wish to be certain he by no means sees the sunshine of day,’ the sheriff stated.
Hernandez, 23, was arrested Friday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and charged with the homicide and rape of Morin. He’s additionally accused of murdering one other girl in El Salvador and attacking a nine-year-old lady in Los Angeles
Morin’s bare and battered physique was discovered on the Ma and Pa climbing path in Bel Air, round 45 miles north of Baltimore, the day after she was reported lacking.
Six months later, Maryland investigators launched a sketch of Morin’s suspected killer as her household pleaded for the general public to assist clear up the case.
In accordance with detectives, Hernandez was believed to be hiding adjoining to the favored climbing path when he allegedly murdered Morin.
He allegedly attacked, raped and killed her earlier than fleeing the state. The Tulsa Police Division stated he was tracked right down to Oklahoma after officers within the state had been contacted by the FBI.
Officers stated he initially lied about his id and denied any information of the crimes he was wished for. Hernandez is now awaiting extradition to Maryland.
The suspect in Morin’s homicide has been linked by DNA to a house invasion and assault in LA again in March 2023
The physique of the 37-year-old mom-of-five was found on the favored path bare and crushed in a tunnel alongside a preferred climbing path in Bel Air, Maryland
DNA proof from the house invasion was later linked to Morin’s case.
‘It’s my understanding that this suspect, this monster, fled to america after the homicide of a younger girl in El Salvador a month earlier in January of 2023,’ Gaylor stated throughout Saturday’s press convention.
‘As soon as in our nation, he brutally attacked a nine-year-old lady and her mom in a house invasion in March of 2023 in Los Angeles.’
Within the almost-year-long investigation, detectives scoured seven states and concerned 10 federal, state and native companies.
Officers expressed fears that the suspect may strike once more, and launched Ring doorbell digital camera footage displaying the assailant fleeing the Los Angeles house after the house invasion.
Gaylor stated on the time: ‘Serial killers all begin someplace. What he did in Los Angeles was definitely, I imagine, in that path.
‘I imagine it was his intention to inflict extra critical bodily hurt. He may nonetheless be laying his head right here in our county, or he may have fled anyplace within the nation and even the world.’
Hernandez is thought to even have ties to the Washington, D.C., space in each Virginia and Prince George’s County, and is believed to be affiliated with gang exercise, cops stated.
Detectives beforehand launched Ring doorbell digital camera footage displaying the assailant fleeing the Los Angeles house after the house invasion
A poster shared on Saturday introduced Hernandez’s arrest in Oklahoma
Morin’s boyfriend, Tobin discovered her automotive on the trailhead on the day her physique was discovered, and he was compelled to take to social media to disclaim any involvement after the case gained nationwide consideration.
The pair had made their relationship official on social media 4 days earlier than she was murdered.
He posted: ‘I really like Rachel. I might by no means do something to her, let the household and I grieve.
‘Sure, I’ve a previous however I even have 15 months clear and have modified as an individual. Please.’
