Florida Dentist Found Guilty in Nine-Year-Old Murder Case of Ex-Brother-in-Law
Nov 18, 2023, 02:00 AM
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A Florida jury has found 47-year-old dentist Charlie Adelson guilty on all charges related to the murder-for-hire of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel in 2014. The verdict was reached on Monday after the jurors heard Adelson's testimony claiming innocence and portraying himself as a victim of extortion.
Adelson, accused of being the mastermind behind Markel's murder, faced a courtroom filled with tension during the closing arguments, where the prosecution and defense presented contrasting narratives. The prosecution asserted that Adelson, with financial resources and connections through his then-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua, [mag-BAN-you-uh] orchestrated the murder amid a heated child custody dispute between Markel and Adelson's sister, Wendi Adelson.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman argued that Adelson's claim of being extorted by Magbanua was involved in the murder plot, was implausible due to its complexity. She highlighted the lack of motive for the hitmen, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, to target Markel on Adelson's behalf.
Garcia, Rivera, and Magbanua had previously been convicted for their roles in the murder. The prosecution emphasized Markel's opposition to his children moving to Miami, leading to a contentious divorce with Wendi Adelson.
During the trial, Adelson testified that Magbanua informed him about the murder and the subsequent extortion threat. Despite this, he allowed her to stay the night and claimed he was unaware of her involvement. Adelson explained his decision by stating he was in a state of shock.
Magbanua, in her testimony, admitted to lying in previous trials and revealed that Adelson initiated the idea of killing Markel during a conversation in 2013. Adelson's defense argued that he was a victim of extortion and challenged the prosecution's narrative, pointing to Magbanua's deceitful nature.
The defense questioned the logic of the hitmen killing Markel if the goal was to extort money from Adelson. Adelson claimed that the hitmen were unaware of the money in his safe and that he began making extortion payments as part of a supposed layaway plan.
“She kept saying this was all her fault and she didn’t know any of this was going to happen,” Adelson said of Magbanua’s statements after the shooting.
Charlie Adelson testified that he allowed Magbanua to stay the night despite all of what he’d been told because he was “in a state of shock’ and didn’t think his then-girlfriend was involved.
The following morning, before Magbanua departed with $138,000 in cash from Adelson's safe, she pleaded with him to keep the matter confidential. Throughout Adelson's testimony, questions arose regarding the necessity of killing Dan Markel if the primary goal was to extort money from Adelson.
Prosecutor Cappleman challenged the logic, asking why the hitmen didn't simply threaten Adelson at gunpoint to hand over the money. Adelson responded with a theory, suggesting that by killing Markel, the extortionists could ensure a lifelong stream of extortion payments. He explained that they might not have been aware of the exact amount in his safe, and this strategy allowed for ongoing extortion, leading him to pay $3,000 per month in what he referred to as an extortion layaway plan.
During closing arguments, Cappleman reiterated this line of reasoning, emphasizing the perceived lack of sense in Adelson emptying his life savings based solely on Magbanua's word. The prosecutor mocked Adelson's account, highlighting the unusual scenario where the hitmen, instead of directly threatening him, utilized his own girlfriend to carry out the extortion on their behalf.
Cappleman argued that Adelson willingly handed over his substantial savings without any physical coercion, deeming the testimony implausible.
Adelson's defense lawyer, Daniel Rashbaum, asserted that Adelson was innocent and a victim of assumptions and guesses by authorities. Rashbaum urged the jury to focus on the lack of evidence tying Adelson directly to the murder, emphasizing that criminals do not openly disclose their plans.
Despite the defense's efforts, the jury delivered a guilty verdict, sealing Charlie Adelson's fate in the high-profile murder-for-hire case.
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Adelson, accused of being the mastermind behind Markel's murder, faced a courtroom filled with tension during the closing arguments, where the prosecution and defense presented contrasting narratives. The prosecution asserted that Adelson, with financial resources and connections through his then-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua, [mag-BAN-you-uh] orchestrated the murder amid a heated child custody dispute between Markel and Adelson's sister, Wendi Adelson.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman argued that Adelson's claim of being extorted by Magbanua was involved in the murder plot, was implausible due to its complexity. She highlighted the lack of motive for the hitmen, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, to target Markel on Adelson's behalf.
Garcia, Rivera, and Magbanua had previously been convicted for their roles in the murder. The prosecution emphasized Markel's opposition to his children moving to Miami, leading to a contentious divorce with Wendi Adelson.
During the trial, Adelson testified that Magbanua informed him about the murder and the subsequent extortion threat. Despite this, he allowed her to stay the night and claimed he was unaware of her involvement. Adelson explained his decision by stating he was in a state of shock.
Magbanua, in her testimony, admitted to lying in previous trials and revealed that Adelson initiated the idea of killing Markel during a conversation in 2013. Adelson's defense argued that he was a victim of extortion and challenged the prosecution's narrative, pointing to Magbanua's deceitful nature.
The defense questioned the logic of the hitmen killing Markel if the goal was to extort money from Adelson. Adelson claimed that the hitmen were unaware of the money in his safe and that he began making extortion payments as part of a supposed layaway plan.
“She kept saying this was all her fault and she didn’t know any of this was going to happen,” Adelson said of Magbanua’s statements after the shooting.
Charlie Adelson testified that he allowed Magbanua to stay the night despite all of what he’d been told because he was “in a state of shock’ and didn’t think his then-girlfriend was involved.
The following morning, before Magbanua departed with $138,000 in cash from Adelson's safe, she pleaded with him to keep the matter confidential. Throughout Adelson's testimony, questions arose regarding the necessity of killing Dan Markel if the primary goal was to extort money from Adelson.
Prosecutor Cappleman challenged the logic, asking why the hitmen didn't simply threaten Adelson at gunpoint to hand over the money. Adelson responded with a theory, suggesting that by killing Markel, the extortionists could ensure a lifelong stream of extortion payments. He explained that they might not have been aware of the exact amount in his safe, and this strategy allowed for ongoing extortion, leading him to pay $3,000 per month in what he referred to as an extortion layaway plan.
During closing arguments, Cappleman reiterated this line of reasoning, emphasizing the perceived lack of sense in Adelson emptying his life savings based solely on Magbanua's word. The prosecutor mocked Adelson's account, highlighting the unusual scenario where the hitmen, instead of directly threatening him, utilized his own girlfriend to carry out the extortion on their behalf.
Cappleman argued that Adelson willingly handed over his substantial savings without any physical coercion, deeming the testimony implausible.
Adelson's defense lawyer, Daniel Rashbaum, asserted that Adelson was innocent and a victim of assumptions and guesses by authorities. Rashbaum urged the jury to focus on the lack of evidence tying Adelson directly to the murder, emphasizing that criminals do not openly disclose their plans.
Despite the defense's efforts, the jury delivered a guilty verdict, sealing Charlie Adelson's fate in the high-profile murder-for-hire case.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com