MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — A judge sentenced the daughter of a former diplomat to 35 years for killing a man in 2020.

Sophia Negroponte faced up to 40 years in prison after a jury convicted her of second degree murder in January 2023.

The judge handed down his sentence Friday.

Police arrested Sophia Negroponte at a home in the 400 block of W. Montgomery Ave. in Rockville on Feb. 13, 2020. When officers got to the home, they found Yousuf Rasmussen, 24, of Bethesda stabbed. Rasmussen died there.

The Montgomery County Department of Police said Negroponte and Rasmussen knew each other and had a disagreement when the stabbing happened. Negroponte originally faced a charge of First Degree Murder.

Rasmussen’s family shared the following statement after Negroponte’s conviction in January:

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.