A Montgomery County jury found Sophia Negroponte guilty of second-degree murder in the 2020 killing of 24-year-old Yousuf Rasmussen, concluding a retrial ordered after her original conviction was overturned by the Maryland Court of Appeals in 2024.
Negroponte, who faces up to 35 years in prison, is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19, 2026.
According to MCPD, “On Thursday, February 13, at approximately 11:16 p.m., 1st District officers, Rockville City police officers, and Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a residence in the 400 block of W. Montgomery Avenue for the report of a stabbing that had just occurred. Responding officers located Rasmussen inside the residence suffering from what appeared to be a cutting wound. Rasmussen was pronounced deceased at the scene. During the investigation, detectives determined that Rasmussen and Negroponte were acquaintances and that they were involved in a disagreement while inside the home on W. Montgomery Avenue.”
Assistant State’s Attorneys Donna Fenton and Robert Hill prosecuted this matter. “We thank our prosecution team and the homicide detectives with Montgomery County Police for their commitment to seeking justice for Yousuf Rasmussen and his family. Today we are also grateful to the members of the jury who gave careful consideration to their decision as they deliberated for multiple days before reaching a verdict. We look forward to Negroponte finally being held accountable for her actions,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
The Rasmussen family issued a written statement following the conviction in 2023:
Yousuf was a kind and gentle soul, a loving person who brought our family and his many friends great joy in his 24 years of life. We will carry him with us forever.
We are grateful for the dedication and professionalism of Maryland and Montgomery County officials, notably in the Circuit Court, the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Victim Assistance program.
Above all, we wish to thank the many police and emergency medical technicians who rushed to the scene and tried to save Yousuf’s precious life.To the family and friends from all over the world who have walked beside us on this difficult journey, we wish to express our deepest love and deepest appreciation for your support, for your prayers and for your compassion.
