Rachel Morin slaying: Spanish-language digital campaign launched to help find killer

Sep. 19—The legal team representing Rachel Morin's family announced Sept. 12 the launch of a Spanish-language online campaign that they hope will help lead them to the killer of the Bel Air resident.

"The decision to initiate this campaign is rooted in our commitment to finding Rachel's killer and the belief that every community member's assistance is invaluable in the pursuit of justice," read a statement from the law firm of Rice, Murtha & Psoras. "We have reason to believe that individuals within the Hispanic community may have valuable information that could aid in identifying the suspect. We understand that language should never be a barrier to justice, and we are dedicated to facilitating communication and engagement within the Hispanic community."

The firm has started circulating digital ads targeted at Spanish-speaking populations in Harford County and Los Angeles in an effort to boost awareness of the homicide among Hispanic communities, with the hope of ultimately garnering information that could aid in identifying the suspect.

Randolph Rice, the firm's managing attorney, said the lawyers decided to initiate the campaign after walking the trail where Morin's body was found and finding Spanish-speakers were less aware of the homicide, which has been primarily covered by English-language publications. He said circulating information about the suspect among Hispanic communities and providing information on a Spanish-language webpage could lead to tips that ultimately solve the case.

"We are deeply committed to exploring every avenue that may lead to answers in Rachel Morin's case," Rice said in the statement. "We believe that the Hispanic community's involvement is paramount, and our digital campaign is designed to ensure their voices are heard and their insights are acknowledged."

Morin, a 37-year-old mother of five, was found dead on the Ma & Pa trail in Bel Air on Aug. 6, a day after she went for a walk alone and later was reported missing. DNA collected at the scene by the Harford County Sheriff's Office has been linked through a national database to a suspect in a Los Angeles-area burglary and assault in March.

Still photos taken from a security video at the Los Angeles home where the March incident occurred are being circulated in the digital campaign in Spanish and English. In the video provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, a shirtless man is seen exiting the front door of the home, but his face is only partly visible from the side.

The sheriff's office has described the suspect as a male Hispanic, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, 160 pounds and in his mid-20s. However, the Los Angeles Police Department has not identified the suspect as Hispanic.

"Based on the witness statements given to detectives, we are highly confident we are looking for a Hispanic male," sheriff's office spokesperson Cristie Hopkins said Thursday. "When the DNA results returned and witness statements indicated we were looking for a Hispanic male, we immediately began working with a local nonprofit, LASOS, to assist in reaching the Hispanic community."

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LASOS, Linking All So Others Succeed, is a nonprofit organization that provides family literacy services and citizenship classes to non-native English speakers in Harford County. Melynda Velez, executive director of LASOS, said in an email that the organization works with other non-native populations in addition to the Hispanic community but declined further comment on the case.

Hopkins said the sheriff's office has also been in contact with Hispanic-owned or frequented businesses, local nonprofits and churches to share information about Morin's killing and the suspect.

Detectives also went door-to-door in primarily Hispanic neighborhoods providing the information, Hopkins said. A Spanish-language video was made and promoted in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Harford County, and shared with Spanish-language media, she said.

The digital campaign is being used on websites and other existing advertising channels that the law firm has and has not branched out to social media platforms yet, Rice said.

Rice said Thursday that his firm is relying upon the suspect description from Harford County Sheriff's Office, and that members of Morin's church who speak Spanish have joined family and friends during canvases to assist with translating. The Morin family held another canvas Saturday at the Williams Street entrance of the Ma & Pa Trail.

The sheriff's office is asking people to review the photos and video of the suspect, and to contact the tip line if they have any information in the case: 410-836-7738 or RMtips@harfordsheriff.org.

Baltimore Sun reporter Dan Belson also contributed to this story.

Originally Published: Sep 19, 2023 at 12:52 pm