HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (Scripps News Baltimore/Court TV) — Rachel Morin‘s mother and sister are accused of fraud in a newly filed lawsuit that alleges Morin’s children have not received money from a trust that was meant for them.
Morin, a mother of five, was found dead on a Maryland hiking trail in 2023. After a nine-day trial last month, Victor Martinez-Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree premeditated rape and other charges related to her death.
Rachel Morin (Rice, Murtha, Psoras Trial Lawyers)
Now, Morin’s surviving family members are battling one another in court over how over $50,000 in donated funds raised in the wake of her death are dispersed.
Morin’s mother, Patricia Morin, and aunt, Rebekah Morin, are being sued for fraud by Rachel’s oldest daughter, 19-year-old Faye McMahon, along with Joseph Custer and Jonathan Alderson, the fathers of Rachel’s four other surviving children.
The filing claims that the “In Honor of Rachel Morin Trust,” which was established by Patty and Rebekah, was not designed for the immediate needs and benefit of the children.”
Attorneys for McMahon, Custer and Alderson allege Patty and Rebekah have unrestricted access to “deplete the trust for ‘Trust Expenses’,” and claim they have committed fraud by misrepresenting the intended use of the money.
The plaintiffs request a “full accounting of the funds raised and their current disposition.”
They are also asking the court to award both compensatory and punitive damages.
A similar lawsuit was dismissed months ago, but the reasons for this are unclear.
