Topline: Jorge Rueda Landeros, who fled to Mexico after the 2010 killing of accounting professor Sue Ann Marcum, was convicted in a Maryland courtroom for the slaying.
Published: November 6, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Left: Sue Markham, Right: Jorge Rueda Landeros (via American University, Montgomery County Police Department)
BETHESDA, MD — A jury convicted former yoga instructor Jorge Rueda Landeros of second-degree murder in the killing of American University professor Sue Ann Marcum, ending a 12-year international manhunt.
According to WTOP, Landeros, 55, was found guilty in the death of Marcum, 52, who was discovered in her Bethesda home on October 25, 2010. The medical examiner determined she died from blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
Investigators quickly identified Landeros—Marcum’s yoga and Spanish instructor—as a suspect. Prosecutors said the two had developed a personal and financial relationship, which ultimately led to Marcum’s financial ruin.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, Marcum lost $312,000 through joint investments with Landeros, while he gained $252,000. The arrangement also included a $500,000 life insurance policy naming Landeros as the sole beneficiary.
Court documents revealed Marcum had grown increasingly concerned about Landeros’ handling of their brokerage account. In emails presented during trial, she expressed distress over her finances and asked Landeros to return the money.
“Making myself sick trying to figure out how to pay the mortgage,” Marcum wrote in one message to Landeros. In another, she said, “I just want out of the whole situation.”
Shortly after those exchanges, Marcum was killed. Authorities said Landeros fled the country, likely to Mexico or Central America, and was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
On April 15, 2011, forensic evidence linked Landeros to the crime. He was charged with first-degree murder and unlawful flight but remained at large for more than a decade.
In December 2022, the FBI received a tip that Landeros was living in Guadalajara, Mexico, under the alias Leon Ferrara and working as a yoga instructor. Mexican authorities arrested him on Dec. 13, and he was extradited to Montgomery County in July 2023.
During the trial, prosecutors contended that Landeros killed Marcum following a dispute on financial dealings and staged the crime scene to look like a burglary. As reported by the Washington Post, Assistant State’s Attorney Debbie Feinstein called Landeros a “master manipulator” who “preyed upon Sue Marcum’s caring nature.” The prosecution argued that Marcum’s trust in Landeros had been exploited for personal gain.
Defense attorneys offered a different account, claiming Marcum died during a burglary that went wrong. They maintained that Landeros had no intent to kill and that the evidence supported a case of accidental death. The jury ultimately rejected the defense’s theory.
On October 30, jurors rejected the first-degree murder charge but convicted Landeros of second-degree murder. He faces up to 30 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on February 6, 2026. The verdict closes a case that began with trust and ended in tragedy.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Fugitive Yoga Instructor Found Guilty of Murdering University Professor
Jorge Rueda Landeros, who fled to Mexico after the 2010 killing of accounting professor Sue Ann Marcum, was convicted in a Maryland courtroom for the slaying.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 6, 2025 8:00 am ET
Left: Sue Markham, Right: Jorge Rueda Landeros (via American University, Montgomery County Police Department)
BETHESDA, MD — A jury convicted former yoga instructor Jorge Rueda Landeros of second-degree murder in the killing of American University professor Sue Ann Marcum, ending a 12-year international manhunt.
According to WTOP, Landeros, 55, was found guilty in the death of Marcum, 52, who was discovered in her Bethesda home on October 25, 2010. The medical examiner determined she died from blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
Investigators quickly identified Landeros—Marcum’s yoga and Spanish instructor—as a suspect. Prosecutors said the two had developed a personal and financial relationship, which ultimately led to Marcum’s financial ruin.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, Marcum lost $312,000 through joint investments with Landeros, while he gained $252,000. The arrangement also included a $500,000 life insurance policy naming Landeros as the sole beneficiary.
Court documents revealed Marcum had grown increasingly concerned about Landeros’ handling of their brokerage account. In emails presented during trial, she expressed distress over her finances and asked Landeros to return the money.
“Making myself sick trying to figure out how to pay the mortgage,” Marcum wrote in one message to Landeros. In another, she said, “I just want out of the whole situation.”
Shortly after those exchanges, Marcum was killed. Authorities said Landeros fled the country, likely to Mexico or Central America, and was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
On April 15, 2011, forensic evidence linked Landeros to the crime. He was charged with first-degree murder and unlawful flight but remained at large for more than a decade.
In December 2022, the FBI received a tip that Landeros was living in Guadalajara, Mexico, under the alias Leon Ferrara and working as a yoga instructor. Mexican authorities arrested him on Dec. 13, and he was extradited to Montgomery County in July 2023.
During the trial, prosecutors contended that Landeros killed Marcum following a dispute on financial dealings and staged the crime scene to look like a burglary. As reported by the Washington Post, Assistant State’s Attorney Debbie Feinstein called Landeros a “master manipulator” who “preyed upon Sue Marcum’s caring nature.” The prosecution argued that Marcum’s trust in Landeros had been exploited for personal gain.
Defense attorneys offered a different account, claiming Marcum died during a burglary that went wrong. They maintained that Landeros had no intent to kill and that the evidence supported a case of accidental death. The jury ultimately rejected the defense’s theory.
On October 30, jurors rejected the first-degree murder charge but convicted Landeros of second-degree murder. He faces up to 30 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on February 6, 2026. The verdict closes a case that began with trust and ended in tragedy.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Fugitive Yoga Instructor Found Guilty of Murdering University Professor
Jorge Rueda Landeros, who fled to Mexico after the 2010 killing of accounting professor Sue Ann Marcum, was convicted in a Maryland courtroom for the slaying.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 6, 2025 8:00 am ET
Left: Sue Markham, Right: Jorge Rueda Landeros (via American University, Montgomery County Police Department)
BETHESDA, MD — A jury convicted former yoga instructor Jorge Rueda Landeros of second-degree murder in the killing of American University professor Sue Ann Marcum, ending a 12-year international manhunt.
According to WTOP, Landeros, 55, was found guilty in the death of Marcum, 52, who was discovered in her Bethesda home on October 25, 2010. The medical examiner determined she died from blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
Investigators quickly identified Landeros—Marcum’s yoga and Spanish instructor—as a suspect. Prosecutors said the two had developed a personal and financial relationship, which ultimately led to Marcum’s financial ruin.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, Marcum lost $312,000 through joint investments with Landeros, while he gained $252,000. The arrangement also included a $500,000 life insurance policy naming Landeros as the sole beneficiary.
Court documents revealed Marcum had grown increasingly concerned about Landeros’ handling of their brokerage account. In emails presented during trial, she expressed distress over her finances and asked Landeros to return the money.
“Making myself sick trying to figure out how to pay the mortgage,” Marcum wrote in one message to Landeros. In another, she said, “I just want out of the whole situation.”
Shortly after those exchanges, Marcum was killed. Authorities said Landeros fled the country, likely to Mexico or Central America, and was placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
On April 15, 2011, forensic evidence linked Landeros to the crime. He was charged with first-degree murder and unlawful flight but remained at large for more than a decade.
In December 2022, the FBI received a tip that Landeros was living in Guadalajara, Mexico, under the alias Leon Ferrara and working as a yoga instructor. Mexican authorities arrested him on Dec. 13, and he was extradited to Montgomery County in July 2023.
During the trial, prosecutors contended that Landeros killed Marcum following a dispute on financial dealings and staged the crime scene to look like a burglary. As reported by the Washington Post, Assistant State’s Attorney Debbie Feinstein called Landeros a “master manipulator” who “preyed upon Sue Marcum’s caring nature.” The prosecution argued that Marcum’s trust in Landeros had been exploited for personal gain.
Defense attorneys offered a different account, claiming Marcum died during a burglary that went wrong. They maintained that Landeros had no intent to kill and that the evidence supported a case of accidental death. The jury ultimately rejected the defense’s theory.
On October 30, jurors rejected the first-degree murder charge but convicted Landeros of second-degree murder. He faces up to 30 years in prison and is scheduled for sentencing on February 6, 2026. The verdict closes a case that began with trust and ended in tragedy.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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