A Maryland jury has found Victor Martinez-Hernandez guilty on all four counts in the murder and rape of Rachel Morin, a mother of five who disappeared while jogging in 2023.
Martinez-Hernandez faced charges of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense, and kidnapping.
Prosecutors presented DNA evidence that directly linked him to Morin’s killing, leading to the jury’s verdict.
News Nation Now reports that the jury took less than an hour to deliberate after a nine-day trial, during which the defense called only one witness and presented its case for just 10 minutes.
In August 2023, the 37-year-old mother was last seen on the popular Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. Authorities later found her dead near the trail.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, she was found dead in a drainage ditch along the trail a day after her boyfriend reported her missing. Shortly afterward, DNA evidence linked Morin’s murder to a March 2023 home invasion and assault in California.
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Martinez-Hernandez illegally crossed into the U.S. multiple times from El Salvador, where he was accused of murdering a woman in December 2022. Each time he attempted to enter the country in early 2023, authorities expelled him.
After successfully gaining entry, he surfaced in Los Angeles and was linked to the assault of a woman and her 9-year-old daughter.
He now faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Rachel Morin/Handout]
