Man charged in Rachel Morin’s death to face October hearings

The man charged with killing Rachel Morin faces three court hearings in October.

The suspect, Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, a 23-year-old from El Salvador, is charged with first- and second-degree murder; first- and second-degree rape; third-degree sex offense and kidnapping. He is being held without bail in the Harford County Detention Center.

Man charged in Rachel Morin killing denied bail; prosecutor says wanted in connection with El Salvador homicide

Morin, a 37-year-old Bel Air mother of five, was found dead in a wooded area adjacent to the Ma and Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air in August 2023.

Martinez-Hernandez has three court dates set in October. The first is a motions hearing, scheduled for Oct. 4, at 9:30 a.m. During this hearing the court will address various pretrial motions, including motions to suppress evidence or dismiss charges, among other legal arguments.

On Oct. 22 at 1:30 p.m., a pre-trial conference is scheduled to allow the defendant to enter a plea to the charges and advise the court if he intends to proceed to a bench or jury trial. If a trial is needed, it is set to begin Oct. 23 at 8:30 a.m.