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Photos Released of Suspect in Maryland Mom Rachel Morin's Murder, and DNA Allegedly Ties Him to Los Angeles Assault
The shirtless man seen in the images "is believed to have ties to the Los Angeles area and may have been involved in violent crimes in other states," the Harford County Sheriff’s Office stated.
Newly released images show the suspect in the murder of Maryland mom Rachel Morin, whose body was found along a nature trail a day after she went missing — and authorities say his DNA matches that of a suspect in a California assault and burglary.
Morin vanished on August 5 after she headed out to exercise on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. The body of the 37-year-old mother of five was located the next day.
The Harford County Sheriff’s Office released video and still images Thursday of the suspect, asking for help from the public in identifying the man featured in them.
RELATED: Killing of Maryland Mom of Five is a Possible Random Attack, Sheriff Says
"The unknown male is described as being approximately 5’ 09’’ 160 pounds, approximately 20-30 years of age, dark hair, muscular build and is believed to be of Hispanic decent," the sheriff's office stated.
In the undated video, the man is seen shirtless, walking out of a home, as someone out-of-view shuts the door behind him. The view of him shows the side of his body and then the back of him as he appears to walk out of the yard, and his hair appears to be closely-shaven along the sides and the bottom part of the back of his head and slightly longer on the top.
But the sheriff's office pointed out that, "This is not a current photo (within the last six months), and the subject’s hairstyle may have changed."
The Harford County Sheriff’s Office told Oxygen.com on Friday, "The man in the video that we released is considered a suspect at this time."
The suspect "is believed to have ties to the Los Angeles area and may have been involved in violent crimes in other states," the sheriff's office stated on Facebook.
RELATED: Body Found along Maryland Nature Trail amid Search for Missing Mother of Five
In a statement Thursday night, the Los Angeles Police Department said, "The Harford County Sheriff's Office in the state of Maryland announced today that DNA obtained in the Rachel Morin murder matches that of a suspect identified in a residential burglary and assault on March 26, 2023" in the L.A. area.
"Los Angeles Police Department 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," the LAPD continued. "We will continue to support the Harford County Sheriff’s Department as they move forward with their investigation, as well as provide any additional information we may uncover as we proceed with our burglary and assault investigation."
The sheriff's office has stated that Morin was "brutally murdered while walking on the Ma & Pa trail in Bel Air," but told Oxygen.com on Friday, "We are not commenting on the manner or cause of her death."
Colonel William Davis, Chief Deputy of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, said at a Thursday press conference that the department believes "the suspect acted alone."
A local resident who claimed that he and his stepdaughter found Morin's body on August 6 did several interviews with media outlets in which he described the condition of the remains, however, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office told Oxygen.com Friday that the man "has no first hand knowledge of the crime scene."
The department is asking that anyone who can identify the man seen in the newly released images, or who has additional info in the case, contact the Harford County Sheriff’s Office at its tip line (410) 836-7788 or via email at RMtips@HarfordSheriff.org.
