Florida Dentist Charles Adelson Convicted for 2014 Murder of Law Professor Amid Custody Battle

Jury Convicts Adelson After Three-hour Deliberation, Concluding Long-standing Murder Case Rooted In a Family Feud Over Child Custody

Florida dentist, Charles Adelson, has been found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder in the 2014 death of his former brother-in-law, Dan Markel, a prominent Florida law professor.
The case, which had lasted nearly a decade, was rooted in a bitter custody dispute between Markel and Adelson's sister, Wendi Adelson, who wished to relocate to south Florida with her two sons post-divorce.
Adelson, 47, was accused of hiring two hitmen, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, through his then-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua to kill Markel. Magbanua and Garcia were also convicted while Rivera is serving 19 years for second-degree murder after agreeing to testify against them.
The murder trial garnered widespread attention due to its sensational nature. Adelson's conviction follows a short three-hour deliberation by the jury, after eight days of testimony, including from Adelson himself, who claimed to be a victim of an extortion plot by Markel's killers.
Although Adelson's family members - Wendi Adelson and their parents, Donna Adelson and Harvey Adelson - are considered unindicted co-conspirators in the case, they deny any involvement and have not been charged.