Case timeline
Major events in the Dan Markel murder case from July 2014 through the most recent direct-appeal proceedings, with links to related trial records in the archive.
2014–2016
Markel was found shot in his car inside the garage at 2116 Trescott Drive on the morning of July 18. He was taken to a hospital and died the following day.
22-event reconstructionFollow July 18 event by event→On the first anniversary of the killing, investigators released identifying details about the light-green Toyota Prius sought in the case and again asked the public for information.
After an undercover approach to Donna Adelson and a series of monitored calls, the FBI recorded Charlie Adelson and Katherine Magbanua meeting at the Dolce Vita restaurant.
2016–2021
Garcia was arrested in South Florida on a first-degree murder charge. Tallahassee police publicly identified him as a suspect the next day.
A Leon County grand jury indicted both men on first-degree murder charges in Markel's killing.
Magbanua was arrested in Broward County on a first-degree murder charge and later transferred to the Leon County jail.
Rivera pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 19-year sentence under an agreement that required him to testify about the plot.
Prosecutors tried Garcia and Magbanua together in Leon County Circuit Court, presenting Rivera as a cooperating witness and tracing the alleged murder-for-hire chain.
The jury found Garcia guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy and not guilty of solicitation. It could not reach a verdict on any count against Magbanua, and the court declared a mistrial.
After the jury rejected the death penalty, the court sentenced Garcia to life without parole for murder plus 30 years for conspiracy.
Florida's First District Court of Appeal affirmed Garcia's murder and conspiracy convictions and dismissed the state's cross-appeal as moot.
2022
A Leon County grand jury indicted Adelson on murder, conspiracy, and solicitation charges on April 20. He was arrested at his Broward County home the next day.
After jury selection earlier that week, the state and defense presented their cases to a new jury and testimony began.
The jury found Magbanua guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder.
The court imposed a life sentence for first-degree murder followed by consecutive 30-year terms for conspiracy and solicitation.
2023–2024
A prosecution witness list identified Magbanua as a potential witness against Charlie Adelson. She had met with prosecutors for a proffer after her conviction.
Following jury selection, prosecutors alleged Adelson arranged the murder through Magbanua. The defense argued that he was being extorted after the killing.
After roughly three hours of deliberation, the jury found Adelson guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation.
FBI agents arrested Adelson at Miami International Airport as she attempted to board a flight to Vietnam. Two days later, a Leon County grand jury indicted her for murder, conspiracy, and solicitation.
The court imposed a life sentence for first-degree murder and two consecutive 30-year terms for conspiracy and solicitation.
Lead defense attorney Daniel Rashbaum withdrew after a conflict arose from his prior representation of Charlie Adelson, ending the proceeding before a jury was seated.
2025–2026
Florida's First District Court of Appeal rejected Magbanua's claims and affirmed her convictions for murder, conspiracy, and solicitation.
After three days of jury selection, the state portrayed Adelson as a central organizer of the plot while the defense argued that motive and family ties were not proof.
After about three hours of deliberation, the jury found Adelson guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation.
The court imposed a life sentence for first-degree murder and additional prison terms for conspiracy and solicitation.
Her attorneys filed notice that she would appeal her convictions and sentence to Florida's First District Court of Appeal.
Florida's First District Court of Appeal rejected Adelson's direct-appeal claims. The opinion also recorded that Donna Adelson's separate direct appeal remained pending.
The court accepted Adelson's amended initial brief, filed August 17, as timely and substituted it for the original brief. The court ordered the State to serve its answer within 30 days.