A Florida dentist was arrested and charged with hiring hit men to kill his former brother-in-law over a joint custody agreement.
Charles Adelson was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit the murder of law professor David Markel in 2014, according to an indictment issued Thursday by a grand jury in Leon County. Adelson’s former girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua, was also indicted on the same charges and was previously charged with organizing the hit.
The attack stemmed from an argument over a joint custody agreement between Markel and Adelson’s sister, Wendi, who reportedly wanted to move from Tallahassee to Fort Lauderdale with her two children, according to the state attorney’s office.
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Adelson and Magbanua hired the father of Magbanua’s children, Sigfredo Garcia, and a friend, Luis Rivera, to commit the murder, the indictment claims. Garcia is currently serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, while Rivera pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is serving a 19-year sentence.
Magbanua was charged and tried in 2019, but the trial resulted in a hung jury. Magbanua is expected to be retried in May.
A video released Thursday appears to show Adelson talking to Magbanua about the murder, though he denies any involvement in the murder multiple times in the video. Adelson assures Magbanua that if the police knew anything, the couple would head straight to the airport, footage shows. He also assures Magbanua that putting someone in a car or paying someone money is not enough evidence for a conviction, according to the tape.
“A new piece of the puzzle was added, which was the clarified audio of the restaurant recording,” Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman said, according to WCTV. “This recording includes statements by Charles Adelson, which can be heard clearly for the first time.”
The recording, taped without Adelson’s knowledge, proves his innocence because of his repeated denials, Adelson’s attorneys said.
Adelson appeared in court virtually Friday in his first appearance since the arrest, making him the fourth person to be charged in the alleged murder-for-hire plot.
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“We will not rest until everyone involved is brought to justice,” Cappleman said.
No further trial date has been announced for Adelson.
