Duane Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, has joined the search for the killer of mother-of-five Rachel Morin in Maryland as detectives are tracking leads hundreds of miles away in Chicago.
“Hey Bounty Nation I need you guys to do what you do best and help me identify this suspect!!” Mr Chapman wrote in a post on Instagram. “Rachel Morin was brutally murdered by (someone) who investigators believe is a serial killer.”
The call for help was accompanied by surveillance video footage previously released by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office showing the man they believe is responsible for the mother-of-five’s killing in Bel Air, a town northeast of Baltimore, last month.
This week, Mr Chapman appeared on cable channel NewsNation to offer his expertise on possible clues in the footage that’s from a March home invasion and assault in Los Angeles. DNA found at that scene later matched DNA found at the location of Morin’s murder in Maryland.
The footage shows a shirtless man leaving the house in the dark of the night carrying clothes in his arms.
Rachel Morin was last seen alive heading off on the Ma and Pa Trail— (Harford County Sheriff’s Office)
Mr Chapman zeroed in on the suspect’s necklace, which he noted was tight and likely not taken off frequently. He also speculated that the man’s shaven haircut is military-style, adding that there are two military bases nearby.
He then pointed out what looked like a mobile phone and suggested considerable information could be gathered from nearby cell towers.
When the sheriff’s office released the footage, they gave a description of the suspect.
“The unknown male is described as being approximately 5’ 09’’ 160 pounds, approximately 20-30 years of age, dark hair, muscular build and is believed to be of hispanic descent,” the department said.
“This is not a current photo (within the last six months), and the subject’s hairstyle may have changed. This individual is believed to have ties to the Los Angeles area and may have been involved in violent crimes in other states.”
Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler told Law&Crime this week that detectives are also currently tracking leads in Chicago as they fear the killer may strike again.
Sheriff Gahler would not delve into details of their investigation, but warned: “There’s nothing right now to stop him from doing it again. I believe, and our investigators believe, he will do it again.”