UNRAVELING A CONSPIRACY
How Surveillance Solved the Dan Markel Murder
The Web of Conspiracy
The murder-for-hire plot was a multi-layered operation, allegedly orchestrated by the Adelson family and carried out through a chain of intermediaries. This structure was designed to insulate the masterminds from the crime itself.
THE MASTERMINDS
The Adelson Family
(Charlie & Donna Adelson)
THE GO-BETWEEN
Katherine Magbanua
Linked Adelsons to the hitmen
THE HITMEN
Sigfredo Garcia & Luis Rivera
Carried out the murder
A Decade of Investigation
The path to justice was a marathon, not a sprint. Investigators worked for years, patiently gathering evidence that culminated in a series of arrests and convictions long after the crime was committed.
July 2014
Dan Markel Murdered
The law professor is shot at his Tallahassee home, sparking a complex investigation.
April 2016
The "Bump" Operation
The FBI conducts an undercover sting on Donna Adelson, successfully provoking recorded conversations.
June 2016
First Arrest Made
Sigfredo Garcia is arrested, and the probable cause affidavit officially links the murder to the Adelson family's "desperate desire" to relocate.
April 2022
The "Game-Changer" Recording
An enhanced version of a 2016 wiretap recording leads directly to the arrest of Charlie Adelson.
November 2023
Matriarch Charged
Donna Adelson is arrested and charged with murder, based on jail calls, financial data, and an attempted flight.
August 2025
Final Trial Anticipated
Donna Adelson's trial is expected to begin, marking a potential final chapter in the long-running legal saga.
Anatomy of the Investigation
No single piece of evidence solved the case. Instead, prosecutors built their case on a foundation of interconnected surveillance data, from digital records to physical tracking.
Following the Money
A sudden and dramatic shift in the financial behavior of key players after the murder provided compelling circumstantial evidence of a murder-for-hire payment.
The 'Bump': A Strategic Gambit
Unable to get a direct confession, the FBI engineered a psychological play. The goal: to "throw a smoke grenade" and record the "cockroaches" as they scattered, revealing their connections and complicity.
STEP 1: FBI agent approaches Donna Adelson with a "blackmail" note.
STEP 2: Panicked, Donna immediately calls Charlie Adelson.
STEP 3: Charlie calls Katherine Magbanua to arrange a meeting.
OUTCOME: The recording, once enhanced, becomes the key evidence leading to Charlie's arrest and conviction.
The Dominoes Fall
Prosecutors employed a classic "bottom-up" strategy, securing cooperation and convictions from the lower-level players to build an increasingly strong case against the alleged masterminds.
Luis Rivera
Getaway Driver
Pleaded Guilty & Cooperated
Sigfredo Garcia
Shooter
Convicted
Katherine Magbanua
Go-Between
Convicted
Charlie Adelson
Alleged Mastermind
Convicted