Rachel Morin Murder: Inside the Search for the Killer of a Beloved Mom of 5

Rachel Morin was a young single mom and fitness enthusiast who loved spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors around her home in Maryland.

In the late summer, the 37-year-old mother of five kids, ages of 7 through 18, was found dead the morning after she went for a hike in a place she believed was safe and that she loved and knew well.

"She was on the trail regularly — sometimes walking, sometimes jogging — but very regularly, she was by herself," a family spokesperson said of Rachel's habit of visiting the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Md. "Just to have a sense of solitude and reflection — that's where she would go."

On the evening of Aug. 5, when she failed to return home from the evening hike, her boyfriend Richard Tobin reported Rachel missing.

Less than 24 hours later, her body was found in a dark tunnel near the trail — and the Morin family’s worst fears came true.

Police say the investigation into her murder spans outside of Maryland and into places as far as California and Illinois.

But, months later, her killer is still on the loose, and authorities are still searching for clues that will help bring that person to justice.

Who Was Rachel Morin?

"She was just ridiculously funny," Rachel's brother, Michael, previously told The Messenger.

"Honestly, she had so much energy it was like 40 people walked in the house when she walked in," he said. "She had so much light, so much light."

Michael remembered his sister as a hard-working mom who worked multiple gigs to provide for her five children, with one job being a cleaning business she started.

He said he shared a tight bond with his sister all their life, having been the two middle children of their six siblings.

"She had so much friggin' life, so much energy and potential," Michael recalled of Rachel.

On Rachel's social media accounts, she often shared selfies and other images of herself that generated lots of attention.

"You were always beautiful," one friend commented on a picture.

While many focused on her looks, Michael said his sister had long struggled internally with self-perception, mostly stemming from a life-long stutter.

But she tried not to focus on it as she got older.

"She went from being insecure about her stutter to just being like, I'm gonna own this, you know?" Michael recalled.

Who Killed Her?

The Harford County Sheriff's Office said Rachel was reported missing by her boyfriend the night of Aug. 5 after she headed to the trail around 6 p.m. that day.

The following afternoon, the department announced they had found a deceased woman in the area, who was eventually confirmed as Rachel.

Speculation about a suspect arose within the community and online almost immediately, and Richard Tobin, whom Rachel identified as her boyfriend on social media, had to defend himself on Facebook after users left comments on his page accusing him of being involved in the death.

"I love Rachel, I would never do anything to her," he wrote in a comment at the time. "Let the family and I grieve. Yes, I have a past, but I also have 15 months clean and have changed as a person."

Police later confirmed to The Messenger that they never treated Tobin as a suspect.

After being short on leads, DNA evidence at the scene gave investigators their best clue yet — the sample linked back to an unidentified man wanted in a home invasion earlier this year in a neighborhood in Los Angeles, Calif.

Home surveillance footage from the L.A. incident did show the man, but only from the side and back, leaving investigators without an image of his face.

Police have described the suspect as Hispanic and in his early to mid-20s, standing at approximately 5-foot-9 and weighing 160 lbs.

So far, the search for him has led authorities to cities including Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler told The Messenger that he feared the suspect could become a serial killer.

"Although one is a homicide and one is an assault, a serious assault, there are aspects of the crimes that are similar," Gahler told The Messenger of the incidents in L.A. and Maryland. "I think we're probably lucky that we're not dealing with two homicides."

Where Was She Killed?

Rachel was killed along the Ma & Pa Heritage hiking trail, which runs partly through Bel Air, Md., where she was found.

According to Trail Link, the trail is not "typical," and has "some tight turns and short, steep climbs."

The 3.4-mile section that runs through Bel Air has bridges, overlooks, a boardwalk and many trees, a description on the page said.

Many commenters on the site said the trail can get crowded, but is "perfect" for walking or jogging.

It is likely one reason that Rachel liked returning to the trail throughout her life.

“When she was younger, her family lived very close to the area where she had started on the trail on the day of her death,” family spokesperson and attorney Joseph Murtha previously told The Messenger.

“After they would eat dinner, the family literally would go out and take walks on the trail, and it was something that never ended with her," he continued. "She was on the trail regularly — sometimes walking, sometimes jogging — but very regularly, she was by herself.”

What Have Other Family Members Said?

Rachel's sister Rebekah paid tribute to her sibling shortly after the murder in a message shared on GoFundMe.

"I love you and miss you so much," Rebekah wrote. "I know you are up there with our boys who have gone up before us, in a way I'm jealous that you get to see them again first and angry that you left me here without you."

"Save a place for me," she added.

On Facebook, Rachel's brother John shared images of the pair as children with the caption, "Best friends forever."

"Can't wait to see you again someday soon," John said shortly after her body was found.

Rachel's mother Patty Morin told the Union Leader that she still struggles to accept what happened to her daughter.

“It’s kind of like you’re holding pain, and you can’t let it go because letting go of the pain is kind of like letting go of Rachel,” she explained, “and you can’t let go of Rachel because you haven’t been able to make sense of it.”

Patty told WBAL that Rachel "didn't see herself as a target or at risk for anything," and did not heed her warnings about walking along the Ma & Pa trail alone.

"She lived life as Rachel," she explained. "She loved people and was outgoing, so that made me scared for her, and I would tell her all the time, 'Rachel, don't walk the trail by yourself.'"

What's Next in the Search for Rachel's Killer?

Authorities are still looking for the suspect, and the family is working with attorney Randolph Rice on other efforts to assist the search, such as a digital campaign to reach people who may not speak English as a first language.

In November, the family distributed 10,000 flyers around Los Angeles with information about the case.

"Someone in that community knows him, and we are hopeful they have the courage to speak up and identify the suspect," Randolph Rice told The Messenger.

"We are trying every tactic to keep the story alive and get that image in front of as many people as possible to catch him before he kills again," he added.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to call (410) 836-7788. Tips can also be sent to rmtips@harfrodsheriff.org.

A reward for information leading to Rachel's killer is currently at $30,000.