Illegal Immigrant Sentenced Life Maryland Jogger Murder

Victor Martinez-Hernandez, an illegal immigrant and MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the rape and murder of 37-year-old Rachel Morin, a mother of five, who was killed while jogging on the Ma and Pa Heritage Trail in Maryland in August 2023. He was convicted of multiple charges including first-degree murder, rape, sexual offense, and kidnapping, with prosecutors presenting over 500 pieces of evidence, including DNA linking him to the crime. Martinez-Hernandez had a criminal history, including a prior murder in El Salvador and assaults in California, and had crossed the U.S. border multiple times despite being deported three times. Morin's family delivered emotional victim impact statements during sentencing, highlighting the profound grief and loss they experienced. Authorities arrested Martinez-Hernandez in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June 2024 after tracing his cellphone, and the jury reached a guilty verdict in less than an hour in April 2025. The case has drawn national attention and sparked discussions about violent illegal immigrants living in the United States.