BEL AIR, MD—Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus two additional consecutive life sentences and 40 years, for the 2023 rape and murder of Rachel Hannah Morin. The sentencing, delivered by Judge Yolanda L. Curtin, followed a swift conviction in April.
A jury found Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant, guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense, and kidnapping after less than an hour of deliberation. The verdict came after evidence proved that on Aug. 5, 2023, he pulled Morin from the Ma & Pa Trail, where her body was later discovered in drainage culverts.
Sentencing Arguments
During the sentencing hearing, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey and Deputy State’s Attorney David W. Ryden argued for the maximum possible sentence. They presented victim impact statements from Morin’s mother, children, and siblings, detailing the profound loss suffered by her family. Healey highlighted the impact on the Harford County community and emphasized the need to protect the public from Martinez-Hernandez, whom she described as “an immense and continuing threat to public safety.”
Healey pointed to inconsistencies in Martinez-Hernandez’s pre-sentencing reports and evaluations, quoting a doctor who described the defendant as “marked by coldness, dismissiveness, and a callous attitude,” with an “absence of remorse, insight, acceptance of responsibility, or empathy.” This, the doctor concluded, “significantly heightened concerns about his risk of reoffending.”
Defendant’s Criminal History
The prosecution also noted Martinez-Hernandez’s involvement in other violent crimes, including an active “Red Notice” from El Salvador for aggravated femicide related to the murder of another woman. The notice listed him as “armed, dangerous, likely to escape, and violent.” Based on this history and the nature of the crime against Morin, the State’s Attorney argued that Martinez-Hernandez was unamenable to treatment and deserved the maximum sentence.
Following the sentencing, Healey expressed hope that the verdict would provide some closure for Morin’s family. “This has been a long and grueling process for Rachel’s family, and it is our hope that this sentence provides some sense of justice,” she said. “Nothing will ever bring Rachel back to them… but hopefully, knowing this monster will spend every single day of the rest of his life behind bars will give them some peace.”
