HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (Court TV/Scripps News Baltimore) — The man convicted of raping and murdering Rachel Morin has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Victor Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced Monday, nearly four months after he was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense and kidnapping in the August 2023 death of Morin.
Rachel Morin (Rice, Murtha, Psoras Trial Lawyers)
Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five, was killed on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. Days after her body was found, authorities said DNA from the crime scene was a match to an assault and home invasion in Los Angeles.
Martinez-Hernandez was arrested in Oklahoma in June 2024. At the time of his arrest, officials said he came to the United States illegally in February 2023 after being suspected of another murder in El Salvador. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed he’d been expelled from the country on three prior occasions before Morin’s murder.
Martinez-Hernandez was given two consecutive life sentences without parole plus 40 years, according to Scripps News Baltimore.
At his sentencing hearing, his lawyers told a judge their client is a family man who was working to help his family. They also denied reports of Martinez-Hernandez being in a gang, claiming he’s shown interest in education and rehabilitation.
This June 15, 2024 arrest photo provided by the Tulsa Police Dept. shows Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, wanted in the murder of Rachel Morin. (Tulsa Police Dept. via Scripps News Tulsa)
Prosecutors, meanwhile, spent their time painting Martinez-Hernandez as a liar who has yet to acknowledge his actions. They also mentioned a psychological evaluation that found the defendant’s risk of reoffending was high due to his cold, dismissive demeanor about the case. State’s Attorney Allison Healey said Martinez-Hernandez even laughed and joked during his evaluation earlier this summer.
Morin’s brother, Michael, also spoke, saying he forgives Martinez-Hernandez because “God sees all, and forgives even the worst of sinners.”
Healey said she expects an appeal by Martinez-Hernandez, but expressed confidence the sentencing would stick. When asked about Martinez-Hernandez potentially being deported, Healey was doubtful, stating it’s likely he will spend the rest of his life in a Maryland prison.
Scripps News Baltimore, an E.W. Scripps Company, contributed to this report.
