"Saying I'm innocent is all I got," spouted the 47-year-old Charlie Adelson in a Tallahassee courtroom this Tuesday.
Adelson, a dental expert hailing from South Florida, makes the fourth individual convicted for the 2014 homicide of Dan Markle, a law professor at Florida State University. Markle met his demise at home, fatally shot. At the time of his tragic death, Markle was right in the middle of an intense split and custody battle with Adelson's sister, Wendy.
As reported by CNN earlier, Adelson subjected his own family to pressure, offering Dan Markle's family $1 million to return to Miami with Wendi Deng and their children.
State prosecutors indict Adelson for the murder plot allegedly instigated by his then-girlfriend, Catherine Magbanua. Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia, Magbanua's children's father, executed the murders.
Rivera testified that Magbanua hired him and Garcia for 100,000 dollars to eliminate Markle. According to Rivera, the money came from Adelson, whom he nicknamed "the dentist," and was eventually shared among him, Garcia, and Magbanua.
Adelson vehemently denied any involvement in the conspiracy, admitting that the murder was simply an attempt to extort vast sums from his family.
Dan Markle's family spoke over Zoom from Canada this Tuesday, Markle's father Phil expressing his confusion over his son's two children. "We don't know what these kids knew or what happened to Danny," Phil Markle stated.
Adelson's former girlfriend, Magbanua, and accomplices Garcia and Rivera have sat in prison since they were implicated in the murder of Markle. Magbanua and Rivera have testified against Adelson.
Adelson's 73-year-old mother, Donna Adelson, pleaded not guilty when charges were lodged against her for conspiring to murder Markle. She and her spouse were detained as they attempted to board a flight to Vietnam, a country without an extradition treaty with the U.S. They now face charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation of murder.
Additional Insights
- The alleged motive behind the murder was centered around child custody issues following Markel's divorce from Adelson's sister, Wendy.
- Adelson's ex-girlfriend, Catherine Magbanua, played a significant role as the intermediary between the Adelson family and the hitmen.
- Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, two other key figures in the case, were hired to carry out the murder by Adelson and Magbanua, and were rewarded with a share of the $100,000.
- Donna Adelson, Wendy's mother, is currently awaiting trial, although her defense team has requested additional time to depose witnesses, including her son, Rob Adelson.
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