Daughter of ex-intelligence official found guilty in retrial for 2020 stabbing death of friend

In a retrial, a woman was found guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 24-year-old Bethesda man in 2020. In Montgomery County Circuit Court, 32-year-old Sophia Negroponte—the daughter of former director of national intelligence John Negroponte—was convicted after the previous conviction was overturned.

In January 2024, the Maryland appeals court vacated Negroponte’s conviction and ordered a new trial, stating that the trial court erred by allowing contested portions of a video interrogation to be heard by the jury and by permitting a prosecution expert to weigh in on Negroponte’s credibility. The retrial began after these issues were deemed reversible errors.

The case originated in February 2020, when first responders arrived at a home on the 400 block of West Montgomery Avenue following reports of a stabbing. They found 24-year-old Yousuf Rasmussen, of Bethesda, fatally stabbed in the neck. Court documents describe a physical altercation between Negroponte and Rasmussen during an “alcoholic rage” after a night of heavy drinking, during which Negroponte stabbed Rasmussen.

Negroponte and Rasmussen were longtime friends, with Negroponte having described Rasmussen as her best friend in police interviews. In 2024, defense experts testified that both Negroponte and Rasmussen had blood alcohol levels higher than 0.08 at the relevant times, which could have impacted behavior and perceptions.

Only the key facts and quotes from the original reporting are preserved in this rendition, with essential information kept intact and phrased clearly.

Author’s summary: This retrial result places the focus on the admissibility of evidence and the credibility of testimony in a high-profile case involving a prominent political family.

WTOP — 2025-11-21

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