Testimony from a forensic scientist Friday in Harford County Circuit Court directly connected DNA collected from five black socks belonging to Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez to the scene where the body of Rachel Morin was found in Bel Air.

Martinez-Hernandez, 24, a Salvadoran national, is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape in Morin’s August 2023 killing off the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air. His jury trial began last week and is expected to continue through April 16.

Maryland State Police Advanced Forensic Scientist Tiffany Keener testified that she crafted six reports from August 2023 to July 2024. The first report Keener presented was dated Aug. 31, 2023 and outlined 13 DNA swabs from various parts of Morin’s body as well as from her smashed AppleWatch and a plastic water bottle found at the scene. Keener also collected DNA swabs from Morin’s boyfriend, Richard Tobin.

Keener testified that numerous DNA swabs from the crime scene indicated the presence of an unknown male, which she labeled as Unknown Male 1. Kenner testified that the DNA from Unknown Male 1 did not match DNA from Morin’s boyfriend, Tobin; however, tests done on socks belonging to Martinez-Hernandez “had a major male profile consistent with Unknown Male 1.”

On Thursday, numerous witnesses testified that before and after Morin was killed in Bel Air in August 2023, Martinez-Hernandez was living and working nearby. A cousin testified Thursday that Martinez-Hernandez lived in his home in Prince George’s County for five months after Morin’s killing and left behind some personal items which the cousin later gave to police. The items included a toothbrush, clothes, a blanket, shoes and a clock, according to Harford County Sheriff’s Office detectives.

Police received a tip in June 2024 that led to Maryland State Police processing DNA confirming Martinez-Hernandez’s identity as a suspect in the case, Harford County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Cristie Hopkins said at the time.

This story may be updated. 

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