Rachel Morin's mother faces an illegal immigrant murder suspect

The mother of a Maryland jogger who prosecutors say died at the hands of an illegal immigrant with a long history of assaulting women and girls faced the alleged killer in court for the first time Friday.

Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, is accused of kidnapping and brutally attacking Rachel Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five, on a running trail near her home before hiding her body in a culvert.

According to Randolph Rice, the attorney for Morin's family, Martinez-Hernandez, who wore a striped prison jumpsuit, handcuffs and ankle shackles, relied on a Spanish-speaking interpreter throughout the proceedings. It was his first in-person court appearance after attending the others virtually.

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“Seeing Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez walk into the courtroom with a blank, emotionless expression only reinforces the heartache that Rachel Morin's family is feeling,” Rice told Fox News Digital. “This is the man accused of taking Rachel’s life in such a brutal and horrific way, yet his behavior shows no remorse.”

He avoided eye contact with grieving mother Patty, other family members and even prosecutors.

“It is infuriating to consider that if our borders had been properly secured or the DNA fingerprinting law had been followed, this family would not have endured this nightmare,” Rice added. “This tragedy was preventable, and today's appearance in court is a painful reminder to America of the flaws in our current immigration system that allowed this person to remain unidentified until it was too late.”

Rachel Morin was dragged off a hiking trail and brutally murdered on August 5, 2023. (family handout)

The murder suspect's arrival “triggered an overwhelming sense of grief and sadness for Patty Morin,” Rice said. She burst into tears as she took her place at the defense table, Rice said.

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Martinez-Hernandez revealed in court that he dropped out of school after seventh grade. When he first arrived in the United States illegally in 2023, he was already suspected of killing a woman in his home country of El Salvador.

Victor Hernandez-Martinez is accused of raping and murdering Rachel Morin on August 5, 2023 in Bel Air, Maryland. (Hartford County Sheriff's Office/Tulsa Police Department)

Before heading to Maryland, the border crosser allegedly raped a California mother and her 9-year-old daughter in their home.

Martinez-Hernandez waived his right to a speedy trial and also waived a potential conflict of interest arising from the fact that Morin's friend was once represented by the same public defender's office.

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“Today’s postponement was not unexpected. We have prepared the family for a lengthy legal process,” Rice said. “The family is strong and is taking this calmly, knowing that justice takes time. We remain committed to ensuring Rachel’s memory is honored and justice is served.”

Patty Morin, right, testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in Washington, DC about border policy and the death of her daughter Rachel in Harford County. Md. Alexis Nungaray, left, testifies about the murder of her daughter Jocelyn in Houston, Texas. The police assume that the crime was also committed by suspected illegal immigrants. (Jeff Barker/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Following the waiver, the judge set a new set of trial dates – a motions hearing for January 31, 2025, a pretrial conference on March 31, and a new trial date for April 1. It is expected to last two weeks.

Patty Morin traveled to Capitol Hill last month to urge lawmakers to take the border crisis more seriously.

Morin told the House Judiciary Committee that her daughter could still be alive if routine protocols had been followed — such as taking a DNA swab and a photo of Martinez-Hernandez when he was stopped at the border.

When he came to the United States, Interpol already had an arrest warrant for him

“I realize some of you are disinterested in this because you just think it's a partisan issue, but these are Americans,” Morin told lawmakers at the hearing. “We have to close the borders. … These people who come across the border, if they come illegally, it’s because they have something to hide.”

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., pictured with his head bowed and his eyes closed as an aide looks through his phone during congressional testimony from mothers of murder victims, Sept. 10, 2024. (Cathie Groenewold)

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New York Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler appeared to doze off during the hearing.

“What I would really like to express is that I really want the American people, congressmen, senators, presidents… I want everyone to actually listen to our voices, listen to our words, listen to what we say “I took it to heart,” Morin later told Fox News Digital.

“It's hard to verbalize the message to them because they already have the mindset that this is a political thing, that you're either pro-immigration or anti-immigration. I don't think Americans are against immigration if it's done right.” “