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The boyfriend of a US woman found dead on a walking trail has expressed his innocence via social media — alluding that he’s had struggles with the law but has “changed as a person” as police kick off a murder investigation.
Richard Tobin, the boyfriend of Rachel Morin — whose body was discovered off the Ma and Pa Trail in the US state of Maryland on Sunday — took to Facebook to push back against comments and theories that he had anything to do with the mother of five’s death, reported the New York Post.
“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,” Mr Tobin wrote under the status.
Just days ago, a relationship status update on Facebook states Ms Morin and Mr Tobin were a couple.
Over 480 comments have built up under a now ominous seven-day-old relationship post on Facebook, with some users speculating about Mr Tobin’s involvement in her death and others expressing he remains innocent until proven guilty.
Mr Tobin, 27, hinted at his lengthy history with law enforcement — including two arrests for criminal second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property, drug possession, and violating restraining orders, according to court records.
The 20 charges previously filed against him in Maryland also include resisting arrest and disorderly intoxication.
Police have confirmed that a homicide investigation into Ms Morin’s death is underway, but Mr Tobin has not been accused of any wrongdoing, nor has law enforcement named him as a suspect.
MS Morin, 37, was last seen at home wearing a dark tank top, black sports bra, black spandex shorts, and gray sneakers, heading out to the Ma and Pa Trail, 50km north of Baltimore, on Saturday at around 6pm.
Mr Tobin was confirmed to be the individual that first reported Ms Morin’s disappearance after she failed to return home, police said.
He also provided information about where her vehicle was located, which police confirmed was correct during their search for the missing mother.
“At around 1.07pm [on Sunday], a citizen called 9-1-1 to report a female’s body had been located off the trail,” Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said during the press conference.
Sheriff Gahler said that, “the investigation went from a missing persons investigation to a homicide investigation.”
“I’m not going to go into what, physically, they observed at the scene. But investigators believe sadly that it’s a homicide case,” he revealed.
Investigators are still waiting on the coroner’s office to confirm the remains.
“While we firmly believe this is the body of Rachel Morin, that final determination, that final say, belongs with the medical examiner and that has not happened yet,” he said.
Police said they currently do not have any suspects in Ms Morin’s death.
“My sister, Rachel Morin went missing on Saturday August 5 2023 around 6pm. In less than 24 hours her body was found by local law enforcement,” Rebekah Morin, the victim’s sister, wrote on a GoFundMe page set up for funeral expenses for the mother of five.
Rachel Morin revealed just a week earlier that she lost her niece to sudden infant death syndrome and wrote that her sister “did not go willingly” as her family suffered another tragedy.
“This was not an accidentally (sic) death,” the sister shared. “She did not go willingly and she deserves a funeral worthy of her beauty.”
This story appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.
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