A Maryland jury on Monday found 24-year-old illegal alien Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez guilty in the rape and murder of Rachel Morin, a case that drew national attention and played a significant role in the 2024 presidential election.

The Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed that Martinez-Hernandez was convicted on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense, and kidnapping.

Martinez-Hernandez, a Salvadoran national, had entered the United States illegally on multiple occasions and was also wanted in El Salvador for the murder of another woman.

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Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five, was killed on August 5, 2023, while walking along the Ma & Pa Trail in Harford County.

According to prosecutors, Martinez-Hernandez attacked Morin, pulled her approximately 150 feet off the main trail, and then brutally beat, raped, and murdered her.

Her phone and Apple Watch data were used to reconstruct her final moments and track the suspect’s movements.

Law enforcement captured Martinez-Hernandez in Oklahoma in June 2024, months after the murder. DNA evidence recovered at the scene matched the suspect.

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Although he initially denied ever living in Maryland, investigators presented business records and witness testimony confirming that he had been residing in Bel Air at the time of the crime.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) previously stated that Martinez-Hernandez had illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border several times in early 2023.

He was apprehended by Border Patrol agents on January 19, January 31, and February 6, and expelled to Mexico after each encounter.

ICE confirmed that he re-entered the country without detection shortly afterward.

Following the verdict, President Donald Trump issued a statement on Truth Social.

“Moments ago, the Illegal Criminal, who was allowed into our Country by Crooked Joe Biden, was convicted of the heinous murder of Rachel Morin,” Trump wrote.

“Rachel was a beautiful mother of five from Maryland, and her life was taken at the hands of a monster who should have NEVER been here in the first place.”

“We will never forget Rachel Morin, and are committed to protecting women like her across our Country,” Trump continued.

“We will deport Illegal Murderers, Rapists, and Criminals.”

Trump had highlighted Morin’s case frequently throughout his 2024 presidential campaign, often appearing alongside her family at campaign stops.

Her mother, Patty Morin, became an outspoken supporter of Trump following the arrest, and the family attended the 2024 Republican National Convention.

The president also recently announced the re-launch of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office, an initiative originally formed during his first term to assist families affected by crimes committed by illegal aliens.

The office had been closed by the Biden-Harris administration and was reinstated in April 2024.

The Morin case has been cited by Trump and Republican lawmakers as a key example of the consequences of lax border enforcement.

The conviction of Martinez-Hernandez brings a conclusion to a case that has not only affected a Maryland community but also reignited national debate on immigration and public safety.

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