DNA evidence links Rachel Morin's accused killer to crime scene, police say
The prosecution has rested its case after six days of testimony in the case against the man charged with murdering Rachel Morin.
A video seen by the public for the first time today shows the first interview with accused murderer Victor Martinez-Hernandez after he was arrested in June of 2024.
It will likely be the only time we hear directly from Martinez-Hernandez before the jury determines his fate.
"We are investigating…the murder of a female…and we collected DNA from the crime scene," a police detective explained to Hernandez after he was taken in by authorities in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
"But I haven't done anything," Hernandez replied, denying any involvement in Rachel Morin's murder.
"You have never hurt or murdered anyone," detectives asked.
"No," Hernandez answered.
However, extensive DNA testimony on Friday afternoon from Tiffany Keener with the Maryland State Police Crime lab unveiled that DNA found on Morin's body was a match to Martinez-Hernandez.
"This is the key that ties everything together that we've heard for the last six days now. As the DNA wraps up the crime scene and what happened to Rachel Morin and everything that was found there to the suspect that they arrest in Tulsa, Oklahoma," Randolph Rice, the attorney representing Morin's family, stated. "So, this a very important day that puts a bow on this whole case."
Tiffany Keener explained that she produced six reports between August of 2023 and July of 2024.
She began detailing what was found during that first report, which focused on DNA at the crime scene.
She explained that DNA from an unknown male was found on Morin's neck, left wrist, breasts, and an Apple watch.
She later testified after testing items collected from family members of Martinez-Hernandez that the likelihood of someone else matching that DNA profile is 1 in 400 nonillions. That would be 400, with thirty zeroes in the U.S. Hispanic community.
"I would say that's a pretty good probability that it's not somebody else out in the world, it's got to be the defendant here," Rice confirmed.
Even before that DNA match was officially made, when asked why his DNA was found at the crime scene, Martinez-Hernandez offered investigators his own explanation.
"In reality, I don't know. Today, there is so much technology, anyone could do damage to anyone," Hernandez said.
The defense will have a chance to introduce any witnesses on Monday before the jury heads into deliberations.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
39 minutes ago
- Fox News
How to tell if a login alert is real or a scam
Online scams thrive on the urgency and fear of their victims. If you've ever been a victim of a scam, you'd know that bad actors often try to rush you into taking action by creating a sense of fear. A scammer may call you impersonating a government agency and claim your Social Security number has been linked to drug trafficking. A phishing email might ask you to update your tax details or claim you've won a lottery or a free product, all to get you to click a malicious link. A more effective tactic scammers use is sending fake login alerts. These are warnings that someone has logged into your account, prompting you to take immediate action. This method works well because legitimate services like Google, Apple, Netflix and Facebook also send these types of notifications when someone, including you, logs in from a new device. It can be tricky to tell the difference. As Robert from Danville asks, "I constantly get in my spam junk folder emails saying 'someone has logged into your account.' Is this spam? legitimate? concerning? How do I know? How to avoid wasting time checking? How do I check?" Thanks for writing to us, Robert. I completely understand how tricky it can be to figure out whether these messages are legitimate or just another scam attempt. Let's break down what these urgent warnings usually look like and go over a few ways you can stay safe. Scammers often pose as login alerts from Google, Apple, Meta or even your bank, complete with official-looking logos, because fear is effective. But not every alert is a scam. In many cases, these notifications are legitimate and can help you detect unauthorized access to your accounts. Let's focus on the scam side first. Login alert scams have been around for a while. Early reports date back to 2021, and the trend has persisted since then. In 2022, reports surfaced that scammers were impersonating Meta and sending phishing emails to users. One such email used a clean layout with minimal text. It avoided the usual scare tactics and stuck to a simple message. But that is not always the case. A common red flag in phishing attempts is the tendency to overload the email with unnecessary details. These messages often include cluttered formatting, excessive explanations and an increasing number of typos or design errors. One phishing email simply gets to the point: Someone tried to Iog into Your Account, User lD A user just logged into your Facebook account from a new device Samsung S21. We are sending you this email to verify it's really you. Thanks, The Facebook Team What's concerning now is that poor grammar is no longer a reliable sign of a scam. Thanks to AI, even those with limited English skills can write emails that sound polished and professional. As a result, many phishing messages today read just like legitimate emails from trusted companies. Receiving a phishing email is not the real issue. The real problem starts when you click on it. Most of these emails contain links that lead to fake login pages, designed to look exactly like platforms such as Facebook, Google or your bank. If you enter your credentials there, they go directly to the scammer. In some cases, simply clicking the link can trigger a malware download, especially if your browser is outdated or your device lacks proper security. Once inside, attackers can steal personal information, monitor your activity or take control of your accounts. Real login notifications do exist; they're just much less scary. A genuine alert from Google, Apple or Microsoft will come from an official address (for example, no-reply@ or security@ and use consistent branding. The tone is factual and helpful. For instance, a legit Google security alert might say, "We detected a login from a new sign-in to your Google Account on a Pixel 6 Pro device. If this was you, you don't need to do anything. If not, we'll help you secure your account." It may include a "Check activity" button, but that link always redirects to a address, and it won't prompt you to reenter your password via the email link. Similarly, Apple notes it will never ask for passwords or verification codes via email. 1. Don't click any links or attachments and use strong antivirus software: Instead, manually log in to the real site (or open the official app) by typing the URL or using a bookmarked link. This guarantees you're not walking into a scammer's trap. The FTC recommends this: if you have an account with that company, contact them via the website or phone number you know is real, not the info in the email. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. 2. Remove your data from the internet: Scammers are able to send you targeted messages because your data, like your email address or phone number, is already out there. This often happens due to past data breaches and shady data brokers. A data removal service can help clean up your digital trail by removing your information from public databases and people-search sites. It's not a quick fix, but over time, it reduces how easily scammers can find and target you. While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren't cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It's what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web. 3. Check your account activity: Go to your account's security or sign-in page. Services like Gmail, iCloud or your bank let you review recent logins and devices. If you see nothing unusual, you're safe. If you do find a strange login, follow the site's process (usually changing your password and logging out all devices). Even if you don't find anything odd, change your password as a precaution. Do it through the official site or app, not the email. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. 4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): This is your best backup. With 2FA enabled, even if someone has your password, they can't gain access without your phone and an additional second factor. Both Google and Apple make 2FA easy and say it "makes it harder for scammers" to hijack your account. 5. Report suspicious emails: If you receive a suspicious email claiming to be from a specific organization, report it to that organization's official support or security team so they can take appropriate action. You shouldn't have to vet every sketchy email. In fact, your email's spam filters catch most phishing attempts for you. Keep them enabled, and make sure your software is up to date so that malicious sites and attachments are blocked. Still, the most powerful filter is your own awareness. You're definitely not alone in this. People receive these spammy login scares every day. By keeping a cool head and following the steps above, you're already ahead of the game. Have you ever encountered a suspicious email or phishing attempt? How did you handle it, and what did you learn from the experience? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
CNBC
13 hours ago
- CNBC
Trump deploys National Guard as Los Angeles protests against immigration agents continue
President Donald Trump's administration said it would deploy 2,000 National Guard troops on Saturday as federal agents in Los Angeles faced off against demonstrators for a second day following immigration raids. The security agents confronted around 100 protesters in the Paramount area in southeast Los Angeles, where some demonstrators displayed Mexican flags and others covered their mouths with respiratory masks. Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, told Fox News that the National Guard would be deployed in Los Angeles on Saturday evening. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the decision "purposefully inflammatory." "If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. The protests pit Democratic-run Los Angeles, where census data suggests a significant portion of the population is Hispanic and foreign-born, against Trump's Republican White House, which has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his second term. In the late afternoon, authorities began detaining some protesters, according to Reuters witnesses. There was no immediate official information of any arrests. Video footage showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. "Now they know that they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people - they cannot do that without an organized and fierce resistance," said protester Ron Gochez, 44. A first round of protests kicked off on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted enforcement operations in the city and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States." On Saturday, he described the day's protests as a "violent insurrection." The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement about Friday's protests that "1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property." Reuters could not verify DHS's accounts. Angelica Salas, executive director of immigrants' rights organization Chirla, said lawyers had not had access to those detained on Friday, which she called "very worrying." Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the U.S.-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also caught up people legally residing in the country, including some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges. In a statement on Saturday about the protests in Paramount, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said: "It appeared that federal law enforcement officers were in the area, and that members of the public were gathering to protest." Salas of Chirla said protesters gathered after an ICE contingent appeared to be using parking lots near a Paramount Home Depot store as a base. ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to requests for comment on the protests or potential immigration sweeps on Saturday. Television news footage on Friday showed unmarked vehicles resembling military transport and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. Raids occurred around Home Depot stores, where street vendors and day laborers were picked up, as well as at a garment factory and a warehouse, Salas of Chirla said. Bass, the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Bass said in a statement. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this."
CNBC
17 hours ago
- CNBC
Protesters rally against ICE for second day in Los Angeles
Federal agents in Los Angeles on Saturday faced off against demonstrators protesting immigration raids following Friday's protests that senior White House aide Stephen Miller condemned as an "insurrection" against the United States. The security agents on Saturday engaged in a tense confrontation with protesters in the Paramount area in southeast Los Angeles, where one demonstrator was seen waving a Mexican flag and some covered their mouths with respiratory masks. A live video feed showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. A first round of protests kicked off on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conductedenforcement operationsin the city and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property." Reuters was unable to verify DHS's accounts. Miller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States." The protests pit Democratic-run Los Angeles, where census data suggests a significant portion of the population is Hispanic and foreign-born, against Trump's Republican White House, which has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his second term. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the U.S.-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also included people legally residing in the country, including some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges. In a statement on Saturday about the protests in Paramount, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said: "It appeared that federal law enforcement officers were in the area, and that members of the public were gathering to protest." ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to a request for information about the protests or potential immigration sweeps on Saturday. Television news footage earlier on Friday showed unmarked vehicles resembling military transport and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. The Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, in a statement condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Bass said. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of a federal court building and gathered outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were reportedly being held. In a statement, DHS criticized Democratic politicians including Mayor Bass, saying their anti-ICE rhetoric was contributing to violence against immigration agents. "From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. FBI deputy director Dan Bongino posted on X that they were reviewing evidence from the protests. "We are working with the U.S. Attorney's Office to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice," Bongino said.
