Killing of Md. Mom Rachel Morin Was Possibly a 'Random Event,' Says Sheriff: No 'Solid Suspect'

Investigators are scrambling for clues in the killing of Rachel Morin, a mother of five who went missing Saturday night along a popular hiking trail in Maryland.

Meanwhile, police are asking the public for help and warning other hikers to be mindful of the possibility that a killer could be on the loose.

"We do not have a solid suspect,” Harford County Sheriff Jeffery Gahler told WBAL-TV on Monday. “Not knowing whether this was a targeted event specific to Rachel, we are going to say, yes, be aware, be thinking there could be somebody out here and this is a random event."

The Harford County Sheriff's Office announced Sunday that a volunteer community member had helped them find the body of a woman matching Morin’s description along the Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Md. The sheriff’s office confirmed to PEOPLE on Tuesday morning after a coroner’s report came back that the body was Morin’s.

Morin, a fitness enthusiast and a mother of five children, was reported missing late Saturday night by her boyfriend Richard Tobin. 

At a news conference Sunday, Gahler said that Tobin told police that Morin had left to go on a run along the trail at about 6 p.m. local time. About five hours later after Morin didn’t return, Tobin called the police.

In his news conference, the sheriff said investigators discovered Morin’s car abandoned at the trailhead and added that when detectives surveyed the scene where her body was found, they discovered several “indicators” that left “no doubt” Morin’s death was a homicide.

“Sadly, it’s a homicide case,”  the sheriff told reporters.

On Facebook, Tobin pleaded with the community to "let the family and I grieve."

"I love Rachel, I would never do anything to her," Tobin wrote. "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 sheriff’s office would not comment on persons of interest when reached Tuesday, but has continued to ask the public for help tracking down a suspect.

At his news conference, Gahler, asked anyone living near the trailhead with security cameras to review their footage and turn anything suspicious over to police. On Tuesday morning, the sheriff’s office again asked for any photos or video of the trailhead taken over the weekend as investigators search for clues.

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The sheriff also announced there would be “an increased police presence along the trail” as the investigation continues, warning hikers to be aware of their surroundings while using the trail in the coming days.

Gahler recommended running with a friend, not using earbuds, avoiding a routine, and wearing a whistle or some other device that can alert others if you need help.

“We ask everyone to use good judgment on the trail,” the sheriff said. “Always be aware of your surroundings.”