Florida dentist Charles Adelson, 47, is found guilty of hiring a hitman to kill his brother-in-law Dan Markel in 2014 while his sister was waging a bitter custody battle with him

By Claudia Aoraha, Senior Reporter for Dailymail.Com

5:25 p.m. Nov 7, 2023, updated 6:38 p.m. Nov 7, 2023

• Charles Adelson, 47, paid for law professor Dan Markel, 41, who was married to his sister Wendi Adelson, to be killed in July 2014
• The divorced couple was in a bitter custody battle when Markel was shot twice in the head at close range outside his home

A Florida dentist was found guilty of murder in the July 2014 shooting death of his former brother-in-law outside his Tallahassee home.

Charles Adelson, 47, paid for the murder of law professor Dan Markel, 41, who was married to his sister Wendi Adelson. The divorced couple was in a bitter custody battle when Markel was shot twice in the head at close range.

On Monday, Adelson was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder.

After deliberating for just three hours, the jury returned their unanimous verdict.

Markel, who worked at Florida State University, was married to Adelson’s sister Wendi for six years – but their relationship failed. They shared custody of their two young sons.

Charles Adelson (pictured) paid for the murder of law professor Dan Markel, who was married to his sister Wendi Adelson. The divorced couple was in a bitter custody battle when Markel was shot. Adelson licks his lips as his defense attorney, Daniel Rashbaum, whispers to him before the verdict is read Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Tallahassee. Dan Markel (right) was shot and killed outside his home in 2014. He was married to Wendi Adelson (left). But in the midst of their bitter divorce, the two argued over where their children would live. During this time, Markle was shot

Wendi wanted to move from Tallahassee to South Florida to be closer to her family. However, a judge at the time ruled that Wendi Adelson couldn’t move without Markel’s consent, and he refused, saying she couldn’t take the children to Miami.

Markel, a father of two, was shot as he sat in his car outside his home

Prosecutors told jurors in court that Charles Adelson paid for the murder of the prominent professor and that he used his girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua, to hire the father of her two children, Sigfredo Garcia, to commit the murder.

They said Garcia enlisted the help of his childhood friend Luis Rivera.

Magbanua and Garcia were convicted of first-degree murder and Rivera is serving a 19-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testimony against them.

Markel was shot while sitting in his car outside his home after dropping his children off at daycare and going to the gym.

On Monday, Fort Lauderdale dentist Adelson uttered the word “no” in court as his murder verdict was announced.

During the trial, Wendi testified that her family had nothing to do with her ex-husband’s murder in 2014. She denied knowing about the murder-for-hire plot or being involved in it herself.

Wendi, who works as a lawyer, moved to Miami a few days after her husband was shot. She was granted limited immunity for her testimony.

Wendi Adelson giggles in court when asked about her brother Charles Adelson and the number of girlfriends he had. Wendi wanted to move from Tallahassee to South Florida to be closer to her family. However, a judge at the time ruled that Wendi Adelson couldn’t move without Markel’s consent, and he refused, saying she couldn’t take the children to Miami. Charlie Adelson rubs his face as he waits for closing arguments in his trial

Assistant District Attorney Georgia Cappleman asked her, “In all the years this case has been pending, your brother knew who killed your child’s father and you didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know,” Wendi Adelson said. She stated that she only found out about the incident that same day.

Cappleman asked, “Your family had your ex-husband killed to help you, right?” And Wendi replied on the witness stand, “No, that’s completely untrue.”

In a police interview in 2014, Wendi Adelson said her brother Charles jokingly said he wanted to hire a hitman, but bought her a television instead because it was cheaper.

Cappleman asked in court: “Did he say that?”

Wendi replied: “That was the joke he made in poor taste, yes.”

The television has always been Wendi’s alibi. She was never accused of involvement in her ex-husband’s murder.

The mother of two was at home the morning of the murder, waiting for a member of the Best Buy Geek Squad to come by and look at her broken television.

After Adelson is found guilty on all three counts, Assistant District Attorney Georgia Cappleman speaks with Dan Markel’s parents, Phil and Ruth Markel. Charlie Adelson listens as he is found guilty on all three counts of murdering Dan Markel. Adelson testifies during his trial

The victim’s parents, Ruth and Phil Markel, and his sister Shelly Markel were present at the hearing and spoke after Monday’s verdict.

“This has been a really long and terrible ordeal for all of us,” Shelly Markel said. “It has taken a long toll on our lives.” And today there is a real sense of relief.”

In a nine-year-old case with many twists and turns, Adelson took the stand Thursday as the only defense witness in his trial and said prosecutors misunderstood the facts of the case.

In his statement, he said he felt a sense of relief at finally being able to tell the public that he was a victim of extortion and not the mastermind who hired the hitmen who shot Markel.

He further testified that he had nothing to do with the murder and that he was stunned when Magbanua came to his house and said her friends were the murderers.

Sigfredo Garcia during his trial in 2019. Magbanua and Garcia were convicted of first-degree murder and Rivera is serving a 19-year sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testifying against them . Katherine Magbanua, pictured in court in 2019

The dentist said she told him he had to pay more than $300,000 in 48 hours or he would also be killed.

Prosecutors told jurors in closing arguments that there were far too many inconsistencies with Adelson’s testimony at trial.

The high-profile case to bring justice to the law professor has resulted in four arrests and three trials in nine years.