Witness
Wendi Adelson
Dan Markel's ex-wife, who testified as a state witness under immunity in all four Tallahassee murder-for-hire trials.
3,085 lines · 20 appearances · 174 mentions · 4 trials
About
Wendi Adelson is the connective figure between the civil custody dispute and the criminal case built around it, and her testimony provides a firsthand account of the Adelson family's conduct during the divorce. Because she testified four separate times over six years while never being charged, her transcripts offer an unusually direct way to see how one witness's account was tested, expanded, and re-framed by successive prosecutors and defense teams — including the exhibits, emails, and phone records introduced through her. The recurring disputes over the scope of her immunity and the limits placed on cross-examination also make her appearances a useful record of how courts handled a central but uncharged witness.
Trial Record (194)
GM Garcia–Magbanua Sep 26, 2019 – Oct 11, 2019
Trial Summary
Testified under court-ordered use immunity on the second trial day as the State's motive witness, confirming the custody litigation with Dan Markel and her brother Charlie Adelson's repeated hitman remark, then faced cross-examination by both defense teams the same day.
Testimony (6)
Procedural
Wendi Adelson Immunity and Cross-Examination Timing
Day 2 Direct Wendi Adelson - Direct
Day 2 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross
Day 2 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Wendi Adelson - Redirect
Day 2 Jury Questions Wendi Adelson - Juror Questions
Day 2 Mentioned (44)
Opening
Opening Statement - Georgia Cappleman
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Saam Zangeneh
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Tara Kawass Markel's ex-wife; mentioned as the person Rivera falsely claimed he and Garcia spotted near Markel's house the day before the murder — disproved by daycare records and her residence distance
Day 1 Direct Joanne Maltese - Direct
Day 1 Direct Marcia Rodriguez - Direct
Day 1 Direct Craig Isom - Direct
Day 2 Cross Craig Isom - Cross (Part 2) No communication with Garcia found in any form
Day 2 Cross Craig Isom - Cross
Day 2 Procedural Wendi Adelson Immunity Instruction and End-of-Day Logistics
Day 2 Procedural Rivera-Attorney Privilege and Brannon Sequestration Issues
Day 3 Cross Bill Brannon - Cross The van Brannon observed matched the description of Adelson's vehicle; the cross focused on whether the driver's identity was ever confirmed and whether the sighting had any real investigative consequence.
Day 3 Cross Bill Brannon - Cross Implicitly the subject of the prosecution's van observation theory; DeCoste challenged whether the driver could have been identified as Adelson or as anyone in particular.
Day 3 Redirect Bill Brannon - Redirect
Day 3 Jury Questions Bill Brannon - Juror Questions Her vehicle's color was the subject of the juror's question; Brannon testified he knew the color before observing the van at the perimeter.
Day 3 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct
Day 3 Cross Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross
Day 3 Cross Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross Discussed as the source of the three-sentence July 13, 2014 disclosure to Lacasse about Charlie's alleged inquiry; also referenced for the relationship breakup timeline.
Day 3 Jury Questions Jeffrey Lacasse - Juror Questions
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct
Day 3 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross Her 11:42 a.m. call to Markel on July 18, 2014 clarified as a return call; Markel had called her earlier that morning
Day 3 Direct Luis Rivera - Direct
Day 3 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross
Day 4 Redirect Luis Rivera - Redirect
Day 4 Jury Questions Luis Rivera - Juror Questions
Day 4 Direct Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Direct
Day 5 Cross Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Cross
Day 5 Direct Clariza Lebredo - Direct
Day 5 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Recall, Part 2)
Day 5 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 5 Direct Mary Hull - Direct Her bank records were reviewed as part of the Adelson family financial analysis.
Day 6 Cross Mary Hull - Cross
Day 6 Procedural Wiretap and Dolce Vita Transcript Rulings
Day 7 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 7 Redirect Christopher Corbitt - Redirect Named as someone whose calls to Charlie Adelson would have been captured by the Charlie Adelson wiretap
Day 7 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross
Day 8 Direct Craig Isom - Direct (Recall) Told investigators she drove up Trescott and approached the crime scene tape on July 18, 2014 while it was in place
Day 8 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct Her phone was not using a tower immediately close to Trescott between 9:00 a.m. and noon on July 17; Corbitt did not say the data excluded her presence. The stipulation placed her at preschool drop-off at 8:30 a.m.
Day 8 Direct Craig Isom - Direct (Recall)
Day 8 Direct Katherine Magbanua - Direct
Day 9 Cross Katherine Magbanua - Cross
Day 9 Procedural Final Jury-Instruction Conference Her court-ordered use immunity was debated as grounds for adding immunity language to the witness credibility instruction; judge tentatively declined, characterizing her as an ordered witness who received no prosecutorial benefit
Day 9 Closing Closing Argument - Georgia Cappleman
Day 10 Closing Closing Argument - Christopher DeCoste
Day 10 Rebuttal Rebuttal Closing - Georgia Cappleman
Day 10 KM Magbanua Retrial May 18, 2022 – May 27, 2022
Trial Summary
Testified on Day 2 as the State's witness under a subpoena carrying use and derivative use immunity, describing the divorce and custody litigation with Dan Markel, her brother's repeated hitman remark, and the day of the murder, and denying involvement or advance knowledge.
Testimony (4)
Procedural
Wendi Adelson — Fifth Amendment motion and subpoena ruling
Day 2 Direct Wendi Adelson - Direct
Day 2 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Wendi Adelson - Redirect
Day 2 Mentioned (37)
Opening
Opening Statement - Sarah Kathryn Dugan
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Tara Kawass
Day 1 Direct Joanne Maltese - Direct
Day 1 Direct Craig Isom - Direct
Day 1 Cross Craig Isom - Cross
Day 1 Procedural End-of-Day Recess — Wendi Adelson Testimony Ruling and Day-Two Scheduling Her attorney is scheduled to address the court first on Day 2; her cross-examination is limited to the scope of direct; anticipated Fifth Amendment invocation forecloses independent defense subpoena.
Day 1 Procedural Day 2 Opening — Witness Scheduling and Late-Notice Dispute Over Lacasse
Day 2 Procedural Wendi Adelson — Fifth Amendment motion and subpoena ruling
Day 2 Procedural Defense preserves cross-examination objection — Wheeler affirms ruling
Day 2 Direct Marcia Rodriguez - Direct
Day 2 Direct Bill Brannon - Direct
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 Admissibility ruling — co-conspirator statements and murder-for-hire conspiracy timeline
Day 3 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross (Part 2)
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Continued)
Day 3 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 4 Direct Yindra Velazquez Mascaro - Direct
Day 4 Cross June Umchinda - Cross
Day 4 Cross Clariza Lebredo - Cross
Day 4 Direct Mary Hull - Direct
Day 5 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 1)
Day 5 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross
Day 6 Procedural Defense Motion for Judgment of Acquittal Denied — All Three Counts Proceed to Jury
Day 7 Direct Craig Isom - Direct (Recalled by Defense)
Day 7 Cross Craig Isom - Cross
Day 7 Redirect Craig Isom - Redirect Named as the party Rivera's account places at the top of the hiring chain; DeCoste elicits that she has never been arrested.
Day 7 Direct Ryan Fitzpatrick - Direct
Day 7 Procedural Scheduling set for Magbanua testimony; defense text-message exhibits admitted Named in first exhibit set — text message exchange with Charles Adelson about dinner
Day 7 Direct Katherine Magbanua - Direct
Day 7 Charge Conference Charge Conference Mentioned by Wheeler when adding reputation-for-dishonesty factor as an additional witness to whom it applied
Day 7 Closing Closing Argument - Georgia Cappleman
Day 8 Closing Closing Argument - Tara Kawass
Day 8 CA Charlie Adelson Oct 26, 2023 – Nov 6, 2023
Trial Summary
Called by the State on Day 1 under a grant of use and derivative-use immunity, Wendi Adelson testified about her marriage to and divorce from Dan Markel, the denied relocation motion, her mother's emails, her brother's television-versus-hitman remark, and her own movements on July 18, 2014, then returned on Day 2 for cross, redirect, and a short recall.
Testimony (7)
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 Wendi Adelson - Direct (Recall)
Day 2 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Wendi Adelson - Redirect
Day 2 Mentioned (44)
Opening
Opening Statement - Sarah Kathryn Dugan
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Dan Rashbaum
Day 1 Direct Joanne Maltese - Direct
Day 1 Cross Joanne Maltese - Cross Whiskey and receipt found in her van; defense suggested the whiskey was for a party she had been invited to.
Day 1 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct
Day 1 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross
Day 1 Procedural Wendi Adelson Immunity Statement and Rule of Sequestration Invoked
Day 1 Direct Bill Brannon - Direct
Day 2 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct
Day 2 Procedural Motion in Limine: Exclusion of Lacasse Proffer on Wendi Adelson's Alleged Hitman Statement — Ruled Out on Fairness Grounds Her July 13, 2014 alleged statement to Lacasse — that Charlie had explored hiring a hitman — is the entire subject of this motion. She denied the statement under examination; her Fifth Amendment right is the constitutional bar preventing defense from recalling her to remedy the prejudice.
Day 2 Cross Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross
Day 2 Direct Stephen Webster - Direct
Day 2 Direct June Umchinda - Direct
Day 2 Direct Ryan Fitzpatrick - Direct
Day 2 Direct Luis Rivera - Direct
Day 2 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct (Recall)
Day 2 Cross Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Jeffrey Lacasse - Redirect Source of the July 13, 2014 disclosure about Charlie's hitman inquiry; her past-tense framing is central to explaining Lacasse's non-reporting
Day 2 Cross Luis Rivera - Cross
Day 3 Direct Katherine Magbanua - Direct
Day 3 Cross Katherine Magbanua - Cross
Day 3 Direct Corey Hale - Direct Named in corroborating text messages as dining with Charlie Adelson on July 31, 2014
Day 3 Cross Corey Hale - Cross
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct
Day 3 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 4 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross (Continued)
Day 4 Redirect Christopher Corbitt - Redirect
Day 4 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Recall)
Day 4 Cross Patrick Sanford - Cross (Recall) Briefly discussed in context of access to the Markel grandparents after the murder and her relationship with Dave Atell as referenced in the wire calls.
Day 5 Redirect Patrick Sanford - Redirect (Recall)
Day 5 Procedural Defense Motion for Judgment of Acquittal — Denied on All Counts
Day 5 Direct Kristin Adamson - Direct
Day 5 Redirect Kristin Adamson - Redirect Discussed as Adamson's client; Adamson denies Wendi failed to disclose assets in the divorce proceeding, explaining the disputed account was non-marital with a documented paper trail
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 Procedural Arguments Outside the Presence of the Jury — Harvey–Charlie Phone Call Hearsay Ruling
Day 6 Direct Charlie Adelson - Direct (Part 5)
Day 6 Cross Charlie Adelson - Cross
Day 7 Charge Conference Charge Conference — Jury Instructions Finalized for All Three Counts
Day 7 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
Called by the State on Day 2 under a subpoena carrying use and derivative-use immunity, Wendi Adelson testified about her divorce from Dan Markel, her mother's involvement in the relocation litigation, and her account of the morning of the killing, then was cross-examined by the defense on her mother's role and the contents of the "grandmother motion."
Testimony (3)
Direct
Wendi Adelson - Direct
Day 2 Cross Wendi Adelson - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Wendi Adelson - Redirect
Day 2 Mentioned (49)
Opening
Opening Statement - Sarah Kathryn Dugan
Day 1 Opening Opening Statement - Jackie L. Fulford
Day 1 Direct James Geiger - Direct
Day 1 Direct Joanne Maltese - Direct
Day 1 Procedural OJP — Contested Admissibility of Composite Email Exhibit 64
Day 1 Direct Craig Isom - Direct
Day 1 Procedural OJP — Foundation Objection to Exhibit 64-AA (Shared Email Address)
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 Procedural Day 2 Opening — Gallery Rules, Exhibit Stipulation, and Hearing Device Confirmed
Day 2 Procedural Foundation Hearing: 'Grandma Motion' (State's Ex. 60-JJ) and Wendi Adelson Proffer Procedure
Day 2 Direct Jason Newlin - Direct
Day 2 Cross Jason Newlin - Cross
Day 2 Redirect Jason Newlin - Redirect
Day 2 Procedural Wendi Adelson Immunity Statement — John Lauro Subject of the immunity statement; called as the state's next witness under compulsion
Day 2 Direct Robert Adelson - Direct
Day 2 Direct Bill Brannon - Direct
Day 2 Direct Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct
Day 3 Cross Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross
Day 3 Direct June Umchinda - Direct
Day 3 Direct Ryan Fitzpatrick - Direct
Day 3 Direct Mary Hull - Direct
Day 3 Direct Katherine Magbanua - Direct
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct
Day 3 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Continued)
Day 4 Cross Christopher Corbitt - Cross
Day 4 Cross James Keith McElveen - Cross
Day 4 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 1)
Day 4 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 2)
Day 5 Direct Patrick Sanford - Direct (Part 3)
Day 6 Direct Christopher Corbitt - Direct (Recall)
Day 6 Procedural Defense Motion for Judgment of Acquittal on Counts 1 and 3
Day 7 Direct Ann Elizabeth Cunningham - Direct
Day 7 Cross Ann Elizabeth Cunningham - Cross
Day 7 Cross Ron Gutterson - Cross
Day 7 Direct Richard Shagran - Direct
Day 7 Direct Tim Kelly - Direct
Day 7 Cross Tim Kelly - Cross
Day 7 Direct Kristin Adamson - Direct
Day 8 Cross Kristin Adamson - Cross
Day 8 Redirect Kristin Adamson - Redirect
Day 8 Procedural Bailey Sequestration Dispute — Proffer and Ruling Party to the Adelson-Markel divorce; Bailey reviewed texts between her and Dan Markel and emails between her and Donna Adelson as part of her expert preparation
Day 8 Cross Linda Bailey - Cross
Day 8 Cross Sara Newhouse - Cross
Day 8 Closing Closing Argument - Georgia Cappleman
Day 9 Closing Closing Argument - Jackie L. Fulford
Day 9 Rebuttal Rebuttal Closing - Georgia Cappleman
Day 9