Thread by @BlairSabolTV

TRIAL DAY 7 🧵 Rachel Morin case

Another juror dismissed (the alternate who replaced the juror dismissed yesterday) again, we don’t know why. 3 alternates remain.

First witness: the defendant’s cousin Jose Ivan Hernandez takes the stand.

Martinez-Hernandez lived with his cousins & aunt at an apartment in Temple Hills MD after telling them via Facebook messenger that he had no place to live in Dec 2023.

He had a different name on Facebook “Fernando Ismael.”

FBI visited the apt at one point but the defendant stayed outside the entire time. Not clear what exactly the reason was based on this testimony.

The defendant wasn’t paying rent or any bills, which his cousin said caused issues.

Martinez-Hernandez ends up leaving the apt in May 2024 with a bag of clothes, but he leaves some behind.

About 4 weeks later in early June, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office shows up. They ask to take shoes, clothes & a clock that belong to Martinez- Hernandez.

The state asks the witness if he had any contact with the defendant after he left. He says no, except for when the defendant asked him to purchase him a ticket to Texas but under his name. He says no. State ends its direct questioning, defense up next.

The defense has no questions for the defendant. His sister, also Martinez-Hernandez’ cousin, takes the stand. Says she gave police a toothbrush & blanket her cousin left behind.

That must have been some very stressful testimony. Tania seems to have a medical episode of some kind in the court hallways immediately after. She’s seems fine now.

Also noting— the cousins have BARELY looked at the defendant and vice versa. You wouldn’t know they lived together based on the lack of interaction in court today.

2 former coworkers, Ana Trejo and Angel Escalante testify that the defendant worked with them at Popeye's and Barrett's On the Pike in Bel Air. Unclear exactly when.

The defendant's former roommate, Marcos Campos-Guevara also testifies. The two lived together in a "house by the park" from about March 2023- around August 2023 but Martinez-Hernandez ends up leaving, only leaving behind a note.

Note: it's never clarified if the park is the Ma and Pa trail

Guevara says that he knows Martinez-Hernandez from El Salvador. When he sees him in the states, he says he looks a little dirty, has long hair and a beard. Has a "drawn" look. They end up having a chat about the def.'s bad habits.

The defense does its first cross examination of the day. The other witnesses, they've had no questions for.
They make a point that Guevara has trouble remembering specific timelines.

State redirects asking if he would have a better recollection when he spoke to police in June 2024-- he says yes.

Now on the stand: Josue Perrera-Guevara (Marcos' first cousin) who let Martinez-Hernandez live with him for a week at an address on Old English Court, notably less than a mile from the Williams St. entrance of the Ma and Pa trail.

Says his cousin, Marcos, told him Victor needed a place to stay. Wanting to be a good person and provide support-- they let him giving him food, clothing, etc.

He reiterates that Martinez-Hernandez had long hair, was dirty, little to no belongings.

He's asked why Martinez-Hernandez left. He chuckles-- said he didn't want strangers in his house and was just trying to give him a leg up.

He doesn't remember the specific address Victor and Marcos moved to but also says it was near the park.

Breaking for lunch now.

We're back Det. Wilsynski with the forensic services unit has returned to the stand.

Wilsynski took possession of the defendant's items obtained from his family's house in Temple Hills in June 2024. FILA shoes and a bag of dirty clothes.

There's also a bag of clean clothes. Wilsynski is going through everything he swabbed for DNA:

-the inside of the shoes
-5 dirty black socks
-folded up paperwork with handwritten notes/drawings

He also swabbed a black/blue cellphone.

More swabs of a black watch and a pink toothbrush w/ green bristles.

Note: the defense keeps objecting to the admittance of this evidence saying "subject to sidebar" meaning their objections were spoken during a quiet discussion in court and the gallery doesn't know what the objection is. The point is moot as the judge continues to overrule.

Next up: Patrol Officer Kylie Delmont from Tulsa, PD. Getting into Martinez-Hernandez' arrest.

They locate Martinez-Hernandez per the description of his arrest warrant, at the Los dos amigos bar in OK.
He was taken outside, patted down and asked to smile to show his "unique" teeth.

He gave PD a different a dif name "Juan Carlos"

He said "no" multiple times when called Victor Martinez-Hernandez. Continued to say his name was Juan Carlos.

Cross: What was his demeanor? He was calm, did not have to use force, he did not flee. Patrol ofc. says he did tense up when being arrested.

A second and now third Tulsa officer-- Steven Sanders with the special investigations division FBI task force-- takes the stand.

Says eventually Martinez-Hernandez admits his real name. They got his phone from a security officer aftet the defendant had handed it to him.

Defense making a point during the arrest that none of the officers spoke spanish. And again, that he didn't try to run away or resist arrest.

Flying through here. Heather Marsh, digital forensics supervisor, with the Harford County Sheriff's Office now on the stand