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

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Chief Deputy gives an update here.
Chief Deputy gives an update here.
How is there no leads at this point? They must have something aside from asking for tips ? I cannot believe they have no dna to point to a suspect. I find this strange in this type of case.
 
How is there no leads at this point? They must have something aside from asking for tips ? I cannot believe they have no dna to point to a suspect. I find this strange in this type of case.
I'm sure that the sheriff's department is doing a lot more than asking for tips, but they obviously don't want to share information that might let the murderer know what they know. I don't think they know a lot yet but they are surely pursuing many leads.

They might well have DNA from the crime scene but at this point they would not want the murderer to know whether they have any, whether it's a good sample and whether they have been able to match it to anyone yet. It takes time to process DNA and it takes time to secretly collect and analyze DNA from any suspects whose DNA is not in a database.

It's frustrating, but unless there is a big break early in the case from sources like a camera or a witness, it's a painstaking process to investigate a crime like this. The sheriff seems like a serious, intelligent guy though it would be interesting to know whether his department is getting help from the MD State Police or maybe even the FBI.
 
IIRC there was at least one period of very heavy rain right after RM was located.

At this point, I don't have anything else to add except that I am beginning to doubt this murder was committed by what one would think of as the "usual suspect".

Bel Air is approximately 32 miles from Baltimore which has fairly high crime rate, as would be expected. Lots of violent crime, much fueled by the drug epidemic. [I.E. heroin, fentanyl, meth].
IMO it easily spills over into communities like Bel Air. I am not suggesting RM was involved in illicit activities of any kind. We have to keep an open mind and use a broad scope in these cases. It's logic. She may have come across knowledge of such an enterprise active in her community or even in her social circle. It's definitely a remote possibility at least.

{---Most of us have watched the news reporting this year alone about the chronic pharmacy shortages amounting to those with prescriptions not being able to get them filled. Pain killers such as hydrocodone and especially Adderall seem to be in the shortest supply. There are huge demands for these classes of medications on the streets. The Adderall shortage alone has caused havoc in the suburbs for "casual" users without scripts trying to obtain the pills. Extremely lucrative...}


The Colonel in the interviews posted above says he is not ruling out anyone from any of these areas and that many people from neighboring areas frequent the trail.


IMHO this woman's murder may be random after all. She may have been the victim of a "rock" attack, as in to disfigure her. :( However, that may not have been the weapon used to take her life. Despite rumors, we just don't know. Strangulation, many different ways. I don't want to think about them, yet engage in those thoughts.

The tunnel area below 24 seems really noisy from the traffic above. A gun would/could be used to subdue someone, sure. The distinctive noise it would make (if fired) would surely draw attention. Or may have been picked up on security cam audio from one or more of the homes that are very near the trail. As seen in maps of the area.

Sadly a knife may have been used to enable her killer to force her from the trail and complete their horrible act in/adjacent to the tunnel, lastly dragging her inside.

I understand after the initial 911 call was made by her bf (apparently around 11:23pm?) that police etc immediately began to search for her in the trail area. It's a bit concerning that she wasn't located that night although she was already gone from this life. At that point I guess she would have been considered to be endangered/missing. An adult can obviously go missing, even if it's entirely out-of-character.
We know that's not what happened here.

Let's also keep in mind that although many many people who have "pasts" they'd like to have erased on legal papers, it doesn't mean they don't or haven't changed. People make changes every single day. For better and some for worse. We will wait and find out. Hopefully sooner than it seems we may.

I am not sure if CTV links are allowed here. I will leave this as it seems to have aired about an hour ago. Excuse me if it's been posted. I find the timeline helpful to refocus myself.
snipped by me...
[ Premiered 111 minutes ] ago #CourtTV #maryland #rachel
Maryland mother of five Rachel Morin was reported missing on August 5 when she didn’t return from a walk on a hiking trail. Her body was found the next day. Very few details have been released about the investigation. #CourtTV breaks down the Hiking Mom Murder Case.

Justice for Rachel and thoughts for her children and the rest of her family.
Sincerest of condolences,
Chi
1692156737692.png


***ETA May this case not turn into one reminiscent of the sad Mollie Tibbetts case. {{I in no way mean to say this involves an immigrant, etc.}} Her case was another one that just broke my heart. If you weren't familiar with her murder while jogging, here's a link Murder of Mollie Tibbetts - Wikipedia
 
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How is there no leads at this point? They must have something aside from asking for tips ? I cannot believe they have no dna to point to a suspect. I find this strange in this type of case.
DNA could definitely be considered a lead, however, if they have DNA, but no match, they could say they have no leads meaning no suspects at this point. A lot of what LE releases in these cases can be semantics in order to protect the integrity of the investigation and also so they don’t scare off potential suspects.
If this is a stranger killing, it is the most difficult kind of homicide to solve.
 
I’m feeling there is quiet for a reason. I can’t help feeling it’s someone close and LE is watching. I could totally be wrong. I know many feel it’s random but I’m not so sure. Jmo
I 100% agree on both accounts. I've always thought this was very personal.

Just because there hasn't been anything in the press, it doesn't mean there isn't police activity involving someone she may have been personally involved with happening behind the scenes. There are ways to talk to suspects that aren't necessarily case-related, things like serving outstanding warrants and such. MOO MOO MOO.
 
It’s hard to believe there wouldn’t be foreign dna to be collected. Whoever did this exerted a lot of energy if she was brutally beaten like we believe she was. Hair, sweat, saliva, etc . They run collected dna through CODIS for a match, but that doesn’t mean the person committed a prior crime that warranted their dna to go into the database, or committed a crime at all. imo

I feel like this will be solved however over the coming weeks. imo
 
Chief Deputy gives an update here.
Some of my take aways from the Chief Deputy's interview. Violent death, asking for tips and specifically mentioned anyone having a grudge against Rachel, boyfriend being very cooperative with interviews. Media "star" was not at the crime scene and never saw the crime scene.

JMO
 
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