Shivangi Sinha
The death of Daniel “Dan” Markel, a prominent Florida law professor, in 2014 stirred considerable attention and speculation within the community. Despite three prior arrests linked to the case, persistent suspicions lingered about the possible involvement of Markel’s ex-wife’s family in his murder. The arrest of Charles “Charlie” Adelson, Markel’s former brother-in-law, on November 6, 2023, validated these longstanding concerns. ABC’s ’20/20: First Divorced Then Dead,’ NBC’s ‘Dateline: Family Matters,’ and ABC’s ‘Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel’ meticulously explore the motives behind the crime, unraveling the complexities that prolonged law enforcement’s journey to secure the conviction of Charlie Adelson over several years.
Charles “Charlie” Adelson Conspired to Have His Former Brother-in-Law Killed
Born on October 27, 1976, to Donna Adelson and Harvey Adelson, Charles “Charlie” Adelson followed in his father’s footsteps by pursuing a career in medicine. He became a periodontist practicing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His family was eventually entangled in a tumultuous legal dispute when his sister, Wendi Adelson, got into a contentious custody battle with her ex-husband, Daniel “Dan” Markel. Tragically, on July 18, 2014, Dan was shot twice in the driveway of his residence in an upscale Tallahassee neighborhood. The police discovered Markel wounded, and despite efforts, he succumbed to his injuries approximately 14 hours later at a local hospital.
Following Dan’s death, investigators left no stone unturned but faced challenges until 2016, when they finally got a big breakthrough. Undercover agents had tapped the phones of Charlie, his mother, and ex-girlfriend, Katherine “Katie” Magbanua, plus there was surveillance footage indicating the killers fled the scene in a silver/gray Prius. Following their findings, two suspects, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, were identified as the individuals inside the vehicle and arrested. While Garcia was indicted on the charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy, Rivera opted for a plea deal. He was already serving a federal sentence in connection with an unrelated crime, so he admitted guilt to second-degree murder in exchange for a 19-year prison sentence. As part of his plea agreement, Rivera agreed to provide testimony against Garcia, Magbanua, and the Adelsons.
In October 2016, Magbanua was arrested for murder in connection with the death of Dan Markel. However, the legal proceedings encountered delays, and it wasn’t until October 2019 that she and Garcia faced a jury trial together. During the proceedings, significant evidence was brought to light, and Garcia was identified as the shooter. However, while he was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder before receiving a life sentence, the jury was deadlocked when it came to Magbanua. Her case was thus formally declared a mistrial, and after further delays owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, her retrial commenced in May 2022. She vehemently maintained her innocence, but she was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder. She received a life term along with two additional concurrent 30-year sentences. It’s imperative to note that a month before all this, in April 2022, Charlie was also arrested for murder.
There Was Significant Evidence Against Charles “Charlie” Adelson
Officials were keeping a close eye on Charlie throughout this time due to some statements made by his sister, Wendi, and her ex-boyfriend, Jeffrey “Jeff” Lacasse. According to Wendi’s initial police interview on July 18, 2014, itself, she stated that her brother had “joked” that the television he bought her as a divorce present was cheaper than hiring a hitman. Around a year later, in 2015, Jeff came forward to claim that his former girlfriend had once told him that Charlie had allegedly looked into hiring a hitman, but he didn’t follow through because it would have cost $15,000. So, by the time 2016 rolled around, they decided to tap a few phones, leading to the indication that he and his mother had orchestrated Dan’s murder through a contract killing.
In Garcia’s 2016 arrest affidavit, it was mentioned that he had provided information implicating Charlie and Donna in Dan’s contract killing. The document also detailed Donna’s several plans to somehow coerce Dan into giving up on the custody battle for the two children he shared with Wendi. The Adelsons wanted Wendi to have sole custody of her two boys so that she could relocate to Miami to be closer to her family, but Dan was fighting it because he wanted to be an active, present father.
A couple of Donna’s schemes included offering the lawyer $1 million to drop his case and threatening to enroll the children in a Catholic school, which he would have hated as an Orthodox Jew. Charlie was also significantly mentioned in these plans. However, it was only after the surveillance on him led to officials catching him telling Magbanua that he would have already fled the country if he believed police had evidence against him that he was arrested. His statements indicated guilt, so in April 2022, he was arrested on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder.
Charles “Charlie” Adelson is Serving His Time in a South Dakota State Prison
The trial against Charlie commenced in October 2023, during which the defense tried to maintain his innocence and argued that his comments to Wendi about hiring a hitman were indeed a joke. They also contended that what led to Dan’s death was Sigfredo Garcia, the father of Magbanua’s two children, becoming aware of the plan to hopefully pay Dan $1 million to drop his case. Therefore, the defense claimed, to get the money for himself, he collaborated with Luis Rivera to eliminate Markel. According to Charlie’s testimony, Magbanua served as a conduit for threats that aimed to pin the blame for the murder on him.
Charlie claimed that he was coerced and extorted by Garcia and Rivera through Magbanua. He also testified that he paid her $138,000 and thousands of additional dollars for the next couple of months. According to records, he even had her put her on the payroll of the family’s dental practice. He maintained his belief in Magbanua’s innocence until her trial, wherein he purportedly realized her complicity in the orchestrated plan. On the other hand, Magbanua, who had steadfastly maintained her innocence, finally confessed on the stand that he had instructed her to enlist Garcia and Rivera to commit the murder. She admitted to lying during her trial, asserting that she did so to protect herself, but now felt compelled to reveal the truth.
The prosecution further bolstered its case by presenting evidence indicating that Charlie had provided Magbanua with the cash and the monthly salary on his own free will. They also revealed he continued to bestow expensive gifts upon her and granted her a monthly stipend of $3,000 to pass on to the hired hitmen. They indicated it was all for criminal intent, which Magbanua seemingly backed through her testimony. Hence, in November 2023, at the age of 47, Charlie’s lengthy trial culminated in him being found guilty as charged. He was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder. The verdict later rendered him a sentence of life in prison without parole, plus an additional 30 years each for the two lesser counts. All his appeals have since been denied, so at the age of 49, he is currently incarcerated at a State Correctional Facility in South Dakota, where he was transferred in the summer of 2024 for security reasons. He is expected to remain there for the rest of his natural life.
Read More: Dan Markel’s Murder: Who Killed Him? How Did He Die?
You must be logged in to post a comment.