Rachel Morin update: Killer ‘still poses a threat’ as Maryland police struggle to identify suspect
Maryland police have warned that Rachel Morin’s killer could strike again as he remains at large more than two weeks on from her murder.
Harford County sheriff Jeff Gahler told Fox News that identifying and catching the suspect is a “top priority” amid fears that he could do “something harmful to someone else”.
“This individual poses a threat to every community from here to Los Angeles because we don’t know where he’s laying his head at night,” he said.
Morin, 37, was found dead after heading off for a walk along on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, on the evening of 6 August.
Last week, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office announced a major break in the case, revealing that DNA found at the scene of Morin’s murder had been matched to the DNA left at a home where an unknown man broke into a home in Los Angeles and violently attacked a young girl back in March.
The suspect, a Hispanic male aged 20-30, was caught on a home security camera leaving the LA home.
Over the weekend, hundreds of community members took part in a tribute walk in memory of the mother-of-five.
Key points
Maryland police find DNA and video in Rachel Morin case but still haven’t named suspect
Man who described grisly state of Rachel Morin’s body never actually saw it, sheriff says
Police warn killer could strike again if not caught
Maryland police still struggling to find suspect in Rachel Morin case
01:19 , Josh Marcus
Maryland police say they have few new clues about the identity of who killed Rachel Morin, a mother of five from Bel Air, after announcing last week they found a DNA sample matching the unidentified man they believe to be the murderer.
“He still poses a threat wherever he’s laying his head and we need to get him off the street,” Harford County sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told NewsNation on Friday.
“The public will not be safe until we get him in custody.”
Harford County Police offers $10,000 reward for information about suspect
Thursday 24 August 2023 18:38 , Andrea Blanco
The law enforcement department investigating Rachel Morin’s case has announced a $30,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect in the brutal murder.
The suspect was captured was linked to a burglary in Los Angeles earlier this year. Footage from that incident suggests that the suspect is 5’09’’ and weighs around 160 pounds.
The man is believed to be between 20 and 30 years old.
Police warn Rachel Morin killer will strike again after weeks on the run
Wednesday 23 August 2023 13:53 , Rachel Sharp
Maryland law enforcement officials are worried that the suspect on the run in the Rachel Morin murder case could do “something harmful to someone else”.
Harford County sheriff Jeff Gahler said the accused has no regard for the sanctity of human life and his identification remains a “top priority” for the police.
“This individual poses a threat to every community from here to Los Angeles because we don’t know where he’s laying his head at night,” sheriff Gahler told Fox News.
Read more...
Police warn Rachel Morin killer will strike again after weeks on the run
Maryland police plan to offer reward to help catch killer
Tuesday 22 August 2023 14:00 , Rachel Sharp
Maryland police are planning to offer a reward to help catch Rachel Morin’s killer who remains at large more than two weeks on from her murder.
The Harford County Sheriff’s Office told FOX45 News on Monday that the department was working with metro crime stoppers to come up with a reward.
It is not clear how much the reward would be.
Monday 21 August 2023 20:30 , Kelly Rissman
Childhood friend of Rachel Morin gives touching social media tribute
Esther Limoges Burke, one of Morin’s childhood best friends, said that the pair drifted in adulthood. “I don’t regret much in life but I do regret not making more of an effort to keep in touch,” she wrote.
Monday 21 August 2023 18:45 , Kelly Rissman
Richard Tobin posts tribute on Facebook to Rachel Morin
“You showed me how rewarding it was to be man and treat you like a queen! Making you happy gave me joy everyday and I’m so glad I could give you that,” Morin’s boyfriend wrote. Mr Tobin posted a photo of himself holding flowers while looking at a tree with Morin’s photo plastered to it.
Monday 21 August 2023 16:45 , Kelly Rissman
Rebekah Morin posted a poem to honor her late sister
I wish you sweet sleep, my sister dear.
Although there’s so much that you’ve left bare
I hate that you had to endure such pain
On my mind, your saddened eyes have left a stain.
I want to know what crossed your mind
Unspoken words you’ve left behind
Undone things we’ll never do
No sharing thoughts you never knew.
A peace has fallen upon your head
A taste of sorrow we have been fed
It really is like a hole in our lives
One swiftly dug but carved out by knives.
But I have hope that those sleeping will rise
The Bible says that God will open their eyes.
No suffering, sickness, yes not even pain,
Those who did good, eternal life they’ll gain.
So… sleep on my sister, sleep tight
For now with you the sky is night.
But after night will come daybreak
Therefore I will wait hoping to see you awake.
Hundreds take part in community walk for Rachel Morin
Monday 21 August 2023 14:55 , Rachel Sharp
Rachel Morin was remembered over the weekend as hundreds of community members took part in a tribute walk along the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, where the mother-of-five was murdered.
The 5km walk, called “Rachel’s last steps”, was organised by Morin’s sister Rebekah and took place on Saturday.
Community members came out to pay tribute to the 37-year-old on the walk before then heading to the Flavor Cupcakery Bakery and Cafe, where 20 percent of its sales were donated to support Morin’s five children.
Monday 21 August 2023 13:30 , Kelly Rissman
Recap: Rachel Morin’s final moments
Just days into a new relationship with Richard Tobin, according to Facebook, the 37-year-old headed to to a popular hiking trail just outside of town around 6pm on Saturday 5 August.
The mother-of-five had been wearing a blue or black tank top, black sports bra, black spandex shorts, and gray sneakers when she was last sighted.
Her new boyfriend reported her missing after she failed to return that night.
Read more:
Monday 21 August 2023 11:00 , Kelly Rissman
Recap: who is the suspect accused of murdering Rachel Morin?
Police on Thursday described him as an “unknown male” who is approximately 5ft 9in tall, weighing 160 pounds. They believe him to be approximately Hispanic, 20-30 something with a “muscular build.”
“This individual is believed to have ties to the Los Angeles area and may have been involved in violent crimes in other states,” investigators said after they released footage of the suspect.
His DNA matched DNA left at a home in Los Angeles, where a break-in and assault of a child occurred in March.
Here is the footage:
Monday 21 August 2023 07:00 , Kelly Rissman
Rachel Morin’s best friend
“Rachel was so unabashedly herself: witty and genuine, brilliant, daring, and headstrong. Her spirit would light up the room and her smile was contagious,” her best friend Claudia Brown wrote in a Facebook post after her death.
“Her faith was so strong,” she added.
Ms Brown wrote that Ms Morin had been divorced, and was a “fierce protector of her children and loved them with all of her heart.”
In other posts, Ms Brown called Rachel her “soul sister.”
Monday 21 August 2023 03:00 , Kelly Rissman
About her five kids
Rachel Morin had five kids, ranging from 8 to 18 who had three different fathers, according to the New York Post. They are each in the custody of their respective dads, the outlet added.
“She was very warm and above all she loved her children,” one of Morin’s clients, Margaret Woltz, told The Post.
“She raised them very well. She had a flexible work schedule that allowed her to make sure her kids were always taken care of. We were like grandparents to the kids and we trusted her implicitly,” she added.
Sunday 20 August 2023 23:45 , Kelly Rissman
About the LA link
On Thursday, investigators announced a major break in the case, connecting DNA found at the crime scene to a genetic evidence found at a home in LA in March, where an unnamed man broke into a home and assaulted a child.
“We collected DNA from the crime scene. The Maryland State Police analyzed that DNA for us—ran it through the national CODIS system—and that came back as a match to the crime that occurred in Los Angeles where they had recovered DNA from this person,” Col William Davis from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office explained on Thursday.
Hundreds join ‘trail of flowers and light’ to honour Rachel Morin
Sunday 20 August 2023 23:37 , Andrea Blanco
On Saturday, hundreds of people in the local community joined a remembrance walk to honour the life of the 37-year-old slain mother.
Morin’s sister Rebekah organised the vigil to walk “Rachel’s last steps” on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air, where she was found dead on 6 August. Rebekah also posted a heartfelt poem celebrating her sister’s life on Sunday.
“So… sleep on my sister, sleep tight/For now with you the sky is night/But after night will come daybreak/Therefore I will wait hoping to see you awake,” Morin’s grieving sister wrote on Facebook.
Sunday 20 August 2023 23:31 , Kelly Rissman
Rachel’s brother, John Morin
Her brother, John, has been a lot quieter on social media than her sister Rebekah and her mother, but he has been linking to video footage and the walk in Rachel’s memory.
He also posted a tear jerking post, a screenshotted conversation from two years ago between him and Rachel, with the caption: “Can’t wait to see you again someday soon.”
Sunday 20 August 2023 20:00 , Kelly Rissman
Community support continues as GoFundMePage flourishes
Rebekah Morin, Rachel’s sister, organized a fundraiser for the mother-of-five’s funeral expenses. She set a goal of raising $65,000, and individuals—some who knew Morin and others who were affected by her tragic death—have donated money and shared kind words.
“This tragedy affects our whole community. I can’t get this off my mind. I only spoke with Rachel once at the Bel Air, ShopRite Grocery store about paper plates. We chatted about families, and she told me about her 5 children. My deepest sympathies to the Morin family for both of your losses. I have prayed for you every day,” someone wrote on the page.
Another contributor wrote, “Don’t know Rachel but I’ve been following this tragedy since Sunday . It’s heartbreaking knowing she was out for a safe hike then tragedy hits. I wanted to contribute to give her a nice memorial and for her kids to be able to have something too. Prayers.”
Sunday 20 August 2023 17:00 , Kelly Rissman
Outpouring of support for Morin
Locals have posted photos and loving words in memory of Rachel Morin along the Ma and Pa trail in Maryland.
Sunday 20 August 2023 14:00 , Kelly Rissman
Rachel Morin and Richard Tobin
The pair officially got together on 1 August, according to his Facebook profile.
He has denied any involvement in the case, as people were baselessly pointing fingers at him after she was reported missing. He snapped back to those accusations, saying, “never do anything to her.” He wrote on social media, “Yes I have a past but I also have 15 months clean and have changed as a person. Please.”
Once police released video footage, he wrote on Facebook, urging people “please help identify this scum bag.”
Sunday 20 August 2023 09:00 , Kelly Rissman
Recap: what we know about the Rachel Morin case
The 37-year-old set out to go hiking on 5 August; her boyfriend Richard Tobin called police at about 11pm to report her missing after she failed to return home that night.
The next morning, the 37-year-old’s car was located at the Williams St entrance to the Ma and Pa Trail.
At 1.07pm on 6 August, a member of the public called 911 to report finding a woman’s body near the trail.
Days after unanswered questions hung in the air about what happened to Morin, finally on 17 August, investigators announced a major break in the case: they discovered DNA at the crime scene. Police said that DNA matched a sample taken from a 26 March home invasion and assault of a young girl across the country.
The suspected murderer and Morin likely didn’t know each other, as police have called the incident a “potentially a random act of violence.” Now, police are searching for leads on how to find the suspect and are asking the public to submit tips to help identify the suspect released in the video footage.
Sunday 20 August 2023 05:00 , Kelly Rissman
What people are saying about the case
As the mystery surrounding what happened to the mother-of-five has gripped the nation, social media users have made comments about the nature of the case. Seeing as police have described the tragedy as being “a random act of violence,” the freaky thought that this could have happened to anyone seems to be resonating with among social media users.
One Facebook user opined, “So sad a woman can’t go jog in a park.”
Another wrote, “If this assailant could travel from the West Coast to the East Coast in a couple months, then he could be anywhere. I pray he gets caught before anybody else gets hurt.”
Sunday 20 August 2023 01:00 , Kelly Rissman
A 10 August letter from Rachel Morin’s mother, as posted on Facebook by Rebekah Morin
To all the mothers with daughters, to the fathers, brothers and sisters, husbands, to our local community, and to world onlookers:
If you have experienced the loss of a dear loved one, then you know how hard it can be to express the pain that you feel in your heart.
When it’s sudden and tragic, your mind looks for ways to cope. As a mom, I appreciate the outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and the worldwide community that grieves with me for my young daughter.
Thank you for caring. Truly.
Because of the tremendous outpouring of prayers, love and concern, our family is in the process of making arrangements for a Celebration of Life service to which friends and the community will be invited (more details to come). And because Rachel was an avid runner, we are in the early stages of planning a 5K walk/run in her honor with the hope of having a trail of flowers.
We are grieving. We need the time and space to grieve as a family. We have not forgotten our community. We just need time. . . I need time. It has only been 4 days since we received the horrific news. I ask that as mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters, that you would please have compassion on us and allow us this.
Thank you, Rachel’s Mom
Saturday 19 August 2023 22:00 , Kelly Rissman
Rachel Morin Mysterious Death Recap
The 37-year-old was last seen around 6pm getting ready to hike along the Ma and Pa trail in Maryland on 5 August.
At 1.07pm on 6 August, a member of the public called 911 to report finding a woman’s body near the trail.
After her family was left to mourn her mysterious death without any answers for days, finally on 17 August, investigators announced a major break in the case: they discovered DNA at the crime scene.
Beyond this, that DNA matches a sample taken from a 26 March home invasion and assault of a young girl across the country. Now, police are searching for leads on how to find the suspect.
The suspected murderer and Morin likely didn’t know each other, as police have called the incident a “potentially a random act of violence.”
Read more:
Saturday 19 August 2023 18:30 , Kelly Rissman
Local business hosts Rachel Morin fundraiser
A Bel Air, Maryland bakery, Flavor Cupcakery, said it would donate 20 per cent of its sales on Saturday, during the family’s memorial walk, to help fund the mother-of-five’s funeral expenses.
Saturday 19 August 2023 16:00 , Kelly Rissman
“Trail of Light & Flowers” set to begin
Family of Rachel Morin are planning a walk in memory of the mother-of-five.
Writing on Facebook, the family asked members of the public to bring flowers and battery powered candles “to lay on either side of the trail somewhere as we walk Rachel’s last steps.”
The family asked the public to assemble 19 August at 11 am at the William Street entrance; the walk will begin at 11.30am.
Saturday 19 August 2023 14:00 , Kelly Rissman
What is the Ma and Pa trail, where Morin was heading?
The 6.25 mile (10km) trail gets it name from the former Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad corridor that ran through the town of Bel Air in Harford County. Although the track was dismantled in the 1950s, it later transformed into a heritage trail along the railroad’s former route.
It consists of a 3.3mile section through Bel Air and a 1.7mile segment in neighbouring Forest Hill.
According to Alltrails.com, the trail is moderately challenging and takes around 2 hours and 25 minutes to complete.
Rachel Morin’s family is hosting a walk in her honor on Saturday along the trail.
Saturday 19 August 2023 09:31 , Kelly Rissman
A little about Bel Air, Maryland
Bel Air, the county seat of Harford County, is a town of about 10,000 residents located 30 miles (48kms) north of Baltimore, near the state border with Pennsylvania.
The area has many popular hiking trails, and authorities warned hikers to be on high alert as they continued to investigate Ms Morin’s death.
The sheriff previously said, “Thankfully we don’t have too much violent crime in Harford County,” but he warned locals to be vigilant in the wake of Morin’s death.
Saturday 19 August 2023 04:31 , Kelly Rissman
Morin’s haunting social media post months before she was found
Rachel Morin shared a post in February that suggested she sought thrilling experiences, read: “Risk can be dangerous, but routine can be deadly. Comfort has killed more dreams than daring ever did.”
The post has since been taken down from Facebook.
Read more:
Rachel Morin’s chilling Facebook post before mother-of-five found dead on Maryland hiking trail
Saturday 19 August 2023 02:31 , Kelly Rissman
Rachel’s sister posts photos of the mother-of-five on Facebook in her memory
Rebekah Morin keeps changing her social media platform’s profile photos to images of her late sister.
Rebekah Morin organized a GoFundMe page to fund Rachel’s funeral, writing “she did not go willingly and she deserves a funeral worthy of her her beauty.”
Saturday 19 August 2023 00:30 , Kelly Rissman
Harford Sheriff’s Office has asked for help from the public in identifying the suspect
Anyone who can identify this unknown male, or has additional information, is asked to contact the Harford County Sheriff’s Office at our tip line (410) 836-7788 or via email at RMtips@HarfordSheriff.org. pic.twitter.com/U1niUnCmwB
— Harford Sheriff (@Harford_Sheriff) August 18, 2023
Friday 18 August 2023 22:15 , Kelly Rissman
Recap: who was Rachel Morin?
Rachel Morin, 37 was one of five siblings. She was originally from Dover, New Hampshire, and was a long-term resident of Bel Air, Maryland. She was a mother to five children.
On social media, Rachel Morin posted touching photos with her children, selfies at the gym and spending time with friends.
“Rachel was so unabashedly herself: witty and genuine, brilliant, daring, and headstrong. Her spirit would light up the room and her smile was contagious,” Morin’s best friend Claudia Brown wrote in a Facebook post after her death. “Her faith was so strong,” she added.
Ms Brown wrote that Ms Morin had been divorced, and was a “fierce protector of her children and loved them with all of her heart”.
Ms Morin had worked as a model, and appeared on the cover of Owl Magazine, Harford Community College’s student publication, where her brother John Morin worked as a technical director.
Her new boyfriend, Richard Tobin, described her as the “sweetest , kindest , and a very special women” on Facebook. According to the social media platform, the couple became official on 1 August.
Friday 18 August 2023 21:30 , Kelly Rissman
The LA case that links the suspect to Rachel Morin’s death
According to the a Baltimore Banner reporter, the Los Angeles Police Department said the suspect was involved in a 26 March 26 break-in and assault of a young child in South Los Angeles; the assault was not of a sexual nature, but investigators don’t want to disclose “any more details about what occurred in the house at this time.”
Friday 18 August 2023 21:00 , Kelly Rissman
What locals are saying
A Harford County resident told WBAL-TV11:“It’s mind blowing. It’s so close to home. I lived in the city for a long time, so I’m used to watching my surroundings and whatnot. But up here, you’re walking the trail. That’s the last thing on your mind.”
Police previously told locals to stay vigilant in the wake of Morin’s death.
“In the light of this new evidence, I urge our citizens to use caution while walking on our trials and through our community,” police said on Thursday. “Be alert. Walk with a friend. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by your cell phone or headphones.”
Friday 18 August 2023 20:15 , Kelly Rissman
Locals have been posting tributes to the late mother-of-five
Rachel Morin’s best friend, Claudia Brown, has been documenting the tributes to the 37-year-old, which have been posted along the Ma and Pa trail.
Friday 18 August 2023 19:45 , Kelly Rissman
What police have said regarding the Rachel Morin case
After relatively few updates in the case, on 16 August, Harford County investigators had a break in the case. Police said they found DNA at the crime scene, which corresponds with a sample taken from a March crime scene in Los Angeles where a man invaded a home and assaulted a young girl.
However, police said they “don’t have a clue” where the suspect is currently.
The suspect remains unnamed, but has been described by police as a Hispanic male aged 20-30, 5ft 9in tall, weighing 160 pounds with a “muscular build.” They say it’s unlikely the suspect knew Morin, calling the killing a “potentially a random act of violence.”
They added that they believe he has “ties to the Los Angeles area and may have been involved in violent crimes in other states.” Police have released footage of the suspect, and are asking people to send in tips if they know anything that can identify the suspect.
Read more:
Friday 18 August 2023 18:56 , Kelly Rissman
Rebekah Morin reposted slowed footage of suspect on Facebook
Watch the original footage provided by police, who said there was a DNA match between genetic material found at Morin’s crime scene and a suspect involved in a home break-in and assault of a child in LA in March.
Friday 18 August 2023 18:12 , Kelly Rissman
Rachel Morin’s family echoes police, saying they think her death was caused by “ a random act of violence”
A lawyer for her family spoke to a WJZ reporter about their thoughts following the break in the case on Thursday evening.
WJZ @wjz Investigator Mike Hellgren @HellgrenWJZ asked Joe Murtha, an attorney recreating the Morin family, whether the family believes the attack was random.
"They do," Murtha @RiceLawMD said. "Now that this information has come forward and the nature of the offense and the…— Rice, Murtha & Psoras Trial Lawyers (@RiceLawMD) August 18, 2023
Friday 18 August 2023 17:51 , Kelly Rissman
GoFundMe surpasses $48,000
The GoFundMe for Rachel Morin, started by her sister Rebekah Morin, has surpassed $48,000, with a goal of $65,000.
Donations are flowing in by the hour—from people who say they want to give money to help support her surviving five children as well as from others who say they have been following the tragedy from afar.
“This was not an accidentally death, and she did not go willingly and she deserves a funeral worthy of her her beauty.If there are any remaining funds they will go towards things her 5 children may need. Please share, donate, comment and keep this going,” her sister wrote in the page’s description.
Friday 18 August 2023 16:45 , Kelly Rissman
“Trail of Light & Flowers”
Family of Rachel Morin are planning a walk in memory of the mother-of-five.
Writing on Facebook, the family wrote “We are hoping to have a ‘Trail of Flowers and Light’ to line both sides of the trail for our walk on the Ma & Pa Trail,” asking people to bring flowers and battery powered candles “to lay on either side of the trail somewhere as we walk Rachel’s last steps.”
The family asked the public to assemble 19 August at 11 am at the William Street entrance; the walk will begin at 11.30am.
Friday 18 August 2023 16:15 , Kelly Rissman
What we know about the suspect
Investigators have described the suspect as someone who likely didn’t know Rachel Morin, calling the incident “potentially a random act of violence.”
Police described the suspect as a Hispanic male aged 20-30, 5ft 9in tall, weighing 160 pounds with a “muscular build.”
They added that they believe he has “ties to the Los Angeles area and may have been involved in violent crimes in other states.” His DNA has been linked to a March home invasion and assault of a young girl in Los Angeles.
Friday 18 August 2023 15:19 , Kelly Rissman
The LAPD said it is working with police in Maryland after DNA discovered
The Los Angeles Police Department said it is providing information to Harford County investigators after police in Maryland announced that they discovered DNA at the scene of the crime. The DNA matched that of a suspect identified in a home invasion and assault on a child in Los Angeles in March.
The LAPD said it aims to “bring the person responsible for such a brutal and senseless murder to justice.”
LAPD detectives have been in contact with Harford County Investigators to provide any and all information needed to bring the person responsible for such a brutal and senseless murder to justice.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) August 18, 2023
Police warn community to stay vigilant as Rachel Morin suspect’s DNA found
Friday 18 August 2023 13:00 , Josh Marcus
“In the light of this new evidence, I urge our citizens to use caution while walking on our trials and through our community,” police said on Thursday. “Be alert. Walk with a friend. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by your cell phone or headphones.”
Maryland police have DNA matching Rachel Morin murder suspect and video images
