Portland, OR. — Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Jenna Plank on Tuesday sentenced Mohamed Osman Adan to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years for the 2022 murder of his domestic partner, Racheal Abraham.
Adan pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree for the August 27, 2022 killing, which prosecutors described as the culmination of months of escalating domestic violence. In addition to the murder conviction, Adan was also convicted of Felony Strangulation Constituting Domestic Violence, Contempt of Court for violating a no-contact order, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, and Felony Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Police Officer for separate criminal conduct.
Court records show a documented pattern of abuse throughout 2022. On May 2, Abraham reported to police that Adan punched her twice in the head while intoxicated and angry over a text message. On June 23, officers responded again after Abraham obtained a restraining order. She reported that Adan strangled her multiple times, threatened to kill her, broke her phone to prevent her from calling for help, and assaulted her in front of their children. Officers observed visible injuries, and Adan was arrested.
At arraignment, Abraham warned the court of the lethal risk posed by strangulation, pleading for her and her children’s safety. Despite those warnings, Adan was later released under GPS supervision. He violated release conditions, returned to the restricted address, and cut off his GPS monitor, prompting a warrant request.
After another arrest on August 11, 2022, Adan sought reduced bail. Over the State’s objection, bail was lowered to $20,000. The Portland Freedom Fund posted $2,000 to secure his release. Prosecutors later argued that the decision ignored well-established lethality risk factors identified in a danger assessment conducted by a deputy district attorney.
Five days after his release, Adan again removed his GPS monitor, returned to the apartment, and brutally attacked Abraham. The Medical Examiner determined she suffered catastrophic knife wounds and died by strangulation. Three young children were present in the home during the assault.
As part of the case resolution, the court ordered forfeiture of the remaining $18,000 bail balance to be used for restitution, including assistance for Abraham’s children.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Melissa Marrero and Deputy District Attorney Andrew MacMillan prosecuted the case for the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Following sentencing, Marrero called the case “an absolute tragedy that never should have happened,” stating that repeated warning signs were ignored and that Abraham “did everything in her power to protect herself.”
The District Attorney’s Office credited the Portland Police Bureau detectives, close street supervision staff, and victim advocates for their efforts, while emphasizing the critical importance of taking strangulation and domestic violence risk indicators seriously.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence is urged to contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or text START to 88788. Multnomah County resources are available through the county’s domestic violence services portal.
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