Rachel Morin latest: Maryland police confirm body belongs to missing mom as boyfriend Richard Tobin speaks

The boyfriend of a Maryland mother-of-five has denied involvement in her death, after police launched a homicide probe into the death of a woman whose body was found on a popular hiking trail.

Rachel Morin, 37, disappeared after reportedly heading out for a hike on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Hartford County, at around 6pm on Saturday.

Her new boyfriend Richard Tobin, 27, reported her missing at around 11pm that night after she failed to return, Hartford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told a press conference on Sunday.

On Sunday, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler has said that there may still be a danger to the public, and urged anyone hiking the Ma and Pa Trail to be vigilant.

“Thankfully we don’t have too much violent crime in Harford County, but when we have one, I prefer when I can stand here and tell you that the suspect has been arrested or that it’s a targeted crime.

“I can’t tell you that is the case,” he said.

He urged anyone hiking trails in the area to carry a whistle toan alert device, pay attention to their surroundings, and notify family and friends of their plans.

Sheriff Gahler also pleaded with the public to call 911 immediately if they spotted anything suspicious, and come forward with any information that might be relevant to the homicide inquiry.

On social media, Rachel Morin posted touching photos with her children, and with family and friends.

“Rachel was so unabashedly herself: witty and genuine, brilliant, daring, and headstrong. Her spirit would light up the room and her smile was contagious,” her best friend Claudia Brown wrote in a Facebook post after her death.

“Her faith was so strong,”

Ms Brown wrote that Ms Morin had been divorced, and was a “fierce protector of her children and loved them with all of her heart”.

Ms Morin had worked as a model and appeared on the cover of Owl Magazine, Harford Community College’s student publication, where her brother John Morin worked as a technical director.

In 2018, she shared photographs from a trip to New Zealand to visit John, who was working as a photographer in the town of Whakatane.

In a post in February, Ms Morin shared a foreboding quote to her Facebook page: “Risk can be dangerous, but routine can be deadly. Comfort has killed more dreams than daring ever did.”

Ms Morin also started her own cleaning business, East Coast Cleaners, in 2019, according to Open Corporates.

Rachel Morin was reported missing on Saturday night, and after law enforcement appealed for information to find the mother of five, a body was found on The Ma and Pa Trail on Sunday afternoon.

The 6.25 mile (10km) trail gets it name from the former Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad corridor that ran through the town of Bel Air in Harford County.

The track was dismantled in the 1950s, and later turned into a heritage trail along the railroad’s former route.

It consists of a 3.3mile section through Bel Air and a 1.7mile segment in neighbouring Forest Hill.

According to Alltrails.com, the trail is moderately challenging and takes around 2 hours and 25 minutes to complete.

In the wake of Ms Morin’s death, authorities have warned hikers to take particular care and be aware of their surroundings.

A woman reported missing from Hardford County has been found safe, according to law enforcement.

Karen Elliott was located “alive and unharmed” at 4pm on Monday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office said. “No foul play is suspected in her disappearance.”

Officials had earlier ruled out a link with the Rachel Morin homicide inquiry.

The mother-of-five from Bel Air was reported missing on Saturday, and a body was found on the Ma and Pa Trail on Sunday afternoon.

“This was not an (accidental) death, and she did not go willingly and she deserves a funeral worthy of her beauty,” Rachel Morin’s sister Rebekah wrote on a GoFundme page to raise money for her burial and provide for her five young children.

On Sunday night, Rachel Morin’s boyfriend Richard Tobin took to social media to state his innocence while also making reference to his lengthy criminal rap sheet.

“I love Rachel, I would never do anything to her, let the family and I grieve,” Mr Tobin wrote.

“Yes I have a past but I also have 15 months clean and have changed as a person. Please.”

Court records show Mr Tobin has two arrests for second-degree assault, and separate arrests for violating restraining orders, malicious destruction of property and drug possession dating back to 2014

Mr Tobin has also faced charges of being a fugitive from justice, resisting arrest and disorderly intoxication, according to Maryland judiciary case search records.

Mr Tobin has not been named as a suspect, or accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the homicide inquiry.

Mr Tobin only confirmed his relationship with Ms Morin in a Facebook post on 1 August, five days before she was reported missing.

The boyfriend of a Maryland mother-of-five has denied involvement in her death, after police launched a homicide probe into the death of a woman whose body was found on a popular hiking trail.

Rachel Morin, 37, disappeared after reportedly heading out for a hike on the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Hartford County, at around 6pm on Saturday.

Her new boyfriend Richard Tobin, 27, reported her missing at around 11pm that night after she failed to return, Hartford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told a press conference on Sunday.

On Sunday, Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler has said that there may still be a danger to the public, and urged anyone hiking the Ma and Pa Trail to be vigilant.

“Thankfully we don’t have too much violent crime in Harford County, but when we have one, I prefer when I can stand here and tell you that the suspect has been arrested or that it’s a targeted crime.

“I can’t tell you that is the case,” he said.

He urged anyone hiking trails in the area to carry a whistle toan alert device, pay attention to their surroundings, and notify family and friends of their plans.

Sheriff Gahler also pleaded with the public to call 911 immediately if they spotted anything suspicious, and come forward with any information that might be relevant to the homicide inquiry.

The Harford County Medical Examiner’s Office is still working to identify a body found on the Ma and Pa Trail on Sunday afternoon, a spokesperson told The Independent on Monday afternoon.

Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said authorities strongly believe a body found by a member of the public on the trail on Sunday afternoon is Rachel Morin.

Ms Morin’s family have also confirmed her death in social media posts.

Authorities have not revealed if they have a suspect in the homicide investigation.