A Portland-based bail fund is now reportedly facing intense scrutiny from prosecutors after helping secure the release of an Oregon man with a documented history of violence who went on to murder his former partner just days later.
Mohamed Adan, 36, was sentenced this week to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the killing of Racheal Abraham. The case has ignited outrage among law enforcement officials, who say the tragedy was preventable and point directly to the decision by the Portland Freedom Fund to post bail on Adan’s behalf.
The Portland Freedom Fund paid $2,000 — the required 10 percent — toward Adan’s $20,000 bail on Aug. 22. Just five days later, on Aug. 27, Abraham was found dead in her Portland apartment, where three children were also living at the time.
Prosecutors say Adan’s violent behavior toward Abraham was not an isolated incident, but part of an escalating pattern that stretched back years. According to court records, that pattern began in 2022. In May of that year, Abraham sought and obtained a restraining order after telling authorities Adan punched her in the head multiple times while intoxicated.
Two months later, police were again called to the apartment. Abraham reported that Adan had broken her phone and strangled her. Authorities said Adan also made explicit threats, including statements such as “I’m going to put you to sleep” and “I should kill you.”
At an arraignment following one of those arrests, Abraham pleaded directly with the court for protection. In a written statement, she warned of the danger she faced. “Statistics show that strangulation cases lead to homicide,” she said. “I don’t want to be a victim.”
Despite court-ordered monitoring, Adan later cut off a GPS device and violated parole conditions by returning to Abraham’s address. In August, shortly before his release on bail, Abraham again accused Adan of breaking into her home and beating her with prayer beads.
After that incident, Adan was taken back into custody. Prosecutors objected to his release, but bail was set at $20,000. The Portland Freedom Fund stepped in to cover the required portion, allowing Adan to walk free.
According to prosecutors, Adan returned to Abraham’s home after his release and carried out a brutal attack. They said Abraham was strangled and stabbed to death while three children were present in the apartment.
“The murder was horrific,” prosecutors said in court filings. They described catastrophic knife wounds to Abraham’s face and body and said the medical examiner concluded she ultimately died from strangulation, which occurred after the stabbing.
Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said the outcome left him “sickened and outraged.” He directly criticized the decision to bail Adan out despite his history and repeated violations.
“That reckless decision had real world consequences,” Vasquez said, adding that the loss of life cannot be separated from the choices that allowed Adan back onto the street.
Other prosecutors echoed that condemnation, saying the case highlights the dangers of bail policies and activist-backed funds that ignore violent histories. The Portland Freedom Fund gained prominence during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, but critics say this case exposes the risks of prioritizing ideology over public safety — risks that, in this instance, ended with a life lost.
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