US News
Docuseries highlights murder-for-hire plot against Florida law professor Dan Markel
Fox News reports that a new series details the decade-long investigation and convictions following Dan Markel's 2014 killing.
The short version
- Dan Markel was fatally shot at his Tallahassee home in 2014 following a contentious custody dispute with his former spouse.[Fox News]
- Investigators used surveillance footage, financial records, and extensive wiretaps over a decade to secure multiple murder convictions against Donna Adelson, Charlie Adelson, and others.[Fox News]
- Markel's former wife, Wendi Adelson, has consistently denied participating in the murder plot and faces no criminal charges.[Fox News]
Key facts
- Dan Markel was shot in his car inside his garage in Tallahassee, Florida, on July 18, 2014, and died the following day.[Fox News]
- Prosecutors alleged that a custody dispute over Markel's sons led Donna Adelson and Charlie Adelson to hire Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera to carry out the killing.[Fox News]
- Charlie Adelson was convicted in 2023 of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, receiving a life sentence.[Fox News]
- Donna Adelson was convicted in 2025 of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, receiving a sentence of life without parole plus 30 years.[Fox News]
- Katherine Magbanua and Sigfredo Garcia were convicted of first-degree murder, while Luis Rivera received a 19-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and cooperating.[Fox News]
- Wendi Adelson has denied any involvement in the killing and has not been charged.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- Donna Adelson's defense attorneys maintained that prosecutors lacked sufficient evidence linking her to the murder plot.[Fox News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.