TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Documents filed with the Leon County Clerk of Courts Office indicate members of the Adelson family have been requested as witnesses in the upcoming Dan Markel murder trial.
The defense team for Katherine Magbanua made the request in a court filing on Nov. 30, 2021 for Harvey Adelson, Donna Adelson and Charles Adelson to be witnesses.
Markel’s ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, is also listed as a witness.
Magbanua is facing a first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder charges in the 2014 death of Markel.
Court documents indicate more than 40 individuals have been requested to testify in Magbanua’s upcoming trial.
Markel, who was a well-known law professor at Florida State University, was shot outside his home anddied on July 18, 2014.
Before his death, Markel and Wendi Adelson were granted a divorce in 2013.
In a September 2021 court filing by Magbanua’s defense team to disqualify the Leon County State Attorney’s Office, the state attorney’s office says Magbanua was used to contract Sigfredo Garcia on behalf of the Adelson family to murder Markel.
No member of the Adelson family has been charged in the death of Markel.
The defense’s motion to dismiss the Leon County State Attorney’s Office was denied on Sept. 20, 2021.
Magbanua was one of three people charged in the death of Markel.
Luis Rivera pled guilty to second-degree murder in the Markel case on Oct. 4, 2016.
In October 2019, Garcia was found guilty of murdering Markel and conspiracy to commit murder.
Also in October 2019, a mistrial was declared in Magbanua’s first trial in the murder of Markel.
Magbanua’s second trial is set to begin Feb. 14.
