Rachel Morin case: Defense seeks to move trial out of Harford County

Racquel Bazos, The Baltimore Sun on Jan 3, 2025

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BALTIMORE — The defense team representing Victor Martinez-Hernandez motioned for a change of venue out of Harford County Circuit Court in a Monday filing, stating their client “cannot receive a fair trial” there.

Martinez-Hernandez, 24, of El Salvador, is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree rape, third-degree sex offense and kidnapping for the August 2023 death of Rachel Morin, 37, on the Ma and Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air.

Assistant public defenders Marcus X. Jenkins, Tara LeCompte and Sawyer Hicks wrote in the filing that their client “has been the subject of nationwide public hatred and vilification” after the case has been “the subject of numerous inflammatory and prejudicial reports in both legacy and social media.”

Because of this vilification, “the Defendant believes that in impartial jury cannot be empaneled in Harford County, and that as a result, he cannot receive a fair trial in Harford County,” the motion states.

The motion also states the prosecution has filed a document saying they will seek a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

“The Defendant’s motion to change venue is a procedural step often seen in high-profile cases. While the judicial process must ensure fairness, we trust the court will weigh all factors carefully, including the rights of the victim’s family and the importance of a transparent legal process,” wrote Randolph Rice, who represents Morin’s family, in an email to The Baltimore Sun.

“The Morin family remains steadfast in their faith that the judicial system will deliver justice for Rachel. We are confident that the court will make a decision that upholds the integrity of this case and serves the interests of justice,” he continued.

Martinez-Hernandez’s team declined to comment.

Police believe “there were signs that Morin has been beaten to death and sexually assaulted,” according to charging documents. DNA recovered from her person led to a relative of Martinez-Hernandez, the documents state.

Martinez-Hernandez’s family members told police he had stayed with them in Maryland between December 2023 to May 2024, charging documents state. Additional DNA evidence swabbed from belongings he left at the family home matched the DNA from the crime scene, police wrote.

A motion hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 31. Should the case proceed in Harford County, the trial is scheduled to begin April 1.

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