Man charged in murder-for-hire of FSU law professor convicted on all counts

Charles Adelson, the man charged in connection with the 2014 murder of his former brother-in-law, Dan Markel, a renowned Florida State University Law School professor, was found guilty Monday in Tallahassee, Florida, of murder, conspiracy, and solicitation.

The verdict followed seven days of testimony and three hours of deliberations.

Adelson, 47, mouthed the word “No” and slowly put his head down on the defense table after the first verdict was read: guilty of first-degree murder.

Adelson, a South Florida periodontist, will face a mandatory life sentence for the first-degree murder conviction. His sentencing date is set for December 12. Adelson was the third person tried in the murder of the FSU law professor and the fourth convicted.

At the time of the murder, Markel and Charles’s sister Wendi were involved in a bitter divorce. Adelson testified that his family had offered Markel a million dollars to allow Wendi to move back home to Miami with their two children.

Adelson’s ex-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua and hitmen Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera are already serving prison time for their roles in Markel’s murder. Magbanua and Rivera testified against Adelson last week.

After the verdict, Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman said the investigation into Markel’s death is ongoing and did not comment on whether any other members of the Adelson family could face charges in the future.

She expressed appreciation for the jury’s hard work amid the defense claims that Adelson was the victim of extortion. “I’m thrilled that justice prevailed and that the jury was able to see the truth through all their good efforts to block it.”

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