Rachel Morin was murdered by suspected Salvadorean gang member Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez after he illegally crossed the border into the US multiple times. Martinez-Hernandez had previously killed a woman in El Salvador before entering the US. His illegal border crossings went undetected multiple times before he committed his heinous crimes in the country, leading to Morin’s tragic death.
In January 2023, Martinez-Hernandez allegedly illegally entered the US near El Paso, Texas and then in New Mexico after killing a woman in El Salvador. He was caught and deported. In February, he crossed into the US again in New Mexico and was deported once more. Between February and March, Martinez-Hernandez successfully made his fourth illegal entry into the US and went undetected. He then proceeded to commit a brutal home invasion in Los Angeles on March 26, 2023, attacking a 9-year-old girl and her mother.
Rachel Morin went missing on August 5, 2023, after going for a walk on the Ma and Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air. Her body was discovered the following day in a nearby culvert. Through DNA evidence, authorities were able to link Martinez-Hernandez to Morin’s murder by matching DNA found at the crime scene to a water bottle and hat left behind at the LA home invasion. Surveillance footage of the suspect from the home invasion was released to the public, and a sketch of the suspect was also distributed by the police.
On May 20, 2024, authorities identified Martinez-Hernandez as the suspect in Morin’s murder. He was apprehended on June 14, 2024, while sitting at a bar in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Martinez-Hernandez waived his right to an extradition hearing in Tulsa on June 17, 2024, allowing him to be transported back to Maryland to face charges in Morin’s death. The police had increased the reward for information leading to his arrest to $35,000 before his capture.
The tragic death of Rachel Morin highlighted the failures in border security that allowed Martinez-Hernandez to enter the US illegally multiple times and commit violent crimes. The case also shed light on the dangers posed by individuals with criminal backgrounds who exploit weaknesses in the immigration system. The apprehension of Martinez-Hernandez brought a sense of closure to Morin’s family and friends, but also raised questions about the effectiveness of border enforcement and the need for stronger measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
