Rachel Morin killing suspect appears in Maryland court

(NewsNation) — The man suspected of killing Maryland mother Rachel Morin was expected to appear in court Friday on charges of rape and murder.

Victor Martinez Hernandez, 23, was arrested last week in Oklahoma, and the process of transferring him back to Maryland moved quickly after he waived his extradition rights.

What happened to Rachel Morin?

Morin was last seen as she left for a walk on a popular trail near her Maryland home. Her boyfriend reported her missing after she failed to return home. After a search, the mother of five’s body was found near the trail the next day.

Police declared her death a homicide and said they believed she was attacked on the trail and dragged through the woods to the location where she was killed. They believed her attacker was waiting near the trail, but it wasn’t clear if she was the intended victim or the suspect was just waiting for anyone to pass by on the path.

A DNA sample from the crime scene was linked to a home invasion in Los Angeles and the assault of a 9-year-old girl. Authorities released surveillance videos of the suspect from that crime as they worked to track down the man linked to both crimes.

Police speculated that Morin’s killer could have other victims as well based on the violent nature of her death.

Who is Victor Martinez Hernandez?

Last week, police in Oklahoma arrested Victor Martinez Hernandez in connection with the case. Authorities initially estimated it could take weeks to transfer him to Maryland, but Hernandez waived his extradition rights, speeding up the process.

Officials say Hernandez, a citizen of El Salvador, entered the U.S. illegally multiple times. Sources told NewsNation’s Ali Bradley he crossed near El Paso multiple times in 2023 and was removed by border authorities.

However, Hernandez was able to evade authorities and make his way into the U.S. again in February of 2023. A month after he made it into the country, an Interpol alert was issued, sources say, potentially connecting Hernandez to another killing he’s accused of in his home country.