The man suspected of killing Rachel Morin on the Ma & Pa Trail in August 2023, Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, was identified by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, because of his “unique” teeth, according to testimony on Thursday in Harford Circuit Court.
Martinez-Hernandez, 24, of El Salvador, was arrested June 14, 2024 at the Los Dos Amigos Sports Bar in Tulsa, and later extradited to Maryland, where he was charged with first-degree murder in Morin’s death.
Police used DNA swabs from clothing he left at relative’s home in Prince George’s County to identify him as a suspect in Morin’s death.
Harford County Sheriff’s Office Detective Phillip Golden testified Thursday that police had “no idea” where Martinez-Hernandez was located after they issued a warrant for his arrest, so they started with what they believed to be Martinez-Hernandez’s phone number, provided by his family in Prince George’s County.
Investigators worked with the cellphone carrier T-Mobile to ping the number to Tulsa, then worked with Tulsa police to track Martinez-Hernandez. Tulsa police officer Kylee Delmont was assigned to an overnight patrol shift when she responded to the report of a person with outstanding warrants in the area of 15th and Memorial in Tulsa. She was given two photos of Martinez-Hernandez, as well as his height, weight, date of birth and other descriptors, she testified Thursday.
Delmont and Detective Steven Sanders with Tulsa Police, found Martinez-Hernandez at Los Dos Amigos Sports Bar in East Tulsa, sitting inside at the bar with a friend. They asked Martinez-Hernandez to go outside and searched him. Delmont said Martinez-Hernandez said numerous times that his name was Juan Carlos and that he had no identification or cellphone on him.
But Delmont said she was able to identify Martinez-Hernandez after he smiled, because “his teeth were unique.
“His 2 front teeth stuck together and the rest of his teeth spread out,” Delmont said. “He had gaps.”
When Sanders showed him a photo of himself and asked if his full name was Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, he said yes. Officers later recovered Martinez-Hernandez’s cellphone from a security guard at the bar.
Golden testified Friday that when questioned in Oklahoma Martinez-Hernandez denied ever having been to Maryland. A search of his phone revealed Wifi connections made in Maryland and emails he had received for job listings in Maryland. Police also used front-door security camera footage from his cousin’s apartment to show Martinez-Hernandez had been in Prince George’s County. Interviews with friends and coworkers tied Martinez-Hernandez to Bel Air as well, Golden said.
Martinez-Hernandez told Golden that he “serves God” and never hurt or killed anyone, and when asked if he had any idea how his DNA ended up at the crime scene and on Morin’s body, he responded, “Today, there is so much technology, someone can do damage to anyone.”
Martinez-Hernandez told investigators he believed someone placed his DNA at the scene to damage him, Golden said.
Friday was the eighth day of the jury trial for Martinez-Hernandez, who is charged with first-degree rape and first-degree murder in Morin’s death. The trial is expected to continue into next week.
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@baltsun.com, 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.
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