Victim

Dan Markel

Florida State University law professor and father of two who was shot and killed at his Tallahassee home on July 18, 2014 — the victim whose death underlies every case in this record.

Dan Markel on Wikipedia

MentionedGarcia–Magbanua Magbanua Retrial Charlie Adelson Donna Adelson

229 proceedings·229 mentions·4 trials

About

Dan Markel was Wendi Adelson's former husband and the father of their two children. Evidence across the proceedings addressed his fatal shooting at his home, his movements beforehand, the emergency response, and the autopsy findings. Testimony also examined the former couple's divorce, disputes involving their children and relocation, and Markel's effort to restrict Donna Adelson's contact with the children. The State presented those disputes as the alleged motive for a murder-for-hire conspiracy, while the defenses disputed the defendants' knowledge, participation, or responsibility.

Trial Record (229)

Mentioned in this proceeding.

DirectMarcia Rodriguez - DirectMarcia RodriguezAnna NorrisMentioned

Summary

Rodriguez authenticated a Cellebrite extraction from wendi Adelson's phone; the court excluded the full report but admitted selected contact, call-log, and voice-mail extracts over objection.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Juror questions addressed Wendi Adelson's immunity, refreshed memory, relationship timing, and stated reason for limiting the Markel grandparents' contact with the children.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Rivera testified that Garcia recruited him, shot Dan Markel, and later discussed payment with Katie; the court also reserved a discovery issue over a voice-identification exhibit.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Firearms analyst Elizabeth Richey testified that two recovered bullets were fired from the same firearm.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Corbitt mapped July travel, handset locations, and call activity through phone, GPS, bank, and video records, while explaining limits in the available data.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Defense counsel tested the undercover bump's planning, Jimenez's memory of the flyer, and the absence of the original flyer.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Garcia's counsel questioned Sanford about Rivera's account and investigative follow-up; Sanford confirmed Rivera alone identified Garcia as the shooter.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Corbitt addressed limits in cell-site evidence, a stipulated preschool schedule, and competing explanations for Magbanua's July 19 handset activity.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Isom defended the investigation's reliance on Luis Rivera and disputed the claimed employment explanation for Adelson Institute payments; the court excluded reference to Magbanua's prior-trial testimony.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

FBI agent Patrick Sanford described investigative follow-up, surveillance, and wiretap calls involving the Adelsons and Katherine Magbanua; the court admitted State's Exhibits 99 and 53.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Magbanua defended her interpretation of the Dolce Vita recording and text messages, maintained she would not falsely cooperate, and the court admitted Defense Exhibits 39 through 41.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Cappleman urged jurors to rely on admitted evidence, reject the defense's coincidence theory, and find Katherine Magbanua guilty.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

CACharlie AdelsonOct 26, 2023 – Nov 6, 2023

Dan Markel's 2014 killing was the central event examined at trial, with evidence addressing the shooting, the investigation, and the State's alleged motive involving divorce, custody, and relocation disputes.

Day 1

Oct 26, 2023

OpeningOpening Statement - Sarah Kathryn DuganSarah Kathryn Dugan1highlightMentioned

Summary

Dugan previewed the State's alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy theory, including anticipated phone, financial, surveillance, and recorded-call evidence.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Highlights (1)

procedural actionDugan outlined the State's allegation that Charlie Adelson arranged Dan Markel's killing through people connected to Katherine Magbanua.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶

OpeningOpening Statement - Dan RashbaumDan RashbaumMentioned

Summary

Rashbaum previewed a defense theory that alleged payments reflected extortion, not a murder-for-hire arrangement.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

DirectJames Geiger - DirectJames GeigerGeorgia Cappleman1highlightMentioned

Summary

James Geiger described hearing a loud bang, seeing a vehicle leave Dan Markel's driveway, finding Markel injured in the garage, and calling 911.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

FBI agent Patrick Sanford described divorce, surveillance, toll, rental, and employment records used in the investigation, including a rental contract identifying Luis Rivera and checks issued to Katherine Magbanua.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Wendi Adelson testified about the divorce, family emails, Charlie Adelson's hitman joke, and her actions on the day Dan Markel was killed, while denying any role or advance knowledge.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Highlights (1)

Quote“I thought, Oh, my God, maybe if I hadn't divorced him, he would still be alive. Maybe -- maybe this is my fault because I complained to the wrong person.”— Wendi AdelsonShe described her reaction while considering who might have wanted to harm Dan Markel.Open in transcript →

CrossWendi Adelson - Cross (Part 1)Wendi AdelsonDan Rashbaum1highlightMentioned

Summary

Wendi Adelson denied involvement in the murder as the defense addressed relocation, family communications, Charlie's hitman joke, and Dan Markel's public travel posts; Defense Exhibit 1 was admitted.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Highlights (1)

Quote“It was a blog that Danny started with some friends to talk about the law and legal theories and to kind of have conversations in space with other law professors.”— Wendi AdelsonShe identified PrawfsBlawg as a blog Dan Markel started with friends, providing context for the defense's travel-posting question.Open in transcript →

Defense challenged the timing and reliability of Jeffrey Lacasse's reported statements; Lacasse maintained his account and explained his delayed police report.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Day 3

Oct 30, 2023

CrossLuis Rivera - CrossLuis RiveraDan RashbaumMentioned

Summary

Defense questioned Rivera's secondhand knowledge, lack of direct Adelson contact, payment account, and recollection of the alleged post-killing call.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

DirectKatherine Magbanua - DirectKatherine MagbanuaGeorgia Cappleman1highlightMentioned

Summary

Magbanua admitted prior false testimony and gave an account of alleged recruitment, delivery of target information and money, post-homicide payment, and later coded communications.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Corbitt presented the State's phone, location, rental, and extracted-device records, while explaining the limits of historical cell-site analysis.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Day 4

Oct 31, 2023

CrossChristopher Corbitt - CrossChristopher CorbittDan RashbaumMentioned

Summary

Defense cross-examined Corbitt on the limits and interpretation of phone and cell-site evidence; the court also limited use of unadmitted texts and allowed a defense chart only as a demonstrative.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

RedirectChristopher Corbitt - RedirectChristopher CorbittSarah Kathryn DuganMentioned

Summary

Corbitt clarified duplicate-call methodology, a corrected message attribution, and the limits of cell-site evidence; the court sustained a speculation objection during redirect.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Adamson denied any asset-disclosure failure and described providing records for a disputed retirement account.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Charlie Adelson said he viewed the threatening calls and letter as a claimed extortion, not evidence of involvement in Dan Markel's murder.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Day 7

Nov 3, 2023

DirectCharlie Adelson - Direct (Continued)Charlie AdelsonDan Rashbaum1highlightMentioned

Summary

Charlie Adelson said threatening contacts were a claimed extortion or police operation and again denied involvement in Dan Markel's murder.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Highlights (1)

testimony highlightAdelson ended direct examination with categorical denials that he participated in, conspired in, or solicited Dan Markel's murder.Open in transcript →Watch this moment ▶

CrossCharlie Adelson - CrossCharlie AdelsonGeorgia CapplemanMentioned

Summary

Cappleman challenged Adelson's extortion account through his relationship with Magbanua, recorded calls, and his earlier silence; Adelson denied involvement in Dan Markel's murder.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Charge ConferenceCharge Conference — Jury Instructions Finalized for All Three CountsMentioned

Summary

The court finalized jury instructions and verdict forms, waived lesser-included offenses, and overruled a defense objection to a separate intent instruction.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Day 8

Nov 6, 2023

Jury InstructionFinal Jury InstructionsMentioned

Summary

Rivera confirmed prior photo-sheet identifications and agreed that, as far as he knew, Donna Adelson and Harvey Adelson were not involved; the court later admitted State's Exhibits 37 and 121.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Robert Adelson described limited contact with Donna and agreed that police-contact advice was relayed through Michael Weinstein.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Cell-site analyst Christopher Corbitt explained the limits of phone-location analysis and presented certified phone records, tower-dump results, and family communications.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

FBI agent Patrick Sanford described Prius corroboration, authenticated wiretap and undercover-contact evidence, and recounted the calls and surveillance that followed the contact.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Sanford addressed the extortion account, travel timing, and recorded-call context; the court sustained one objection to a probable-cause question.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

Kelly confirmed the 2011 timing of a home search for Donna and Harvey Adelson.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

The court settled final jury instructions, including lesser offenses and credibility guidance, ruled on the verdict form, and set two hours per side for closing arguments.

Mentioned in this proceeding.

The jury returned guilty verdicts on all three counts, confirmed unanimously by polling; the court adjudicated Donna Adelson guilty and set sentencing proceedings.

Mentioned in this proceeding.