Fox News aired a fabricated account of the discovery of Rachel Morin's body on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air.
The Daily Mail and other publications also carried this fabricated account. Their stories, though discredited by law enforcement, remain live on their websites and they have not retracted them.
Man who searched for Rachel Morin describes 'terrible' discovery near trail
Mother of 5 found dead near Maryland trail less than 24 hours after she vanished from her jog
Rachel Morin killed in 'horrific' act, sheriff says
Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler gives an update on the investigation into Rachel Morin's homicide.
A typically safe Maryland town northeast of Baltimore is desperate for answers after a mom of five was found dead off a popular walking trail on Sunday.
Rachel Morin, 37, went for a run along the Ma & Pa trail in Bel Air the day prior – Aug. 5 – around 6:30 p.m. and vanished. Morin's boyfriend reported her missing to authorities around 11:20 that evening, and a search discovered her body near the trail the next day, though the sheriff's office is not saying where exactly.
"It was more than obviously apparent to police officers and our detectives who came up that this was not an accidental injury – somebody out exercising who's fallen down and sustained a fatal injury," Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler told Fox News Digital. "This was not something that was self-inflicted.… This was the action of one or more persons who took her life in a criminal homicide – an egregious, horrific act in what is very otherwise… a very, very safe area."
Gahler believes that's why Morin's death, which has been labeled a homicide, has garnered so much attention from people across the country. Her killing was "out of the norm," not just for Harford County but for Bel Air and the community surrounding the Ma & Pa trail, which the sheriff said is "very popular" and used frequently by many locals.
MARYLAND SHERIFF SAYS WOMAN FOUND DEAD ON HIKING TRAIL WAS MURDERED: ‘THIS IS FOUL PLAY’
Rachel Morin was found dead after taking a walk on a Maryland trail. (Harford County Sheriff's Office)
Morin herself frequently jogged along the Ma & Pa trail, which begins behind some businesses with decent foot traffic, including a brewery, a Domino's, and condominiums. It then leads into a wooded area and through a neighborhood before it descends into more woods underneath the state highway, Gahler explained.
BOYFRIEND OF MARYLAND WOMAN FOUND DEAD ON HIKE SAYS HE ‘DIDN’T DO ANYTHING' TO HURT HER
WATCH VIDEO OF THE SHERIFF'S HUNT FOR CLUES
And on a Saturday evening, the trail is still active with pedestrians and bikers. Morin passed by residents who saw her on the trail that evening before she disappeared, the sheriff said.
"We're asking people who saw anything or maybe cameras captured something," he said. "If someone has something that they think could be evidence… something that would advance the criminal investigation… we certainly want to know. We want to talk to those people."
The Harford County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of Rachel Morin. (Harford County Sheriff's Office)
The Harford County Sheriff's Office currently has 10 detectives, in addition to supporting personnel from other agencies, assigned to an investigation into Morin's shocking death.
MARYLAND OFFICIALS FIND BODY NEAR TRAIL WOMAN REPORTEDLY VANISHED FROM AFTER GOING FOR WALK
As of Wednesday morning, authorities have not named any suspects or persons of interest. Gahler is also shooting down "rumors" that are circulating on social media regarding the nature of Morin's killing and speculation about suspects.
"There's a lot of talk online about Rachel's boyfriend, of course, the individual who reported her missing to us.… Conspiracy theories with people quoting his criminal history," Gahler said. "I can tell you that our investigators have spoken to him, as they have spoken to many other people."
The sheriff added that investigators are starting by looking into the victim's "inner circle" and working their way out, keeping in mind that Morin's killing could have been a "random" act.
Richard Tobin, far left, denied he had any role in his girlfriend Rachel Morin's death after her body was found on a Maryland hiking trail Sunday. (Facebook)
"As sheriff, if I could alleviate some of the concerns here in our community by saying, ‘Hey, we have a solid suspect’… that would be good reassurance that this was not some random thing but a targeted event," Gahler said. "We do not have that confidence, and I keep saying that over and over again. We are looking at every possibility and to focus on this one individual may come at the expense of… not looking at someone else."
Authorities are awaiting autopsy results. Morin's boyfriend, Richard Tobin, broke his silence Sunday in a Facebook post after online sleuths speculated that he might have played a role in her demise.
Richard Tobin peeks out of his garage in Forest Hill, Maryland, on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. Tobin was the boyfriend of murdered hiker, and mother of five, Rachel Morin. (Mega for Fox News Digital)
"I love Rachel, I would never do anything to her, let the family and I grieve. Yes I have a past but I also have 15 months clean and have changed as a person. Please," the 27-year-old wrote.
Tobin has prior arrests for malicious destruction of property, assault, violating restraining orders and other charges, according to Maryland court records, but has not been named as a suspect in his girlfriend's death or accused of any wrongdoing.Â
The sheriff's office is encouraging anyone with a tip that may be helpful for authorities to call 410-836-5430 or send the Harford County Sheriff's Office a message through their Facebook page.
Fox News' Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.
Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. Email tips to audrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants.
A photo of Rachel Morin is posted to a tree by her family along the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland. (Mega for Fox News Digital)
"If somebody were to just do a thrill kill, it wouldn't be as brutal as what we witnessed," he said.
BOYFRIEND OF MARYLAND WOMAN FOUND DEAD ON HIKE SAYS HE ‘DIDN’T DO ANYTHING' TO HURT HER
A spokesperson for the Harford County Sheriff's Office did not confirm whether Morin's body was found in tunnel drains along the trail but noted that Gabriszeski "did not find Rachel or witness her body" and "has no first-hand knowledge of the crime scene.
DAILY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: Missing Rachel Morin was naked and 'looked like her face was smashed in with a rock' when local Michael Gabriszeski found her remains on Maryland Ma & Pa trail
Michael Gabriszeski claims he helped discover missing mom Rachel Morin's body in a drain on the Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland Sunday
Speaking to DailyMail.com, the local dad claims Morin was 'fully naked' and seemed to have sustained 'brutal head trauma' when she was found
The 37-year-old mom was reported missing Saturday after she went on a hike on and never returnedÂ
By JAMES FRANEY IN JARRETTSVILLE, MARYLAND, FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 08:00 EDT, 10 August 2023 | UPDATED: 14:34 EDT, 10 August 2023
The 37-year-old mother-of-five found dead on a Maryland hiking trail over the weekend appeared to be beaten to death and left naked by her killer, DailyMail.com has learned.Â
Rachel Morin's lifeless body was discovered in a drain in a tunnel on the scenic Ma & Pa Heritage Trail in Bel Air, Maryland after being reported missing on Saturday evening.Â
Local man Michael Gabriszeski had joined the search for the missing mom along with his stepdaughter Cecilia - who was friends with Morin - and her friend Evan, when he claims he came across her remains on Sunday.Â
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In an interview with DailyMail.com, Gabriszeski, a Native American tracker, said the pair had decided to check two drainage tunnels on the trail in Hartford County after noticing 'disturbances' on the ground close to the track where the fitness buff had taken a walk that night.
Michael Gabriszeski, along with his stepdaughter and her friend, had joined the search for missing mom Rachel Morin, 37, on the Ma & Pa trail in Bel Air, Maryland when the trio came across her remains on Sunday, he claimsÂ
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Police have declined to comment on how Morin died or the type of injuries she sustained, but according to Gabriszeski, the 37-year-old was fully naked and appeared to have suffered 'brutal head trauma'
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Grabiszeski said he felt compelled to check out the drainage tunnels on the trail after noticing 'disturbances' on the ground near the track where Morin had gone on a walkÂ
Mom murdered on Maryland trail was using 'multiple dating apps'
'Cecilia was the first person to see the body,' he claimed. 'She was hyperventilating really, really bad. And then the police told her to sit down.Â
'When she sat down, she realized she was sitting in a big pool of blood.'
Morin was last seen on Saturday at around 6pm leaving her house to take a hike on the Ma and Pa TrailÂ
'She was laying on her back, fully naked, and she had brutal head trauma...it looked like her head had been smashed in with a rock.
'There was a 15 to 20-foot blood trail. So, it looked like she had been beaten and dragged into that position.'
'It looked like (the killer) was trying to erase her identity,' the 48-year-old added.Â
'The right side of her face was gone.'
A separate source close the family had earlier told DailyMail.com that the young mother had suffered serious head trauma.
'The injuries were so horrific that there won't be an open casket (at her funeral),' the source said.
Sheriff speaks on body of missing woman Rachel Morin being found
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The witness described seeing 'a 15 to 20-foot blood trail' near Morin's body and said it seemed like her 'head had been smashed in with a rock'Â
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No suspects have been arrested in Morin's murder as of yet but a homicide investigation is ongoingÂ
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Locals were seen participating in a community walk along the Ma and Pa Trail, Bel Air, on Tuesday amid the investigationÂ
A spokeswoman for Harford County's Sheriff's Office declined to comment on the nature of how Morin was killed.
Meanwhile, police have reached out to obtain any footage from people who were on the trail over the weekend.Â
Harford County Sheriff's Office wrote in a statement yesterday: 'Detectives are asking your your help.
'If you were on the Ma & Pa Trail on Saturday, or near the trail or trail heads and took photos or video, we are asking if you would please share them with investigators.Â
'There could be something helpful in one of your photos that might bring us one one more piece of the puzzle.
'As of this morning, we have already received nearly 90 tips from concerned community members in reference to the murder of Rachel Morin.Â
'Thank you for all the support you have given.'Â
It was formally confirmed on Monday that the body found was Rachel.Â
Officials at Harford County's Sheriff's Office in Bel Air, some 45 miles north of Baltimore, said they are still without any leads on possible suspects.
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Morin's new boyfriend who has a criminal past took to social media on Sunday to insist he had nothing to do with her killing
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Rachel Morin and Richard Tobin started dating a 'few weeks ago'. She was found murdered on a hiking trail on Sunday. The pair are shown during a previous hike togetherÂ
Local police declined to comment on how Morin died or the type of injuries she sustained.Â
Her family say she did not 'go willingly' and that her death was 'not accidental'.
It comes after her new boyfriend took to social media on Sunday to insist he had nothing to do with her killing despite his criminal past.
The pair had only made their relationship official on social media four days earlier. Â
He said: 'I love Rachel. I would never do anything to her, let the family and I grieve. Yes, I have a past but I also have 15 months clean and have changed as a person. Please.'Â
Tobin has been arrested 14 times since 2014 on a variety of charges including drug dealing, assault, disorderly conduct and refusing arrest.Â
His lengthy rap sheet includes two arrests for criminal second degree assault, violating restraining orders, drug possession, and malicious destruction of property.
Tobin also has a number of traffic offenses, a fugitive from justice offense, resisting arrest, and disorderly intoxication and conduct marks on his record, documents show.Â