Editor’s Note: This story contains discussions of rape or sexual assault that may be disturbing. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can find help and discreet resources on the National Sexual Assault Hotline website or by calling 1-800-656-4673.
(NewsNation) — Jury deliberations could start soon for Victor Martinez-Hernandez, the man accused of killing Rachel Morin.
The 37-year-old mother of five went missing after going for a run at the popular Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland in August of 2023. Morin was later found dead near the trail.
Martinez-Hernandez entered the U.S. illegally multiple times from his native El Salvador, where he was accused of murdering a woman in December of 2022. He was expelled each time he crossed the border in early 2023.
He later appeared in Los Angeles after a successful attempt to get into the country where he was linked to the assault of a woman and her nine-year-old daughter.
Closing arguments in the trial happened on Monday after testimony on DNA evidence linking Martinez-Hernandez to Morin’s death was heard.
Martinez-Hernandez is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape, as well as a kidnapping charge. He took extensive notes during the trial and is said to have paid attention when photos of the crime scene were presented.
Martinez-Hernandez faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Randolph Rice, the attorney for Morin’s family, said Martinez-Hernandez needs to be in prison for life.
“They are happy to see that he could be in prison for the rest of his life,” Rice said. “Keeping him off the streets would prevent another Rachel Morin.”