Defendant
Katherine Magbanua
Charged as an intermediary in the murder-for-hire of Dan Markel, tried as a defendant in both the Garcia/Magbanua 2019 trial and the 2022 Magbanua retrial, then a prosecution witness in the 2023 Charlie Adelson and 2025 Donna Adelson trials.
Defendant Magbanua Retrial
3,641 lines · 14 appearances · 178 mentions · 4 trials
About
Magbanua is a connective figure across all four proceedings — a person who first appeared as an accused participant and later as the State's firsthand narrator of the arrangement. Her successive accounts, taken under oath years apart and tested by cross-examination in each proceeding, are direct evidence of how the payments, the envelope, and the phone contacts fit together, and they also document a witness contradicting herself, which makes the proceedings involving her useful for readers tracing how the prosecution's theory was built and challenged over time.
Trial Record (192)
GM Garcia–Magbanua Sep 26, 2019 – Oct 11, 2019
Trial Summary
Charged as a co-defendant alongside Sigfredo Garcia and tried jointly on the State's theory that she was the intermediary between Charlie Adelson and the shooters, Magbanua testified in her own defense on day nine and denied any involvement in Dan Markel's murder.
Testimony (6)
Direct
Katherine Magbanua - Direct
Day 9 Cross Katherine Magbanua - Cross
Day 9 Cross Katherine Magbanua - Cross
Day 9 Redirect Katherine Magbanua - Redirect
Day 9 Redirect Katherine Magbanua - Redirect (Part 2)
Day 9 Jury Questions Katherine Magbanua - Juror Questions
Day 9 Mentioned (33)
Jury Instruction
Preliminary Jury Instructions
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Tara Kawass Defendant; Kawass's entire opening was devoted to establishing her character, innocent conduct, and the prosecution's lack of direct evidence against her
Day 1 Direct Michael Dillmore - Direct
Day 1 Direct Craig Isom - Direct
Day 2 Redirect Craig Isom - Redirect Her cash deposits, bottle club employment timeline, tax returns, Lexus title, and Adelson Institute paychecks are the central subjects of redirect examination.
Day 2 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct
Day 3 Direct Luis Rivera - Direct
Day 3 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross
Day 3 Direct June Umchinda - Direct
Day 5 Redirect Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Redirect
Day 5 Direct Clariza Lebredo - Direct
Day 5 Direct Erika Johnson - Direct
Day 5 Redirect Erika Johnson - Redirect
Day 5 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Recall, Part 2)
Day 5 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 5 Redirect Christopher Corbitt - Redirect Discussed re: July 19 travel path, Comfort rental phone events, volume of Garcia and Charlie Adelson communications, and consistency with Rivera residence versus Mascaro's address.
Day 6 Procedural Rivera Phone-Number Relevance Ruling
Day 6 Redirect Christopher Corbitt - Redirect (Recall, Part 2)
Day 6 Cross Mary Hull - Cross
Day 6 Redirect Mary Hull - Redirect
Day 6 Recross Mary Hull - Recross Subject of the Adelson Institute employment texts and availability message discussed during recross
Day 6 Cross Oscar Jimenez Jr. - Cross
Day 6 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct Identified as having two phones under wiretap: 1312 and 786-574-0338 (monitored starting approximately May 24, 2016)
Day 7 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 7 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct
Day 7 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 4)
Day 7 Jury Questions Patrick Sanford - Juror Questions
Day 8 Cross Craig Isom - Cross Subject of DeCoste's question about arrest circumstances and voluntary surrender
Day 8 Direct Mary Hull - Direct (Recall)
Day 8 Cross Mary Hull - Cross (Recall)
Day 8 Cross Jason Newlin - Cross
Day 8 Procedural Rivera Apple Subscriber Record Ruling
Day 8 Rebuttal Rebuttal Closing - Georgia Cappleman
Day 10 KM Magbanua Retrial May 18, 2022 – May 27, 2022
Trial Summary
Stood trial as the sole defendant on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, was named by the State as the link between the Adelson family and the men who killed Dan Markel, testified in her own defense on Day 7, and was found guilty on all three counts.
Testimony (3)
Direct
Katherine Magbanua - Direct
Day 7 Cross Katherine Magbanua - Cross
Day 7 Redirect Katherine Magbanua - Redirect
Day 7 Mentioned (60)
Jury Instruction
Preliminary Jury Instructions
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Sarah Kathryn Dugan
Day 1 Direct Craig Isom - Direct
Day 1 Cross Craig Isom - Cross
Day 1 Redirect Craig Isom - Redirect
Day 1 Direct Wendi Adelson - Direct
Day 2 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross
Day 2 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct
Day 2 Cross Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Jeffrey Lacasse - Redirect
Day 2 Direct Luis Rivera - Direct
Day 2 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross (Part 1)
Day 2 Procedural Untimely Jail Call Discovery — Richardson Hearing Ordered for Monday
Day 3 Procedural Admissibility ruling — co-conspirator statements and murder-for-hire conspiracy timeline
Day 3 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross (Part 2)
Day 3 Redirect Luis Rivera - Redirect
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Continued)
Day 3 Procedural OJP — Proffer on 'Tato' iCloud Contact / Richardson Hearing Argument
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Continued) Her iCloud saved 305-934-6615 as “Tato”; records showed one June and two July attempts to that number.
Day 3 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 4 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross (Continued) Subject of questions about app instructions, intercepted calls, and phone contents Corbitt had not reviewed.
Day 4 Redirect Christopher Corbitt - Redirect
Day 4 Direct Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Direct
Day 4 Cross Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Cross
Day 4 Redirect Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Redirect
Day 4 Direct Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Direct (Recall)
Day 4 Direct Ramzi Naber - Direct Recalled as a short-tenured Club Fate cocktail server whose actual earnings were not established.
Day 4 Cross Ramzi Naber - Cross
Day 4 Direct June Umchinda - Direct
Day 4 Cross June Umchinda - Cross
Day 4 Direct Clariza Lebredo - Direct
Day 4 Redirect Clariza Lebredo - Redirect
Day 4 Direct Erika Johnson - Direct
Day 4 Cross Erika Johnson - Cross
Day 4 Redirect Erika Johnson - Redirect
Day 4 Procedural Pre-Testimony Motions: Exhibit 100 Ruling and Crawford Challenge to Adelson Wiretaps Discussed as the person conspicuously absent from the Adelson bump calls; Wheeler reaffirms that the State's proof purpose is the non-mention of her name, not the truth of anything said in the calls
Day 5 Direct Jessica Rodriguez - Direct
Day 5 Redirect Jessica Rodriguez - Redirect
Day 5 Direct Oscar Jimenez Jr. - Direct
Day 5 Cross James Keith McElveen - Cross Her voice was less audible in the recording due to acoustic positioning; discussed substantively as the other party in the Dolce Vita meeting
Day 5 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 1)
Day 5 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 2)
Day 6 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 3)
Day 6 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 4)
Day 6 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross
Day 6 Procedural Afternoon Recess — Defense Scheduling and Trial Calendar
Day 6 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross (Continued)
Day 6 Redirect Patrick Sanford - Redirect
Day 6 Procedural Defense case opening logistics and ruling on Rodriguez impeachment recording
Day 7 Cross Sherry Bennett - Cross
Day 7 Direct Craig Isom - Direct (Recalled by Defense)
Day 7 Cross Craig Isom - Cross
Day 7 Procedural Pre-recess colloquy — Fitzpatrick preview, defendant testimony deadline, hearsay objection preview
Day 7 Direct Jason Newlin - Direct (Continued)
Day 7 Redirect Jason Newlin - Redirect
Day 7 Direct Ryan Fitzpatrick - Direct
Day 7 Procedural Magbanua confirms she will testify
Day 7 Closing Closing Argument - Tara Kawass
Day 8 Verdict Verdict
Day 8 CA Charlie Adelson Oct 26, 2023 – Nov 6, 2023
Trial Summary
Testifying for the State on the third trial day, Katherine Magbanua described being the intermediary between Charlie Adelson and the men who killed Dan Markel, and acknowledged that she had denied involvement under oath at her own earlier trial.
Testimony (3)
Direct
Katherine Magbanua - Direct
Day 3 Cross Katherine Magbanua - Cross
Day 3 Redirect Katherine Magbanua - Redirect
Day 3 Mentioned (50)
Opening
Opening Statement - Sarah Kathryn Dugan
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Dan Rashbaum
Day 1 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct
Day 1 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross
Day 1 Direct Wendi Adelson - Direct
Day 1 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross (Part 1)
Day 1 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross (Part 2)
Day 2 Redirect Wendi Adelson - Redirect
Day 2 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct
Day 2 Cross Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Jeffrey Lacasse - Redirect
Day 2 Direct June Umchinda - Direct
Day 2 Redirect June Umchinda - Redirect
Day 2 Direct Ryan Fitzpatrick - Direct
Day 2 Cross Ryan Fitzpatrick - Cross
Day 2 Direct Luis Rivera - Direct
Day 2 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross
Day 3 Redirect Luis Rivera - Redirect
Day 3 Direct Clariza Lebredo - Direct
Day 3 Direct Erika Johnson - Direct
Day 3 Direct Mary Hull - Direct Received $17,300 unexplained cash in six weeks post-murder while unemployed; Adelson Institute checks began two months after murder
Day 3 Cross Mary Hull - Cross
Day 3 Redirect Mary Hull - Redirect
Day 3 Cross Corey Hale - Cross
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct
Day 3 Procedural Dolce Vita Transcript Demonstrative — Defense Objection and Ruling on Inaudible Markers Her in-trial authentication of the Dolce Vita transcript and prior inconsistent statements about audibility from her 2022 trial are the crux of the foundation dispute.
Day 4 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 4 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross (Continued)
Day 4 Direct Oscar Jimenez Jr. - Direct
Day 4 Cross Oscar Jimenez Jr. - Cross
Day 4 Direct Louis Bronstein - Direct
Day 4 Cross Louis Bronstein - Cross
Day 4 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Recall)
Day 4 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Recall, Continued)
Day 5 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross (Recall) Extensively discussed: her hiding from police, flight after Garcia's arrest, serial lies to Charlie about the undercover, and her credibility-undermining proffer sessions with the FBI.
Day 5 Redirect Patrick Sanford - Redirect (Recall)
Day 5 Procedural Defense Motion for Judgment of Acquittal — Denied on All Counts
Day 5 Direct Charlie Adelson - Direct (Part 1)
Day 6 Direct Charlie Adelson - Direct (Part 2)
Day 6 Direct Charlie Adelson - Direct (Part 3)
Day 6 Direct Charlie Adelson - Direct (Part 4)
Day 6 Direct Charlie Adelson - Direct (Part 5)
Day 6 Direct Charlie Adelson - Direct (Continued)
Day 7 Cross Charlie Adelson - Cross
Day 7 Redirect Charlie Adelson - Redirect
Day 7 Charge Conference Charge Conference — Jury Instructions Finalized for All Three Counts
Day 7 Jury Instruction Final Jury Instructions — Three Counts of Murder-for-Hire Conspiracy
Day 8 Closing Closing Argument - Georgia Cappleman
Day 8 Closing Closing Argument - Dan Rashbaum
Day 8 Rebuttal Rebuttal Closing - Georgia Cappleman
Day 8 DA Donna Adelson Aug 22, 2025 – Sep 4, 2025
Trial Summary
Testified for the State on August 26, 2025 as a convicted codefendant who said she was the middleman connecting Charlie Adelson to Dan Markel's killers, and acknowledged on cross that she had lied at her own trial and had almost no contact with the defendant.
Testimony (2)
Mentioned (35)
Opening
Opening Statement - Sarah Kathryn Dugan
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Jackie L. Fulford
Day 1 Direct Craig Isom - Direct (Continued)
Day 1 Cross Craig Isom - Cross
Day 1 Direct Luis Rivera - Direct
Day 1 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross
Day 1 Direct Wendi Adelson - Direct
Day 2 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross
Day 2 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct
Day 3 Direct June Umchinda - Direct
Day 3 Cross June Umchinda - Cross
Day 3 Direct Ryan Fitzpatrick - Direct
Day 3 Direct Mary Hull - Direct
Day 3 Redirect Mary Hull - Redirect
Day 3 Direct Clariza Lebredo - Direct
Day 3 Procedural Transition — Magbanua Called; Judge Admonishes Donna Adelson on Courtroom Conduct
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Continued)
Day 4 Cross Oscar Jimenez Jr. - Cross
Day 4 Direct Louis Bronstein - Direct
Day 4 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 3)
Day 6 Direct Patricia Byrd - Direct
Day 6 Cross Patricia Byrd - Cross
Day 6 Direct Drina Bernhardt - Direct
Day 6 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Recall)
Day 6 Redirect Patrick Sanford - Redirect
Day 6 Procedural Defense Motion for Judgment of Acquittal on Counts 1 and 3
Day 7 Cross Ann Elizabeth Cunningham - Cross
Day 7 Redirect Ann Elizabeth Cunningham - Redirect
Day 7 Direct Eddie Varnes - Direct
Day 7 Cross Eddie Varnes - Cross
Day 7 Jury Instruction Final Jury Instructions Named in Count 2 and Count 3 elements as a named co-conspirator/solicitee
Day 9 Closing Closing Argument - Georgia Cappleman
Day 9 Closing Closing Argument - Jackie L. Fulford
Day 9 Rebuttal Rebuttal Closing - Georgia Cappleman
Day 9