The household of Rachel Morin say they’re satisfied the unlawful immigrant arrested and charged together 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 mountain climbing path virtually a yr 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 woman 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 mountain climbing path virtually a yr in the past
Hernandez had illegally crossed the southern border in February 2023 after he additionally allegedly murdered one other lady 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 have been attacked and it ended the identical means as my sister, or perhaps 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 Put up.
‘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.
‘Any individual who commits most 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 would not care about human life can simply do that to anyone they arrive throughout.
‘It is a reduction 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 that the killer isn’t capable of 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 consider there could also be different victims
The household’s lawyer, Randolph Rice, additionally believes there are extra victims.
‘Utilizing the legislation of chance 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 Put up.
‘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 determine 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 determine the suspect by utilizing crime scene DNA and tracing that DNA to potential relations,’ defined Invoice DelBango of the FBI.
‘Investigators even traveled to El Salvador as a part of their efforts to determine this killer. To search out the suspect, we have supplied technical help serving to to pinpoint his location. That brings us to Friday evening, the place Tulsa police and FBI brokers have been capable of 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 admittedly indescribable (sic)!! They captured Rachel’s Assassin. I attempt to forgive, however I sware (sic) on every little thing 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 should not secure due to their failed immigration insurance policies,’ Gahler stated throughout an emotionally charged press convention during which Morin’s mom, Patty, additionally spoke.
‘That is the second time in two years that an harmless Harford County lady has misplaced her life to a legal in our nation illegally,’ he stated. ‘In each circumstances, they’re suspects from El Salvador with ties to legal gangs. This shouldn’t be occurring.
‘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, ‘Persistence will win ultimately.”
‘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 now we have an arrest.’
Morin was reported lacking by her boyfriend Richard Tobin (pictured collectively) after she went for a run on mountain climbing trails and didn’t return
Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler stated at a press convention he and his staff spent one of the best a part of 10 months searching for the killer and laid blame with the disaster on the southern border
The sheriff stated he and his staff had spent one of the best a part of 10 months searching 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 demise.’
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 dwell 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 consider 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 keen, the remainder of his days behind bars,’ Gahler stated.
‘We worry 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 depart Maryland once more.. we wish to be certain that 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 lady in El Salvador and attacking a nine-year-old woman in Los Angeles
Morin’s bare and battered physique was discovered on the Ma and Pa mountain 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 line with detectives, Hernandez was believed to be hiding adjoining to the favored mountain 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 all the way down to Oklahoma after officers within the state have been contacted by the FBI.
Officers stated he initially lied about his identification 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 overwhelmed in a tunnel alongside a well-liked mountain 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 the USA after the homicide of a younger lady 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 woman 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 digicam footage exhibiting 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 consider, in that course.
‘I consider it was his intention to inflict extra severe 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 understood 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 digicam footage exhibiting 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 pressured 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.’
