The sister of slain Maryland mother Rachel Morin advised The Publish on Monday that the household fears her illegal-migrant attacker could also be a serial killer who murdered different victims whereas within the US.
Accused Salvadoran gang member Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, was arrested Friday within the brutal rape and homicide of Rachel Morin, 37, on a mountain climbing path in August in Harford County, Md. — and had already been needed in a earlier killing in El Salvador and the assault of a mother and younger lady in Los Angeles on the time.
“One thing we’ve been involved about is that there are different victims on the market … whether or not they had been attacked and it ended the identical approach as my sister, or possibly there are some on the market who’re nonetheless alive however by no means got here ahead,” stated Rebekah Morin, 43. “Hopefully now they do come ahead.”
Rebekah famous that there are monthslong gaps between his identified US crimes.
“There was a very long time interval between his final victims and Rachel’s assault,” Rebekah stated.
“Anyone who commits most of these crimes does them as a result of they don’t care. They don’t take into consideration what they’re doing, and an individual who doesn’t care about human life can simply do that to anyone they arrive throughout.”
Cops say Martinez-Hernandez has been dwelling illegally in america since February 2023 — a month after he allegedly murdered a younger girl in El Salvador.
As soon as within the US, he attacked a 9-year-old lady and her mother throughout a brutal house invasion in Los Angeles on March 26, authorities say.
He then allegedly violently struck once more in August, killing Morin. Martinez-Hernandez has been charged with first-degree homicide and first-degree rape in her demise.
“Our investigative genetic family tree workforce in Baltimore labored numerous hours to establish the suspect by utilizing crime scene DNA and tracing that DNA to potential relations,” stated Invoice DelBango of the FBI Baltimore Discipline Workplace.
“Investigators even traveled to El Salvador as a part of their efforts to establish this killer,” he stated. “To seek out the suspect, we’ve supplied technical help serving to to pinpoint his location. That brings us to [Friday night], the place Tulsa police and FBI brokers had been in a position to efficiently apprehend and arrest the suspect in Oklahoma.”
Rebekah stated her household was notified concerning the arrest warrant shortly earlier than Martinez-Hernandez was taken into custody. She stated Rachel’s 5 youngsters — who vary in ages from 8 to 18 — have additionally been knowledgeable.
“Some are a lot youthful than others, and it’s sort of arduous to completely grasp how they’re feeling or in the event that they absolutely perceive what this implies,” she advised The Publish, including that the kids now dwell with their respective fathers.
The mom of 5 was snatched off the Ma and Pa mountain climbing Path in Bel Air, Md., and dragged into the woods, in keeping with authorities. Her physique was present in a culvert Aug. 6.
“It’s a aid to have a suspect in custody and to have a reputation and a face to (put to) anyone … for this,” Rebekah stated.
“Nevertheless it additionally brings the whole lot again up and makes it really feel prefer it’s Day One another time.
“We need to be certain that the [killer] isn’t in a position to stroll the streets once more,” she stated.
Randolph Rice, a lawyer representing the sufferer’s household, advised The Publish on Monday that he’s additionally satisfied that Morin’s killer “has extra victims scattered across the US.
“Utilizing the regulation of likelihood 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’s a niche from March to August when he rapes and murders Rachel, adopted by one other 10 month hole till he’s arrested … it’s arduous to suppose he hasn’t dedicated one other crime in these intervals or gaps of time,” Rice stated.
“[The Morin family is] fearful there are different victims.
“I, too, have little doubt that there are different victims on the market. We hope this man’s arrest will give them the braveness to return ahead as a result of he can’t hurt them anymore or they may now see him and acknowledge and might establish him,” Rice stated.
Martinez-Hernandez was identified to have hung out in Maryland, Virginia, Los Angeles and at last Tulsa, the place he was apprehended.
Authorities discovered the profession felony “casually sitting on the bar” Friday evening, Tulsa cops stated in a Fb publish.
“We’re 1,800 miles from the southern border right here in Harford County,” Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler of Harford County, Md., stated at a Saturday press convention.
“[This] shouldn’t be taking place. Victor Hernandez didn’t come right here to make a greater life for himself or for his household — he got here right here to flee against the law he dedicated in El Salvador.”
The extradition course of to deliver the Martinez-Hernandez to Maryland has already begun, Harford County State’s Legal professional Alison Healy stated.
ICE has additionally issued a detainer on Hernandez since he’s been dwelling within the US illegally, Gahler stated.
“I’m right here to let you know Rachel’s assassin is now not a free man,” Gahler stated. “Hopefully, he won’t ever have the chance to stroll free once more.”
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