Prosecutors say a local bail fund paid 10% of a $20,000 bail a week before the murder.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A Multnomah County judge on Tuesday sentenced Mohamed Osman Adan to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years, for killing his partner, 36-year-old Racheal Angel Abraham, in August 2022. Adan, 36, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and related charges in a case that drew scrutiny because a Portland bail fund helped secure his release a week before the killing.
Authorities say the case matters now because it sits at the intersection of domestic violence, pretrial release, and accountability for organizations that post bail. Prosecutors described a pattern of escalating abuse in 2022, including restraining orders and GPS monitoring that Adan cut off before his final attack. The sentence closes the criminal case against Adan but leaves unresolved questions about restitution and the role of the now-defunct Portland Freedom Fund, which posted a portion of his bail that summer. The district attorney’s office said it will pursue additional steps tied to Abraham’s family and the remaining bail balance.
Investigators said police found Abraham dead on Aug. 27, 2022, inside her Northeast Portland home. In the months before, court records show Abraham reported repeated assaults, including strangulation and threats to kill her. After a June incident, a judge ordered Adan to wear a GPS monitor. Prosecutors said he removed it. He was arrested again in August. On Aug. 20, according to the district attorney’s office, the Portland Freedom Fund paid 10% of his $20,000 bail, and Adan was released. One week later, prosecutors said, he returned to Abraham’s apartment and attacked her in front of three children. “The life sentence cannot undo the unimaginable harm,” District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said after the hearing.
At Tuesday’s sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Melissa Marrero described the attack as “brutal,” noting wounds to Abraham’s head and face and emphasizing that the children were present. The judge credited Adan with roughly three years he has spent in custody since his 2022 arrest, meaning his first parole eligibility will come after he serves 25 years from sentencing. Prosecutors reiterated that Abraham had warned the court about the danger of strangulation months before she was killed. Vasquez criticized the decision by the Portland Freedom Fund to post Adan’s bail, calling it a “reckless” act with “real world consequences.” Representatives of the fund did not immediately respond to requests made by local outlets for comment.
Public records and prior coverage show the Portland Freedom Fund closed operations in 2022 after the killing. The nonprofit had offered to post bail for people who could not afford it, arguing the cash bail system hurts low-income defendants and people of color. The group’s leaders later said the case forced internal changes and soul-searching, acknowledging gaps in their screening and communications. In court Tuesday, prosecutors detailed how supervision and conditions failed to stop Adan in the weeks before Abraham’s death, highlighting violations of a no-contact order and the removal of electronic monitoring. The case has been cited by critics of third-party bail posting and by victim advocates pressing for tighter risk assessments in domestic violence cases.
Legal steps remain. Prosecutors said they will seek a court order to collect the remaining $18,000 of Adan’s bail obligation from the individual who signed the paperwork, with the goal of directing funds toward restitution for Abraham’s family. No additional criminal charges are pending against outside parties tied to the bail posting, authorities said. Adan will serve his sentence in state custody; any appeal would focus on the terms of his plea and sentence. Officials said a formal restitution hearing could be scheduled in the coming weeks, and a written judgment will memorialize the life term and parole eligibility after 25 years.
Outside the courthouse, Vasquez said the children’s statements weighed heavily on the outcome. “We heard from a family that has to rebuild from a loss witnessed by kids,” he said. A victim advocate who worked with Abraham’s relatives described quiet sobs in the gallery as the judge delivered the sentence. Neighbors who knew Abraham recalled her as a steady presence who juggled work and parenting. A court deputy guided family members down a back hallway after the hearing. In the courtroom, Adan spoke briefly, telling the judge he was sorry. No relative of Abraham chose to address him directly.
The sentence stands: life with the possibility of parole after 25 years, with credit for time served. Prosecutors plan to pursue restitution tied to the bail paperwork next, and the clerk’s office will enter the judgment in the days ahead.
Author note: Last updated January 1, 2026.