Police warn suspect in Rachel Morin murder could strike again anywhere after he is tied to a rape case in Los Angeles
The prime suspect in Rachel Morin’s murder has been linked to a home invasion and rape of a girl in LA in March, and detectives fear he could strike again β possibly in every American community.
In a new interview, Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said police are working with the FBI to find and identify the man responsible for the murder and rape.
“This person is a threat to every community from here to Los Angeles because we don’t know where he lays his head at night,” Gahler said.
Morin, 37, went for a walk on Aug. 5 and left her car at the Williams Street Trailhead in downtown Bel Air, Maryland, about 20 miles northeast of Baltimore.
Her body was discovered the day after she disappeared naked and beaten into a tunnel along the scenic Ma & Pa Heritage Trail.
A manhunt is currently underway for the unknown suspect who committed the West Coast grizzly murder and rape earlier this year.
Rachel Morin (pictured) left for a hike on Aug. 5, leaving her car at the Williams Street Trailhead in downtown Bel Air, Maryland, about 20 miles northeast of Baltimore.
Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler (pictured) said the prime suspect in Morin’s murder is linked to a rape in LA in March and that detectives fear he could strike again
Gahler said Fox News digital that law enforcement officials are concerned the man will continue to attack until he is found.
“This person has an absolute disregard for the sanctity of human life and until he is arrested there is a threat that he will do something harmful to someone else,” he said.
The concerned statements come just days after police released footage of a man they believe was involved in the murder.
The footage showed the suspect leaving a home in Los Angeles after breaking in and assaulting an unidentified young girl.
DNA linked the girl’s rape in LA to Morin’s murder nearly 3,000 miles away.
Identifying the shirtless man in the March invasion clip is the “top priority” for police right now, Gahler said.
He also added that police believe it is likely that the man committed other acts of violence.
“I just don’t believe you’re doing two things that are so serious in nature and that’s your starting point,” said the Harford County sheriff.
“Most likely you have been involved in other crimes,” he told the newspaper.
Police are asking the public for information because it is “highly likely that someone knows him there and someone knows him here.”
Morin was last seen leaving her home on Aug. 5 for a hike on the Ma and Pa Trail
Harford sheriffs released this footage on Thursday of a man they want to speak with leaving a Los Angeles home he had broken into and assaulted a young girl inside
The unknown suspect in the case is described as a Hispanic man, between 20 and 30 years old. He is about six feet tall, weighs about 160 pounds, and is muscular.
“We think this was a person Rachel didn’t know, possibly a random act of violence,” Colonel William Davis said at a news conference.
“We don’t know anything more about him than he was in LA in March and we think he’s the killer.”
Davis said they are not looking for accomplices and told locals to be wary.
“We believe that the suspect acted alone and that he does not represent the entire Hispanic community of Harford County, with whom we are now working to identify this suspect,” he said.
“I know I can speak for the sheriff when I say we’re very proud of this community.”
Gahler said 10 officers are working to solve the case, and that they have received more than 100 tips, but he urged people to send in more, even if the information seemed insignificant.
You can see the man walking away from the Los Angeles home. His DNA was linked to the LA home invasion and Morin’s body
Morin in a photo shared by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office in August shortly before she was found murdered
Ten officers are working to resolve the case and have received more than 100 tips, but he urged people to send in more, even though the information seemed insignificant.
A few days ago, Morin’s friend shared his relief after police identified another suspect in her murder. Richard Tobin, 27, was the one who reported Morin missing after she went for a walk and didn’t return home. He also found her car at the trailhead.
Tobin had given investigators a DNA sample and handed over his cell phone, saying, “I hope they found this scum of the earth, justice for Rachel.” Rip, I love you, Rach.β
She had only recently publicly disclosed her relationship with Tobin on Facebook and it was unclear how long they had been together.
Gahler has made it clear in the weeks since her death that they do not believe Tobin is a suspect in the murder of the mother of five.
βAt this point there is no indication that he was involved. But until we know who this man is and whether he acted alone, the whole world is a suspect,” Gahler said.
Tobin has maintained his innocence in the case since her disappearance.
In a Facebook post, he wrote, “I love Rachel. I would never hurt her, let the family and I grieve. Yes, I have a past, but I’ve also been clean for fifteen months and have changed as a person.’
Tobin has been arrested 14 times since 2014 on various charges, including drug trafficking, assault, disorderly conduct and refusal of arrest.
Morin had recently announced on Facebook that she was dating Richard Tobin
This is the path where Morin’s body was found on August 6
It is believed that Morin’s body was found in one of the trail’s drainage tunnels
Police have not yet released a cause of death for the woman.
A source close to the family told the DailyMail.com in mid-August that the young mother had suffered severe head trauma.
“The injuries were so horrific that there won’t be an open coffin (at her funeral),” the source said.
A spokeswoman for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on the nature of how Morin was killed.
Her family says she didn’t “go voluntarily” and that her death was “not accidental.”