Practically a decade after a Florida State College Regulation Faculty professor was shot to loss of life at his residence whereas sitting in his automotive, his household mentioned they’re relieved.
On Monday, a Florida jury discovered Charlie Adelson responsible of concocting a plot with a former girlfriend and hiring two males to kill his former brother-in-law Dan Markel in 2014.
Markel’s household had lengthy suspected the Adelson household of being concerned within the taking pictures, which passed off whereas Markel and his ex-wife Wendi Adelson had been in a bitter dispute.
Charlie Adelson is seen in court docket throughout his trial for the homicide of Dan Markel in Tallahassee, Fla.
Pool through ABC Information
“It is form of tinged with this sense of reduction. It is actually been a very long time coming,” Shelly Markel, the sufferer’s sister, instructed reporters after the decision.
A “20/20” episode airing Friday, Nov. 10, and airing on Hulu the following day, takes a take a look at the journey that investigators and prosecutors took to get to this week’s conviction with unique interviews, and pictures from the courtroom because the drama unfolded.
Markel had finalized his divorce from Wendi Adelson in 2013, however they had been nonetheless in a dispute over private property, funds and allegations from Markel that his former mother-in-law, Donna Adelson, was disparaging him throughout her visits with the couple’s two younger sons.
On July 18, 2014, Markel was discovered shot within the head inside his automotive exterior his Tallahassee residence and died lower than 24 hours later within the hospital.
Tallahassee police interviewed Wendi Adelson, who instructed them concerning the divorce points however denied that she was concerned within the taking pictures. She allowed investigators to view her cellphone, swab her for fingerprints and {photograph} her.
As investigators looked for clues, they interviewed Wendi Adelson’s former boyfriend Jeffrey Lacasse, who instructed them they need to look into Wendi Adelson’s brother, Charlie.
“[Wendi] instructed me that Charlie had seemed into having Danny killed in the summertime of 2013,” Lacasse instructed police in a filmed interview. “She meant it useless severe. He mentioned it might price about $15,000.”
Wendi Adelson instructed officers throughout her preliminary interview that her brother made a whole lot of jokes, together with one about hiring a hitman. Because the investigation continued, extra proof mounted that might implicate him.
Investigators started to probe the Adelson household and in April 2016, they staked out Donna Adelson as a part of an undercover operation. In the course of the sting, an undercover FBI agent carrying a recording gadget approached her claiming to be the brother of one of many suspects and demanded $5,000.
“He helped your loved ones with this drawback you guys had up north,” the agent is heard saying to Adelson. “He is going by means of some tough occasions and I need to just be sure you care for what he is going by means of the best way you are caring for Katie and Tuto.”
“I do not know what you are speaking about,” Donna Adelson insisted.
Phil Markel is seen exterior the courtroom the place a jury discovered Charlie Adelson responsible on all three expenses for the homicide of his son, Dan Markel, on Nov. 6, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla.
ABC Information
The agent then handed her a press launch of Markel’s homicide with a cellphone quantity to name.
Adelson then referred to as her son, Charlie, in a dialog that was secretly recorded by authorities.
“Does it contain me or different folks?” Charlie Adelson requested.
“Nicely, most likely the each of us,” his mom replied. “You most likely have a common thought what I am speaking about. So let’s simply discover a while to speak to one another.”
In one other undercover cellphone recording, Charlie is heard calling Magbanua, demanding to “discover out who… it’s and inform them to cease enjoying their video games… I do not know who you must speak to, but it surely must be nipped within the bud.”
Although police thought the conversations had been suspicious, it was not a confession
On the identical time, investigators adopted up on their solely clue a neighbor’s account of seeing a automotive that seemed like a Prius dashing away proper after the homicide.
The police acquired an enormous break from surveillance footage from Markel’s gymnasium, a metropolis bus and avenue cameras from the day he died that confirmed a inexperienced Toyota Prius following him as he made his manner residence.
Ruth and Phil Markel, the mother and father of Dan Markel, spoke in a “20/20” interview with ABC Information’ Matt Gutman.
ABC Information
Toll data for the automotive led investigators to a automotive rental company in Miami. The rental settlement for the automotive confirmed that it was rented by a person named Luis Rivera.
Police mentioned Rivera was a frontrunner within the North Miami department of the Latin Kings gang.
A second phone quantity was additionally written on the rental contract with the phrase “Brother” written beside the quantity. That cellphone quantity tracked again to Sigfredo “Tuto” Garcia of North Miami, a childhood buddy of Rivera who had an extended felony report.
Utilizing cellphone knowledge, surveillance video from buses, and GPS information, police mentioned they had been in a position to decide that the 2 males had been within the neighborhood of Markel’s residence on the time of the homicide.
In Might 2016, police introduced first-degree homicide expenses towards Rivera and Garcia. Each entered not responsible pleas.
Investigators would then uncover a private connection between one of many suspects and Charlie Adelson.
Police seemed into Katie Magbanua, who has two youngsters with Garcia and who dated Charlie Adelson between 2013 and 2015.
Investigators discovered Magbanua collected common paychecks from the Adelsons’ household dental apply, Adelson Institute, signed by Donna Adelson.
Based on investigators, there was no report of any work schedule or job title for Magbanua in paperwork subpoenaed from the dentistry enterprise.
Whereas the Adelsons carried on with life in Miami, Rivera was in jail on one other cost when he approached prosecutors and provided info.
They got here up with a plea deal: If he would describe his position within the homicide of Dan Markel, and testify towards his alleged co-conspirators, he might plead responsible and obtain a considerably lowered sentence.
In October 2016, Rivera gave a press release to legislation enforcement claiming Garcia requested him to return together with him to hold out a success and confirmed him a photograph of Dan Markel.
“I requested him, who’s —– hiring me? He is like, ‘Katie [Magbanua] instructed me this girl’s going to rent me, however I would like you to go together with me. I will provide you with $35,000.’ I mentioned, ‘All proper, for the drive? All proper.’ … Katie’s the one within the center doing all the pieces. [Garcia] put it like that,” Rivera instructed prosecutors.
“I requested him, ‘Why are you going to kill this man?’ … [Garcia said] ‘As a result of the girl desires her two children again. She desires full custody of them children,'” Rivera continued.
Ruth and Phil Markel shared reminiscences of their son, Dan Markel, who was killed in 2014.
ABC Information
Rivera instructed prosecutors that in the summertime of 2014, the 2 discovered Markel and trailed him for a couple of days. He mentioned at one level, they adopted him residence and Garcia was the one who fatally shot Markel..Rivera additionally instructed prosecutors the primary individual Garcia spoke with after the homicide was Magbanua.
Magbanua was charged with first-degree homicide and Rivera testified in her and Garcia’s trials.
Garcia was convicted on Oct. 11, 2019, of first-degree homicide and later sentenced to life in jail with out the potential of parole. The identical jury that convicted Garcia could not agree on a verdict for Magbanua, leading to a mistrial.
After years of pandemic-related delays, Magbanua was retried and convicted of first-degree homicide, conspiracy, and solicitation to commit homicide in Might 2022. She was sentenced to life in jail and two further 30-year sentences, to be served concurrently.
Investigators, nevertheless, continued to pursue leads into Charlie Adelson, and acquired a break when a 2016 secret recording between him and Magbanua was enhanced in 2022 by the FBI and produced extra clear dialogue.
“If you are going to cost me, cost me,” Adelson mentioned within the recording. “They did not point out my title, which makes me suppose – these folks solely know a part of the story…or they suppose they know a part of the story.”
“If they’d any proof, we’d have already gone to the airport,” he added.
A Florida grand jury indicted Charlie Adelson on first-degree homicide modifications on April 20, 2022, and he was arrested the following day. He pleaded not responsible.
“I used to be shocked,” Ruth Markel, Dan Markel’s mom, instructed “20/20.”
“It was unbelievable to listen to. It was a reduction as a result of it is taken so lengthy,” Phil Markel, Dan Markel’s father, instructed “20/20.”
Charlie Adelson, a Fort Lauderdale periodontist, testified throughout his trial, on Nov. 2, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla.
Pool through ABC Information
Adelson’s felony trial started final month and his protection lawyer Daniel Rashbaum contended his shopper wasn’t the mastermind, however as an alternative was being extorted by Dan Markel’s convicted killers.
Prosecutors introduced again Rivera to the stand and he denied the allegations made by Rashbaum.
Magbanua additionally testified as a prosecution witness and, for the primary time beneath oath, testified that Adelson orchestrated the plot and that she was concerned with paying off the 2 males.
“So that you knew that the person who was going to be initially harmed was Wendi’s husband?” Florida Assistant State Legal professional Georgia Cappleman requested.
“Sure ma’am,” Magbanua replied. “[Garcia] painted this image that this was a horrible man and making his household undergo rather a lot custody-wise together with his sister.”
Throughout cross-examination, Rashbaum questioned why Magbanua did not come clear earlier and take a cope with prosecutors once they requested. She responded that she did not need to quit the daddy of her youngsters and denied any allegations that she blackmailed Charlie Adelson.
Charlie Adelson took the stand in his personal protection and instructed the jury the prosecution’s idea of the case was inaccurate.
“The state acquired it incorrect,” Adelson testified.
He testified that Magbanua got here to him the evening of Markel’s homicide claiming {that a} buddy of hers killed the professor and was demanding Charlie pay a 3rd of 1,000,000 {dollars} inside 48 hours or he, or one other member of the family, can be killed subsequent.
Charlie Adelson testified she would not inform him who did it till months later when she claimed it was Garcia and Rivera.
“And I am like, ‘Katie, I am not going be a part of this s—. Like, I am not going be a part of paying for a homicide. That is insane,” Adelson testified.
In the end the defendant testified that he gave Magbanua $138,000 from his protected and paid her 1000’s of {dollars} extra over the following couple of months claiming he requested his mom to place Magbanua on the payroll of the household dental apply.
Throughout cross-examination, prosecutors questioned Charlie Adelson why he by no means went to the police with the data. He testified he was afraid for his life.
Cappleman additionally questioned Charlie Adelson on why he did not testify at Magbanua’s felony trial.
“I assumed the reality was going to return out,” he mentioned.
It took the jury three hours earlier than they reached their verdict towards Charlie Adelson.
A pre-sentencing listening to is scheduled for December. Adelson’s attorneys haven’t instantly commented on any future appeals.
When requested if this was the final prosecution for Markel’s homicide, Cappleman instructed reporters after the decision, “Keep tuned.”
Within the meantime, Markel’s mother and father have misplaced years of time with their two grandsons, whom they hardly ever noticed after investigators began probing the Adelsons in 2016.
“The primary go to was unbelievable,” Phil Markel mentioned. “And we had been shocked. The children had been smiling, they had been heat.”
“And I mentioned, ‘Can we provide you with a hug?’ Ruth Markel mentioned. “They usually actually responded.”
“It is a spark of hope that one thing was going to occur, that we would have extra communication with them,” Phil Markel mentioned.
ABC Information’ Allie Yang contributed to this report.
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