In this episode of Crime Watch Daily Updates: True crime is no stranger to murder-for-hire plots, and the shooting of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel is a prime example of the complex web that these plots often weave.
Dan Markel and his wife, Wendi Adelson, finalized their extremely contentious divorce in 2013. A key point in their split was that Wendi wanted to move their kids from Tallahassee to South Florida, but a judge denied the request.
On July 18, 2014, Dan was pulling into his driveway as he came home from a workout when a man approached him and shot him twice in the head. He was taken to the hospital and died the next day.
The investigation took a turn in 2016 when evidence traced a gang leader named Luis Rivera and his friend Sigfredo Garcia to Tallahassee that July day. The two were arrested, and Rivera eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Garcia and Rivera were connected to Markel through a woman named Katherine Magbanua. Katherine and Sigfredo Garcia had children together, but she also dated Markel’s ex-wife’s brother, Charlie Adelson. They were apparently in a relationship the same time Markel was shot.
Rivera testified against Garcia and said Garcia asked him to come with him to kill Markel, who lived 500 miles away in northern Florida, and Katherine apparently gave them the orders. Rivera said Garcia fired the fatal shots, then immediately called Katherine.
Katherine was also arrested and charged. She and Garcia stood trial together, and Garcia was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. The jury could not come back on a decision for Katherine, so the judge declared a mistrial for her.
She was tried again and convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation to commit murder. She and Garcia were both sentenced to life in prison without parole. In exchange for testifying against Garcia and Katherine, Rivera was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Another twist in the case happened in April 2022 when FBI agents arrested Charlie Adelson on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder thanks to allegedly incriminating evidence caught on tape. He’s being held without bond and his trial is scheduled to begin in 2023.
Now, let’s look back at the complicated case involving the murder of a renowned law professor.
#arrestwendi
Marriage is great.
Knowing how Dan had no family in town how could his exwife let him die alone? that says it all to me now she is flipped on her brother mother to only save herself those boys belong with Dans family that’s the best sentence whendi could be given that’s what i hope for hopefully Dans sister can teaches them their Jewish religion sister can take them
How do you live for so many years knowing you are responsible for the murder of a person!!!!
Wendi didn't even ask where her kids were when she found out her ex was shot, because she already knew, and she was at the scene of the crime – how guilty is that?
Imagine being offered transactional immunity n refusing it and choosing not to testify n be a witness against the co accused then going to trial getting convicted of capital murder and testifying anyways after lmao like how dumb can you get
Mar-KEL and A-delson.
I wonder what the kids feel now and when they’re in the right age? I’m sure they’ll change their family name back to Markle because Adelson has a dark family secret and that was the conspiracy to kill their Dad poor kids
Not Markle but Markel
The only word she pronounced correctly in this bla bla bla reading was the word "the".
The simplest investigation would show the name is MarKEL
Pronounced Mar-kel pls
That liar Wendi needs to be tried and sent to prison. Horrific family. Pray for the kids. Hope they can get far away from her.
Charlie eldelson when he was arrested
Something about the Charlie – Katie relationship strikes me as odd. They broke up right after the murder. They needed to distance themselves, so they were willing to sacrifice the relationship for the crime? Even with his money they just don’t strike me as being into one another at all. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn there was more to that part.
A year after this broadcast, Charlie has been convicted of Dan's murder and Mom Donna has been arrested trying to leave the country. Wendi is next. Justice for Dan!
18:10 "To date, no one in the Adelson family has been charged…" Except that the brother has been arrested. Okay.
Omfg 🤬 a ticket he shot the gas line so many things told U stop No NO go home 😂
Why would he take u to jail ? He don’t know dummy but that’s was a sign …. To go home . Man that homie he was w garcia he looks wild crazy
Donna is arrested !!! She’s caught 1 way ticket to vietnam
See that jack boy the gangster who doesn’t fit and sticks out like sore thumb He will tell the truth he don’t wanna go down for thisb
Wtf ???? You guys had a fake phoney to scare them only for that girl to demand someone die
Baby daddy … girl he’s a dentist why why u do all this what even money ???
Yep she looks like she was working in that dental place I can tell but she messed up calling her ex man going w ur baby daddy lol
I’m a jack boy 😂
That girl is nasty she got her ex involved lol 😂 but was dating brother in law … at the time lol what a mess ya garcia and that other guy don’t even look like they be friends
You did awesome here I been looking all around only to get a run around but this 1 video here totally told me everything I was wondering who and what n what happened the mom Donna of the boy who’s in prison I believe she fled to Vietnam 1 way ticket but she was arrested
Undercover was posing as RIVERA'S friend! He was incarcerated. It wasn't supposed to be Garcia's. And so many things left out. This just scratches the surface
Wendy was so involved.
Regardless of which one of the monster Adelson family goes to prison, the Markels should bring a civil lawsuit for wrongful death. This monster family should not get any peace for the rest of their lives. These monsters want to "delete" Dan from his sons lives. They changed the names to Adelson claiming it's to protect them? Protect them from who and what? They are the monsters, so are they protecting the kids from "good" people? And isn't the Adelson name more notorious for murdering their father?
Who the eff pays hitmen on a payment plan? Especially since Charlie says it was done as a "favor"?
17:12 it's disgusting too see how these tabloid 'journalists' acts like thugs
It's so hard to keeep the relationships straight as you rapid fired said them. Slow down, use graphics to help us understand. My god, I get it that you've been going over and over this and know everyone by heart but for those of us first hearing this story, you do an awful job of bringing us up to speed on it.
Some of these lawyers nowdays SMDH
Dentists and hood rats, sex and murder.
How horrific.
You’re mispronouncing the last name of a dead man. Have some respect. His last name is Markel – pronounced MARK-ELL! It’s not pronounced Markle.
So Rivera first said he thought he was going for a robbery, but then he said Garcia told him he was going to kill Dan. So Rivera is only saying all this to get off lighter. Katherine needed to talk and turn it around on Rivera.
Those poor kids have to live their very messed up lives after this mess, so sad!
It isn't Dan Markle….it is Markel….(pronounced Markell)
Katherine should be 2nd degree murder. Wendy is the one that should be 1st degree murder.
Damn! I remember this case and thought that the family was going to get away with it!
Did that Chink get sentenced for life? No parole damn she gonna need a lot of tampons.😂😂
Anna garcia is wanda Kwik….for austriluas bs settlement
Hilarious, that Rivera lied about seeing Wendi. She didnt have kids, Markel did that morning not Wendi. GPS put her at her house all morning😮😂😢😂
It should be illegal to lie to someone like they did to Donna Adelson. People do crazy shit when they think they are being railroaded. Fake blackmail should not be legal
By now – Sept. '23 – we've all learned how to pronounce the key players' names… especially Dan's.
🤦
Here's to Surviving the Survivors channel: best panels & putting heat in all quarters.
When Dan's sons turn 18, hope they take their name back.
Lock all them up. Justice for Dan
Gonna let the rich folk off.
That family is involved
The case against Charlie's guilt is overwhelming. I can't believe it's taken so long to try him. I strongly suspect the mother and Wendi too were involved. But the evidence seems shakier. They may have been too well insulated – 4 steps removed from direct involvement… unless they can get Charlie to rat out his mom and sis.