Maryland prosecutors finished presenting their case against Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, the undocumented immigrant accused of sexually assaulting and killing Bel-Air resident Rachel Morin in August 2023.
The victim, a 37-year-old mother of five, was running on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel-Air, a charming town located northeast of Baltimore, when Martinez-Hernandez allegedly ambushed her, strangled her, and brutally attacked her resulting in her death.
“This has been an extremely difficult time for Rachel’s family, but they continue to strongly seek justice,” stated Randolph Rice, the attorney representing the family. “The prosecution has presented a detailed and compelling case. Now, we await the response from the Defense and anticipate the closing arguments that will mark the final phase of this trial.”
Harford County Det. Phil Golden testified Friday as prosecutors played a video of his interview with the suspect after Morin’s murder, facilitated by a Spanish interpreter.Â
The suspect first denied knowing about the photo and then later admitted it was him, FOX 45 reported.
“I saw an unclothed human body on her back. At first, I truly thought it might have been a deer or something that had died in there,” Evan Knapp, who found Rachel Morin’s body, testified. “So, I had to move a bit closer to confirm what I had seen, and it was a human. I feel like time froze for a second and I didn’t know what I was looking at.”
A policeman holds fliers requesting information on the murder of Rachel Morin at the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. The trail is where 37-year-old Rachel Morin was found dead on Sunday. (Mega for Fox News Digital)
The defense is expected to call witnesses on Monday, and the judge advised that closing arguments will likely be delivered Monday, as well.
Rachel Morin’s family has been present for each day of the trial so far and are expected to stay until its conclusion.
