The so-called yoga and Spanish teacher to Bethesda resident Sue Ann Marcum was found guilty of second-degree murder Thursday in relation to her 2010 death. Marcum was 52 years old.
The trial lasted eight days, and now Marcum’s convicted killer, Jorge Rueda Landeros, 55, could be sentenced to a maximum of 30 years in jail. His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2026.
Marcum, a professor at American University, was found dead in her home on Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.
An investigation by Montgomery County police determined that Rueda Lande was not only Marcum’s Spanish and yoga teacher, but that the pair developed a personal and financial relationship. They made investments using Marcum’s money for two years. During that time, Marcum lost $312,000 while Rueda Landos gained $252,000 from her, according to Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Evidence collected in April of 2011 identified Rueda Landeros as a suspect. At that time, detectives learned that his location was in Mexico. In public documents reviewed by MCM, he had recently been crossing the border between El Paso, Texas and Mexico, and was listed as homeless, while in another document, his address is given as a prison location.
Rueda Landeros was taken into custody in a joint operation involving the Department of Justice, Legat, Mexico Task Force Criminal Investigative Agency (AIC) and Jalisco State Police. The FBI – Baltimore Field Office coordinated with Mexican authorities to extradite him.
