AU Professor Found Dead in Her Bethesda Home

Police investigate death as a homicide

A teenager is in custody after a vehicle that matched the description of the missing Jeep Cherokee that belonged to a deceased American University professor was spotted in D.C. and pursued by police until it crashed, NBC4's Jackie Bensen reported.

At about 11:15 p.m., police spotted a vehicle matching the description of Sue Marcum's Jeep Cherokee and began following it. They pursued it in Capitol Hill and near Northeast until it struck a utility pole near New Jersey Avenue and M Street in Northwest. One person inside the vehicle was injured and taken to a hospital. That person is in police custody.

Montgomery County police continue to investigate Marcum's death after her body was found in a Bethesda, Md., home.

Police were called to the home in the 6200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, where a friend had found the body of Marcum, 52, Monday morning. Police are investigating her death as a homicide, News4's Craig Melvin reported.

Someone forced their way into the home, police said.

Police are canvassing the neighborhood, talking to Marcum's family and searching for a tan or gold 1999 Jeep with Virginia license plates YXE 1456 -- the victim's missing vehicle.

Marcum graduated from American University's Kogod School of Business and began teaching accounting at American in 1999, according to the university. She was the director of the school's MS in Accounting program.

"Professor Marcum was a beloved member of the Kogod community and her sudden death is a tremendous loss to her students and colleagues," the school said in a memorandum sent Monday afternoon.

Marcum worked in public accounting for nine years and spent seven years as tax director for Ringling Bros' Barnum & Bailey.

Stay with NBC4 and NBCWashington.com for updates as they become available.

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