Found Deceased MD - Rachel Morin, 37, left for walk on Ma & Pa Trail 6pm, car found at Williams St entrance, Bel Air, 5 Aug 2023 #3 *Arrest*

[Knox]

JUN 15, 2024

Illegal immigrant charged in killing of Harford County mother Rachel Morin

Law enforcement have arrested Victor Martinez-Hernandez in Tulsa for the killing of Rachel Morin, a Harford County mother of five who was found near a hiking...

foxbaltimore.com

Sheriff Gahler went on to say that Martinez-Hernandez is a "23-year-old citizen of El Salvador." He said that Martinez-Hernandez illegally crossed the border into the United States in February of 2023, and that he believes that Morin was not his first victim.

"It is my understanding that this suspect, this monster, fled to the United States after the murder of a young woman in El Salvador a month earlier in January of 2023," Sheriff Gahler said. "Once in our country, he brutally attacked a nine year old girl and her mother in a home invasion in March of 2023 in Los Angeles."

In the last six years of the FMLN governments, the average number of homicides in the month of January was 360; even in 2016, the number of murders reached more than 740 cases. However, those records are in the past, and January 2023 has become the safest month in the history of El Salvador.

According to data from the National Civil Police, in the 31 days of the month this year, there were only 11 homicides, a figure never recorded. Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro added that nine of these cases have already been resolved, meaning the culprits have already been captured.

January 2023 closes as the safest month in El Salvador, with the lowest homicide rate in America.

In the 31 days of the month, there were only 11 homicides, which translates into an annualized rate below 2 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. They are unprecedented figures.

elsalvadorinenglish.com

Wonder if we can figure out which two murders weren't solved back in Jan 2023?

 

[nhmemorymaker]

lol, I’m terrible with faces. I would have thought those were four different people.

ha ha I agree.... the four faces look like many different guys... and they look more... dangerous to me.

I 'll say it again.... the sketch and the most recent photo in the blue t shirt are the best match!!!!!

 

[PommyMommy]

JUN 15, 2024

El Salvador native arrested for 2023 murder of Maryland mom Rachel Morin

An undocumented migrant was arrested for the high-profile murder of Rachel Morin, the mother of five who was killed along a popular hiking trail in Harford County Maryland in August of 2023.

www.cbsnews.com

Hernandez had illegally crossed the border into the U.S. in February 2023, after murdering another young woman in El Salvador a month earlier in January 2023, Gaylor said. Interpol, the international law enforcement agency, had issued a warrant for his arrest for the homicide of the woman that occurred there.

The suspect has connections in the Washington, D.C. area, in both Virginia and Prince George's County, and ties to known gangs, Gaylor said.

Martinez is awaiting extradition to Maryland, which Gaylor said could take 30 to 60 days.

 

[FromGermany1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1802049844195778806

States of travel: MD, VA, TX, CA! Many locations for crimes possible.

 

[Puzzles8]

April, May, June, July....

Perhaps he was routinely traveling back and forth and he left a crime spree there.

Wherever he was, doubt he took a break from violent crime.

Just hasn't been connected yet.

JMO

Seems like he had gang connections in both CA and Maryland. I suspect LE will follow those connections as well as what areas of the country that gang is associated with.

I really hope he had a cell phone on him when he was arrested. Imagine the Gold Mine that might be to LE.

So relieved for Rachel's Family.

JMO

 

[Stunned]

ICE detainer filed, he will no be deported before he answers the charges in US.

To bad. Is El Salvador the country with the horrific prisons we hear about?

 

[PommyMommy]

JUN 15, 2024

Clue Uncovered On Rachel Morin's Birthday Led To Suspect, Arrest

Officials on Rachel Morin murder suspect Victor Martinez-Hernandez, why was he in the U.S. and why is he wanted for a crime in El Salvador.

patch.com

[...]

On what would have been Rachel Morin's 38th birthday, May 20 — in what Gahler called "poetic justice" or Morin's own "divine intervention" — investigators uncovered a lead that led to the suspect's arrest.

"... The lead we received related to DNA evidence that allowed investigators to put a name to the image of the suspect in the video from the Los Angeles attack that was released after Rachel's death. We knew what he looked like, but didn't know who he was. With that new DNA evidence, we then knew who he was, but not where he was at," Gahler said.

[...]

"He worked odd jobs and didn't live an expensive lifestyle. It's a free country, so once you're here, you move from one jurisdiction to the next. 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 sure where else he's been. We certainly know he has connections in D.C. and Prince George's. We believe he has ties to known gangs and that's how he lived his life."

[...]

Thanks to what's called investigative genetic genealogy, officials used crime scene DNA to trace that DNA to potential family members of the suspect, since there wasn't any hits in the federal CODIS database linking the crime directly to the suspect. In fact, FBI agents traveled to El Salvador in their hunt for Morin's killer.

[...]

 

[x_files]

JUN 15, 2024

El Salvador native arrested for 2023 murder of Maryland mom Rachel Morin

An undocumented migrant was arrested for the high-profile murder of Rachel Morin, the mother of five who was killed along a popular hiking trail in Harford County Maryland in August of 2023.

www.cbsnews.com

Hernandez had illegally crossed the border into the U.S. in February 2023, after murdering another young woman in El Salvador a month earlier in January 2023, Gaylor said. Interpol, the international law enforcement agency, had issued a warrant for his arrest for the homicide of the woman that occurred there.

The suspect has connections in the Washington, D.C. area, in both Virginia and Prince George's County, and ties to known gangs, Gaylor said.

Martinez is awaiting extradition to Maryland, which Gaylor said could take 30 to 60 days.

YEAH! GOOD NEWS!
I wonder how many other victims there have been since last summer?
I'd LOVE to know how he traveled from LA breaking into the house to ending up stalking Rachel in Maryland.

 

[arielilane]

For those who may have missed the update:
x.com
@wbaltv11

LIVE: Officials with the Harford County Sheriff's Office provide an update in the Rachel Morin case- http://wbaltv.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1802039475494936713

 

[arielilane]

LE make good on their word!


“Together we will solve this crime and find the heinous coward who took Rachel Morin from her family and friends.” – Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler

Investigation Update - Harford County Sheriff's Office

 

[Knox]

JUN 15, 2024

Clue Uncovered On Rachel Morin's Birthday Led To Suspect, Arrest

Officials on Rachel Morin murder suspect Victor Martinez-Hernandez, why was he in the U.S. and why is he wanted for a crime in El Salvador.

patch.com

[...]

On what would have been Rachel Morin's 38th birthday, May 20 — in what Gahler called "poetic justice" or Morin's own "divine intervention" — investigators uncovered a lead that led to the suspect's arrest.

"... The lead we received related to DNA evidence that allowed investigators to put a name to the image of the suspect in the video from the Los Angeles attack that was released after Rachel's death. We knew what he looked like, but didn't know who he was. With that new DNA evidence, we then knew who he was, but not where he was at," Gahler said.

[...]

"He worked odd jobs and didn't live an expensive lifestyle. It's a free country, so once you're here, you move from one jurisdiction to the next. 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 sure where else he's been. We certainly know he has connections in D.C. and Prince George's. We believe he has ties to known gangs and that's how he lived his life."

[...]

Thanks to what's called investigative genetic genealogy, officials used crime scene DNA to trace that DNA to potential family members of the suspect, since there wasn't any hits in the federal CODIS database linking the crime directly to the suspect. In fact, FBI agents traveled to El Salvador in their hunt for Morin's killer.

[...]

VMH is likely a member of the MS-13 gang.

Interesting information at link; including the location - a park, and the way the victim was killed - a rock, as well as a stream.
The motivation for the murder isn't the same, but interesting nonetheless.

MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy

A Maryland man was sentenced today to 26 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, including murder, connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13.

www.justice.gov

 

[Diavola]

Thanks to what's called investigative genetic genealogy, officials used crime scene DNA to trace that DNA to potential family members of the suspect, since there wasn't any hits in the federal CODIS database linking the crime directly to the suspect. In fact, FBI agents traveled to El Salvador in their hunt for Morin's killer.

Wow, is this the first case where genetic genealogy was used in an active case?

 

[Puzzles8]

Wow, is this the first case where genetic genealogy was used in an active case?

The great news is that Genetic Genealogy has already been used to solve over 400 cases! And this article is from six months ago.

Police use forensic genetic genealogy to solve crimes

The problem behind forensic genetic genealogy is that it’s expensive for local law enforcement agencies.

www.newsnationnow.com

What an amazing technology. for both solving crime and assisting genealogy

JMO

ETA - The most famous case it has solved is the case of the Golden Gate Killer

 

[PommyMommy]

Wow, is this the first case where genetic genealogy was used in an active case?

Nope, that's how they got this guy.

How Genetic Genealogy Helped Catch The Golden State Killer

Joseph DeAngelo murdered 13 people and thought he had gotten away with it — until genetic genealogy was used to identify him as The Golden State Killer.

www.forbes.com

The so-called ‘Golden State Killer’ was arrested in April 2018 after detective work was combined with DNA databases and family trees to identify potential suspects, an approach known as 'genetic genealogy'.

 

[Knox]

Nope, that's how they got this guy.

How Genetic Genealogy Helped Catch The Golden State Killer

Joseph DeAngelo murdered 13 people and thought he had gotten away with it — until genetic genealogy was used to identify him as The Golden State Killer.

www.forbes.com

The so-called ‘Golden State Killer’ was arrested in April 2018 after detective work was combined with DNA databases and family trees to identify potential suspects, an approach known as 'genetic genealogy'.

Don't forget the Idaho murders - Investigators used genetic genealogy to link Kohberger to the crime by creating a DNA profile from a knife sheath found at the scene, which matched the profile of Kohberger’s dad, eventually leading to his arrest.

 

[Puzzles8]

For anyone wanting to follow the breakthrough technology of GG, there is a great story from CBS News - 60 minutes in 2018.
It walks you through the way the technology was developed and then used as crime solving resource. This story is about how they identified 'The Golden State Killer'. LE had been very critical of this technology until this case.

Inside the genetic genealogy being used to solve crimes

Steve Kroft reports on how a new tool that uses a mixture of DNA analysis and family genealogy has been helping law enforcement crack cold cases

www.cbsnews.com

JMO

 

[PommyMommy]

Scary thought...he could have been at the bar looking for his next victim. MOO

JUN 15, 2024

FBI and Tulsa police capture international fugitive at local bar

Late Friday night, the FBI and Tulsa police detectives arrested an international murder suspect at a bar located at 21st Street and Garnett Road.Victor Antonio

ktul.com

Late Friday night, the FBI and Tulsa police detectives arrested an international murder suspect at a bar located at 21st Street and Garnett Road.

[...]

The FBI began working with TPD on reports that Hernandez was in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

He was found sitting at a bar when detectives arrested him.

[...]

International murder suspect arrested in Tulsa extradited to Maryland, DHS says

Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, a man arrested in Tulsa for an international crime spree, was extradited to Maryland.

www.fox23.com

Police said he initially lied about his identity and denied any knowledge of the crimes.

 

[Knox]

Tulsa Police Department​

INTERNATIONAL MURDER SUSPECT ARRESTED IN TULSA

Victor Antonio Martinez Hernandez was wanted for a crime spree that started in El Salvador and then multiple cities across the United States.

Hernandez is wanted in El Salvador for murder, according to reports he fled to the U.S.

Hernandez then popped up in Los Angeles where he violently assaulted a 9-year-old girl and her mother during a home invasion.

Hernandez then made his way to Harford County Maryland and killed a mother of 5, Rachel Morin, while she was walking down a trail.

Authorities believe that Hernandez was hiding adjacent to a trail and where Rachel was walking and attacked and killed Morin before fleeing Maryland.

Late last night our partners with the FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation contacted Detectives with the Tulsa Police Department Special Investigations Division. They had been working on information that the suspect was in the Tulsa area.

The FBI, TPD Detectives, and TPD patrol Officers converged on a bar located at 21st and Garnett. Officers found the suspect casually sitting at the bar and placed him under arrest. Initially the suspect lied about his true identity and denied any knowledge of the crimes he is wanted for.

The suspect was booked into Tulsa County and awaiting extradition for his heinous crimes.

This is the culmination of tremendous efforts from multiple agencies across the US. We are proud of our Tulsa Police Officers for putting an end to Hernandez’s violent attacks on innocent people.

#TulsaPolice
Here is a link to the news conference from the Harford County Sheriff's Office:
https://harfordsheriff.org/.../releases/rachel-morin-update/



Might need a triple dose of botox, lol.

 

[Charlot123]

I am very elated that the murderer has been caught, but it is a bittersweet victory.

While I sometimes think that it would be nice to get answers to all pending serial killers’ cases, and hopefully, one day we may, Morin’s case was starting to look hopeless.

Now, I understand how hard it is to do studies, and find matches and build a family tree for an illegal El Salvador alien.

All MOO. Of course, one immediately remembers Riley Laken’s case, and lots of similar questions emerge, and hopefully, some of them will be a matter of public discussion, because we can ill afford losing more young women, and older women, and mothers, to these brutes. It is hard enough to support homebred serial killers like Rex Heiermann, with their “houses of horrors”, but add to it the ones traveling via the border to graze here, and it becomes unsustainable. I would very much like to know how Victor Martinez-Hernandez managed to survive in a country with very high cost of living, being occasionally employed.

I wish that he stays forever in Maryland prison, but the poor children of Ms. Morin are facing a hard life without their mother. I remember how her ex-husband and older daughter were scouting the trail and the area around. Great people, and I extend my compassion and sorrow and feeling of relief to Ms. Morin’s family and at least, finally, there is a closure.

 

[Ragin_Cajun83]

In a press conference Saturday, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler announced that they have made an arrest in the high-profile murder case. Victor Hernandez, 23, of El Salvador has been arrested and taken into custody in connection to the killing of Morin back in August 2023 on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air. He also murdered a woman and her child in El Salvador last year.
I will keep you updated...