Rachel Morin case: DNA links California suspect to Maryland killing

Rachel Morin case: DNA links Calif. suspect to Maryland killing

Rachel Morin was last seen alive before going on a nature walk Aug. 5
Her body was found the next day along a nature trail in Bel Air
Authorities are now working to identify a possible suspect

(NewsNation) — DNA taken from the Rachel Morin crime scene has been linked to an unidentified suspect in a Los Angeles home invasion, Col. William Davis of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday night.

Davis said Maryland State Police analyzed DNA left behind at the Bel Air, Maryland, crime scene and ran it through the CODIS database. The DNA returned as a match for a man suspected of invading a Los Angeles home and attacking a young girl in March. Investigators believe this is the same person who killed the Maryland mother of five earlier this month and that he acted alone.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office currently does not have a name or location for the suspect. They described him as a Hispanic male in his 20s, standing 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds.

The sheriff’s office released security footage from the Los Angeles crime scene showing the man leaving a home. Authorities say they came across this development in the case Wednesday night.

Morin, 37, was last seen alive on Aug. 5 when she went to take a walk on a Bel Air nature trail. Her car was later found at the entrance to the trail, but she was nowhere to be found at the time. It was Morin’s boyfriend who ended up reporting her missing.

*Rachel Morin, 37, was last seen alive at around 6 p.m. on Aug. 5 when she left to take a walk on a nature trail. (Photo: Harford County Sheriff’s Office)*

On the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 6, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office announced a woman’s body was discovered off the Ma and Pa trail that they believed was Morin. Her death is now being investigated as a homicide.

In the 12 days since Morin’s killing, investigators say they have worked around the clock with one goal: “Find the killer and bring justice to Rachel.”

Colonel Davis says the next step in their investigation involves working with the FBI since the DNA match from a crime across the country is “certainly unusual.” Without revealing details of the crime scene where Morin’s body was found, Davis said he can confirm she died from a “violent attack.”

As authorities continue their work, Davis is urging Harford County residents to stay vigilant. Police have upped patrols around the trail where Morin’s body was discovered. According to WMAR, Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly is also trying to get cameras installed on the trail.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to call 410-836-7788.