Overview of The Professor & The Poet
Dateline (NBC News) tells the true-crime story of Sue (Susan) Markham — a beloved American University accounting professor found murdered in her Bethesda, Maryland home on October 24, 2010 — and the decade-long investigation that exposed a secret relationship, large financial losses, and an international manhunt that ultimately led to the arrest, trial, and conviction of her former Spanish/yoga teacher, Jorge Landeros.
Key events & timeline
- Oct 24, 2010: Sue Markham is discovered dead at the bottom of her basement stairs by longtime friend Larry March. Scene shows broken glass, two shot glasses with liquid, unplugged TVs and missing items; Sue’s Jeep is missing.
- Hours later: Stolen Jeep spotted in Northeast D.C.; driver DeAndre Hamlin (18) crashes, is arrested for unauthorized use of the vehicle but is soon excluded as the murderer after DNA and other evidence are analyzed.
- Forensic findings: DNA from an unknown male appears on shot glasses, under Sue’s fingernails, and on the liquor bottle used as a blunt object. These indicate a very close, violent struggle rather than a random burglary.
- Investigation shifts to Sue’s private life after emails and documents reveal a financial relationship with Jorge Landeros; a life-insurance document lists him as beneficiary tied to a proposed joint yoga business.
- March (year after the murder): Landeros provides a voluntary DNA swab in El Paso; results match the unknown DNA from the crime scene. A murder warrant is issued and Landeros disappears (returns to Mexico).
- Years-long fugitive period: Landeros lives under aliases, teaches yoga in Mexico, and is the subject of international inquiries and tips.
- 2023: Following an anonymous tip and coordinated surveillance with Mexican authorities, Landeros is arrested in Guadalajara and extradited to the U.S.
- Oct 2025 (trial): Jury finds Landeros not guilty of first-degree murder but guilty of second-degree murder; he is sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Main people
- Victim: Sue (Susan) Markham — accounting professor at American University, well-liked, generous, single, financially entwined with Landeros.
- Discoverer/close friend: Larry March — friend since college who found Sue and was initially considered a suspect but excluded by DNA.
- Prime suspect / convicted: Jorge Landeros — Spanish teacher/yoga instructor/poet who had a close, complicated relationship with Sue and was listed as a beneficiary on a life-insurance policy; fled to Mexico, later arrested and convicted of second-degree murder.
- Initial suspect (car): DeAndre Hamlin — teen car thief found driving Sue’s Jeep; not linked to the murder by DNA.
- Investigators/prosecutors: Sgt. Larry Haley, Detective Paula Hamill, Montgomery County Police; prosecutors Debbie Feinstein and Ryan Wexler; State's Attorney John McCarthy.
Evidence & investigative turning points
- Crime scene: Broken glass, shot glasses with residual liquor, unplugged TVs near the front door, forced/removed window screen in back — initially suggested either burglary or staging.
- Forensic evidence that refocused the case:
- Unknown male DNA on the shot glasses and on Sue’s fingernails — consistent with a close physical struggle.
- DNA on the liquor bottle used to strike Sue’s head.
- No trace of Landeros in the stolen Jeep, and no trace of Hamlin in Sue’s home — complex footprint of multiple actors and deliberate misdirection.
- Misleading staging/props:
- Small Ray-Ban logo fragment found inside Sue’s lip — viewed as an odd, deliberate planting to confuse investigators; FBI had no similar cases.
- Stolen Jeep intentionally left on a street, apparently to implicate a car thief.
- Digital/financial paper trail:
- Hundreds of emails between Sue and Landeros revealed emotional and financial entanglements.
- Documents showing a jointly opened investment account and a life-insurance policy naming Landeros as beneficiary; Sue reportedly lost over $300,000 tied to the relationship.
- Cross-border complexity: Landeros’ dual citizenship, frequent U.S.–Mexico travel, and eventual relocation to Mexico complicated apprehension until international cooperation and an anonymous tip led to his capture.
Trial, verdict & sentence
- Prosecution theory: Landeros manipulated and financially exploited Sue, and an argument on the night of the murder escalated to a violent struggle (strangulation and blunt force trauma). They argued Landeros staged a burglary and tried to mislead police (Jeep, Ray-Ban fragment).
- Defense theory: Landeros and Sue had a long friendship/romantic history; investment losses could be market-driven; DNA transfer can occur during friendly contact; lack of his DNA or fingerprints in Sue’s Jeep raises reasonable doubt. They also emphasized other burglaries in the area (though the judge limited some related evidence).
- Jury decision: Not guilty of first-degree (premeditated) murder; guilty of second-degree murder (intentional but not preplanned).
- Sentence: 25 years imprisonment; parole eligibility decades later.
Notable quotes / memorable lines
- Recurring line underscoring secrecy: “She hadn't told anybody about it. She hadn't told a soul.”
- From Sue’s friend after conviction: “It was a good day. ... It's a good day” — relief that someone was held accountable after many years.
- From Rocío, a woman Landeros lived with in Mexico: “If somebody shows you who they are, believe them.”
Themes & takeaways
- Grooming and financial exploitation: The case highlights how emotional manipulation can be used to gain financial control over a trusting partner — sometimes quietly and secretly.
- Complexity of forensic interpretation: DNA presence (and absence in specific places) shaped competing narratives in court — illustrating both the power and limits of forensic evidence.
- Persistence matters: Years of investigative work, international cooperation, and an anonymous tip were all essential to ultimately arrest and extradite the suspect.
- Human cost: The story emphasizes the devastation for friends and family, and how private suffering (financial ruin, emotional dependence) can remain hidden until tragedy.
Practical lessons / warnings
- Be cautious with financial entanglements tied to personal/romantic relationships — document transactions and involve trusted advisors when money is involved.
- Share concerns with close friends or family if a relationship is causing emotional or financial distress.
- Recognize red flags in interpersonal dynamics: isolation, rapid control over finances, unpredictable moods or abuse, and pressure to conceal problems.
Where to find more
- This episode is from Dateline (NBC News) titled “The Professor & The Poet.” Dateline’s Talking Dateline podcast provides behind-the-scenes discussion of the episode (available in the Dateline feed).
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