Rachel Morin’s mother criticized Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for referring to her daughter, who was murdered by an illegal migrant, as an “individual” in a recent interview.
“It’s a completely political statement because they’re not even willing to acknowledge that she was a mother, a daughter,” Patty Morin told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Wednesday night.
Alleged Salvadoran gang member Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, was arrested for allegedly killing the 37-year-old mom of five on a hiking trail in August in Harford County, Md.
Rachel’s death and Martinez-Hernandez’s arrest have reignited concerns about migrants entering the country illegally.
On Tuesday, Mayorkas appeared on CNN and was questioned about Rachel’s murder and the criticism of the administration’s policies. He referred to Morin as “the individual” in his response.
Rachel was abducted from the Ma and Pa hiking Trail in Bel Air, Md., and her body was found in a culvert on August 6.
Martinez-Hernandez had a history of violence, including a previous killing in El Salvador and a brutal home invasion in Los Angeles. He had been living in the U.S. illegally since crossing through Mexico in 2023.
Authorities apprehended Martinez-Hernandez in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree rape in Rachel’s death.
Rachel’s sister believes that Martinez-Hernandez may have more victims in the U.S. due to gaps in his timeline.