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The long-awaited trial begins this week for the illegal immigrant accused of murdering 37-year-old Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five who was killed along a hiking trail.
Jury selection was set to start Tuesday in the Harford Country Circuit Court in Bel Air, Maryland, before Judge Yolanda Curtin.
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Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, of El Salvador, is charged with the brutal rape and murder of Morin, whose body was discovered on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air in August 2023. She was found bashed in the head and strangled to death.
The crime shocked the community and highlighted the then-Biden administration’s failed border policies.
RACHEL MORIN’S MOM CALLS OUT BIDEN-HARRIS FOR IGNORING FAMILY AFTER MIGRANT MURDER
Victor Hernandez-Martinez is accused of the rape and murder of Rachel Morin Aug. 5, 2023, in Bel Air, Maryland.(Hartford County Sheriff’s Office/Tulsa Police Department)
Morin’s family attorney Randolph Rice, the managing partner of Rice Law in Baltimore, told Fox News Digital that jury selection would begin on Tuesday and is expected to take up to three days, with the entirety of the trial anticipated to last approximately two weeks.
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RACHEL MORIN’S ACCUSED KILLER APPEARS IN COURT, DENIED BAIL
“The Morin family has long waited for this moment,” Rice said. “This trial marks the beginning of the justice they’ve been seeking since the day Rachel was taken from them. They are prepared to face the difficult days ahead with strength and hope.”
The Morin family plans to be in attendance throughout the proceedings.
Rachel Morin was dragged off a hiking trail Aug. 5, 2023, and brutally murdered. (Family handout)
Rachel Morin murder
Morin, 37, was reported missing in August 2023 by her boyfriend, who said she never returned after going out for a run on the Ma & Pa Trail, a pedestrian trail in Bel Air, a quiet and typically safe town about 28 miles northeast of Baltimore, Aug. 5, 2023.
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Her body was found near the trail the next day.
In February, police released new sketches of Martinez Hernandez.
WATCH: Rachel Morin murder suspect linked to LA home invasion, assault
The sketches came after DNA evidence linked Martinez-Hernandez to the location of a Los Angeles home invasion. Police used the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which led them to a single DNA match for an unidentified Hispanic male.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) collected a hat left behind at the site of the March 2023 home invasion that turned violent, injuring a 9-year-old girl and her mother.
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ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT IN RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER EXPECTED TO ARGUE FOR A CHANGE OF VENUE
The suspect allegedly broke into the home in the middle of the night and assaulted the family inside before he was chased out. Surveillance video footage captured the man leaving, shirtless, through the front door.
PHOTOS OF INITIAL SEARCH IN MARYLAND:
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“I’m going to make this short because I’m very emotional,” Morin’s mother, Patricia Morin, said previously. “I just want to take this time to thank all the law enforcement for all their hard work.
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“They just really cared for our family and for our daughter,” she said. “They were going to diligently work and find the person who murdered her.”
Martinez-Hernandez’s court-appointed attorney Marcus Jenkins did not immediately return a request for comment.
Make Mother’S Day Memorable With These 8 Activities In Connecticut
Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 10, and Connecticut is full of ways to celebrate.
The Passport to Connecticut Wine Country program is kicking off its latest season, offering residents and visitors a chance to explore the state’s farm wineries and win prizes.
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The program, which begins May 1 and includes 37 participating wineries — three of which are new for 2026 — according to a community announcement.
The new wineries are Ox & Oak Vineyard in Lebanon, Spring Hill Vineyards in New Preston and Long View Ciderhouse in Southington. Each offers a unique experience, from a quiet woodland backdrop to a historic farm setting and a branch-to-bottle cidery.
This year, the program is introducing a new feature to the passport booklets. A QR code on the inside cover allows users to register their booklet, making it easier to enter the end-of-season prize drawing.
Farm wineries will also have the option to use a live QR code to issue stamps onsite. Visitors can collect stamps by scanning the QR code at the winery, tapping “stamp my passport” within the mobile app or having their printed booklet marked during the visit.
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“There’s nothing like summer in Connecticut! And the Passport to CT Wine Country is exactly what you need to help discover all our state has to offer,” said Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. “As you explore our beautiful farm wineries, there is so much more to explore in each town, from fabulous shops to stunning walking trails, delicious restaurants and so much more.”
The Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council has increased the total prize allocation this season to $15,000. The prizes will be divided among multiple drawings within three categories: Taster (12 or more stamps), Sommelier (18 or more stamps) and Winemaker (35 or more stamps), according to the announcement.
Connecticut is home to more than 45 licensed farm wineries, each required to use at least 25% Connecticut-grown fruit. Some producers participate in a voluntary designation that highlights wineries using 51% or more Connecticut-grown ingredients.
The Passport program runs through Dec. 31, 2026. Prize drawings will take place no later than Jan. 31, 2027, according to the announcement.
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More information about Connecticut farm wineries and the Passport to Connecticut Wine Country program is available at ctwinecountry.com.
The Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council, administered by the state Department of Agriculture, is a voluntary council made up of winery owners, research institutions and representatives of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and Department of Economic and Community Development. The council is responsible for promoting state wines and related products, offering educational programs, recommending research projects and advising groups on farm wine development.
This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
PORTLAND (WGME) — If the polls are any indication, Graham Platner is the toughest challenger Senator Susan Collins has faced in the 30 years she’s held her Senate seat.
“I know now for certain, or pretty much for certain, who my opponent will be,” Collins said.
Collins toured York County’s new regional training center Friday, which she helped secure the funding to build.
As the first chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee from Maine in nearly 100 years, she says she’s been able to bring $1.5 billion to Maine for more than 650 projects across the state.
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It’s federal funding, she says, that paid to replace or renovate 45 Maine fire stations, support childcare centers and help rural hospitals stay open.
“I think every day about how we can make life more comfortable for people in Maine,” Platner said.
Platner blames billionaires, big corporations, President Donald Trump, Collins and Republicans in Congress for the ongoing struggles facing working families and small businesses in Maine.
“We need to beat Susan Collins,” Platner said.
CBS13 asked Collins if she felt Trump’s performance will cost her votes in November. She did not answer that directly but did say she’s not running on Trump’s record, but her own.
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“I’m proud of my record and the accomplishments of what I’ve been able to do for Maine and for our country,” Collins said.
Collins says the Social Security Fairness Act she helped pass allows retired teachers and first responders to now get the Social Security they earned working in the private sector, along with their pensions.
“I can’t tell you how many retired employees have come up to me and said that it’s made the difference between a comfortable retirement and barely getting by,” Collins said.
They are two polar opposites in many ways, vying for a Senate seat where the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“I look forward to what I hope will be a civil discussion of the important issues facing our country and the State of Maine,” Collins said.
It’s that part of the volleyball season in which league opponents are facing each other for the second time, and Acton-Boxborough sure is making it interesting.
This Revolution squad, which was swept by Westford and Newton South, defeated both in a combined nine sets the second time around. A 6-6 record does not warrant a significant a rise in the Globe’s Top 20 boys’ volleyball poll, but it’s certainly a team on the right trajectory.
Needham moves up a spot after sweeping Newton South and pushing Brookline to an intense fifth set, and now the Warriors have defeated Nos. 2, 3, and 4 in five sets without dropping a set in any other in-state match. Needham and Natick await their rematches, though the Redhawks are the top dog in the MIAA’s Division 1 power rankings due to their strength of schedule.
Lexington held on in five against Chelmsford, Braintree swept Milton, and Barnstable continues to only have one set loss on the year (in its first matchup). Record based on results reported to the Globe.
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The Globe’s Top 20 boys’ volleyball poll
The Globe poll as of May 2, 2026. Teams were selected by the Globe sports staff.
AJ Traub can be reached at aj.traub@globe.com. Follow him on X @aj_traub and Instagram @ajt37.
