FIRST ON FOX – Republican Maryland Rep. Andy Harris on Tuesday morning despatched a letter to Native land Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, asking why a DNA pattern from the unlawful immigrant suspect charged in Rachel Morin’s homicide was once by no means gathered.
Morin, a 37-year-old mom of 5, was once brutally murdered at the Ma & Pa Path in Bel Air, Maryland — an prosperous Baltimore suburb north of the town — in August 2023.
“Rachel Morin’s alleged assassin, Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, had more than one encounters with border brokers previous to being charged with the first-degree homicide and rape of Rachel Morin. But, it sounds as if his DNA was once by no means gathered,” Harris wrote in his Tuesday letter, calling it a “chronic and systemic failure” and noting how U.S. Customs and Border Coverage (CBP) is needed to assemble the DNA of all unlawful immigrants beneath the DNA Fingerprint Act.Â
In June, Harford County Sheriff Jeffery Gahler introduced the arrest of Martinez-Hernandez, a 23-year-old unlawful immigrant from El Salvador, in Morin’s homicide.
Martinez-Hernandez was once apprehended in Tusla, Oklahoma, and faces fees of first-degree homicide, rape and kidnapping, in reference to Morin’s demise.Â
WATCH: BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE OF MIGRANT ACCUSED IN RAPE, MURDER OF MARYLAND MOM RACHEL MORIN
Harris went on to notice allegations that lower than a 3rd of migrants that officials come across on the border have their DNA samples gathered via CBP, in line with DHS whistleblowers.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT INDICTED FOR RACHEL MORIN’S MURDER IN ‘CRUCIAL STEP’: FAMILY LAWYER
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“In reality, the inner govt memo discovered that of the just about 1.7 million encounters with unlawful immigrants in Fiscal 12 months 2022, handiest about 37% led to DNA assortment. It’s being reported this determine dropped to 31% in Fiscal 12 months 2023,” Harris wrote, including that “on account of a loss of DNA samples, regulation enforcement investigators had been compelled to head on a protracted, country-wide seek which allowed a perilous felony to roam freely for [10] months.”
The Maryland congressman is calling Mayorkas about whistleblower claims that DNA is being gathered from just a 3rd of migrants encountered on the southern border; whether or not a DNA pattern was once ever gathered from Martinez-Hernandez after he entered america; and if no longer, why no longer?
MARYLAND SHERIFF’S ‘GUT’ SAYS RACHEL MORIN WAS ‘STALKED’ BY SUSPECT BEFORE HER MURDER
Government have categorized him a possible serial killer after his alleged involvement in a slew of crimes in opposition to girls in Central The united states and america, and prosecutors are in the hunt for a lifestyles sentence with out the potential of parole for the suspect.
“The Morin circle of relatives is relieved and happy that the State is looking for lifestyles with out parole for the Defendant,” Randolph Rice, the lawyer for Morin’s circle of relatives, mentioned in a observation following Martinez-Herndandez’s arrest. “This guarantees that the suspect chargeable for Rachel’s tragic demise won’t ever find a way to hurt any individual ever once more. We’re thankful for the State’s dedication to securing justice for Rachel and making sure public protection.”
RACHEL MORIN MURDER: MARYLAND POLICE TIE CRIME SCENE DNA TO LOS ANGELES ASSAULT, HOME INVASION
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Investigators tied DNA discovered on the scene of Morin’s homicide to DNA discovered within a Los Angeles place of abode after a house invasion in March of ultimate 12 months.
“As soon as in our nation, and most probably emboldened via his anonymity, he attacked a 9-year-old lady and her mom all through a house invasion in March of 2023 in Los Angeles,” Gahler mentioned on the time of the suspect’s arrest. “And as everybody I imagine is conscious, that was once our first DNA fit linking Rachel’s case to the only in Los Angeles.”
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In spite of the DNA fit linking the 2 circumstances, then again, government had been not able to search out an id fit for the DNA samples gathered from both crime scene as it was once no longer prior to now logged within the nationwide Blended DNA Index Machine (CODIS) machine, the place government log DNA samples of offenders arrested in america.
“We’re 1800 miles from the southern border,” Gahler mentioned in June. “And Americans don’t seem to be protected on account of their failed immigration insurance policies.”
Fox Information’ Sarah Rumpf and Michael Ruiz contributed to this file.