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“The Hunt for Mr. Right”: 20/20 Reports on Sue Marcum Homicide January 16 2026

Ryan Gill

ABC’s 20/20 airs a two-hour true crime special titled The Hunt for Mr. Right on January 16, 2026, detailing the 2010 murder of American University professor Sue Marcum and the 15-year search for her killer, Jorge Rueda Landeros. The case, which initially appeared to be a burglary gone wrong, turned into one of the most elusive manhunts in recent FBI history. What unfolded revealed betrayal, financial fraud, a staged crime scene, and ultimately justice delayed—but not denied.

A Respected Professor Found Dead

On October 25, 2010, Sue Marcum was discovered dead in her Bethesda, Maryland, home. The 52-year-old accounting professor, known for her dedication to students at American University, had suffered blunt force trauma and strangulation. The scene appeared to show signs of a break-in, but several details gave investigators pause. Valuables remained untouched. A cut window screen suggested staging. A tequila bottle was found shattered nearby.

Marcum’s Jeep Cherokee was missing and later found in Washington, D.C. driven by 18-year-old DeAndrew Hamlin, who had crashed it after a police chase. Though he admitted to stealing the car, no evidence placed him at the murder scene. The burglary theory began to collapse.

A Suspicious Relationship and Financial Ties

Detectives turned their focus to Jorge Rueda Landeros, a yoga instructor and Spanish tutor who had developed a close relationship with Marcum. Over several years, Landeros became her confidant, business partner, and at times romantic companion. Financial records showed Marcum had entrusted him with her life savings—mortgaging her home and investing $312,000 into a joint account.

In return, Landeros drained the funds and left her facing a $15 million IRS tax debt. He was also named the sole beneficiary of her $500,000 life insurance policy. Investigators uncovered emails where Marcum expressed her growing anxiety and regret over the investments. In one, she wrote, “I just want out of the whole situation.”

Evidence and a Vanishing Act

Forensic analysis linked Landeros to the scene. His DNA was found on one of two glasses left out and under Marcum’s fingernails. His prints were discovered on the broken tequila bottle. The evidence painted a picture of a personal encounter that turned violent. Prosecutors argued that Landeros struck Marcum with the bottle and strangled her during a confrontation.

Before authorities could arrest him, Landeros had fled to Mexico. He reinvented himself in Guadalajara under the alias “León Ferrara,” presenting as a peaceful yoga teacher and poet. Behind that persona, he taunted U.S. authorities with mocking emails and lived undisturbed for over a decade.

Capture, Trial, and Conviction

In December 2022, following a tip from someone who saw a documentary on the case, Mexican and American authorities coordinated Landeros’ arrest. He was extradited to Montgomery County in July 2023. The trial began in October 2025. Over eight days, jurors heard from more than two dozen witnesses and reviewed a decade’s worth of evidence.

The prosecution argued that Landeros was a manipulator who exploited Marcum financially and emotionally, then killed her when she confronted him. DNA evidence and motive—both the insurance policy and Marcum’s growing awareness of his deceit—were central to the case. The defense countered that the murder could have been a botched burglary and emphasized the lack of concrete proof that Landeros was in Maryland on the day of the murder.

On October 30, 2025, the jury returned a unanimous verdict: guilty of second-degree murder. While the first-degree charge requiring proof of premeditation was not upheld, the conviction still carries up to 30 years in prison. Sentencing is set for February 6, 2026.

Remembering Sue Marcum

Sue Marcum was more than a crime victim. She was a three-time Professor of the Year at American University’s Kogod School of Business. A mentor to her students, a philanthropist, and a sister deeply connected to her family, Marcum is remembered through the scholarship fund she created in 2006.

Her brother, Alan Marcum, attended every day of the trial. He acknowledged the pain of the second-degree ruling but expressed relief that justice was finally served. “She cared about her students, and she cared about who they were becoming. That was her superpower as a teacher,” he said.

The 20/20 episode underscores a broader lesson about trust, manipulation, and how even the strongest individuals can fall victim to calculated deceit. Jorge Landeros now awaits sentencing, but for Marcum’s family, her legacy continues through her students, her scholarship, and the hard-fought justice finally achieved.

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