'20/20' REPORTS ON SUSPECTS CURRENTLY ON TRIAL FOR MURDER-FOR-HIRE PLOT TARGETING FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY LAW PROFESSOR DAN MARKEL
'20/20' Details the Bitter Divorce and Intense Custody Battle Between Dan and Ex-Wife Prior to Murder and Prosecution's Assertion That Ex's Brother Funded Murder Plot
'20/20' Airs Friday, Oct. 11 (9:00 - 11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC
"20/20" cameras go inside the courtroom as Sigfredo Garcia and Katherine Magbanua approach the end of their trial for the murder of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel, found shot in his garage following a bitter divorce and custody battle with Wendi Adelson, his ex-wife and a clinical professor at FSU's College of Law. The trial comes after Sigfredo's friend Luis Rivera pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Luis told police that Sigfredo solicited him to help Katherine, the mother of Sigfredo's children, in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Dan. "20/20" also reports the prosecution's allegation that Charles Adelson, Wendi's brother, spearheaded and funded the plot. Chief national correspondent Matt Gutman reports for "20/20," airing Friday, Oct. 11 (9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC.
"20/20" features the first television interview with Matthew Shaer, host of the popular podcast "Over My Dead Body: Tally," on Dan's murder. The two-hour "20/20" includes interviews with Tova Walsh, Wendi's best friend; Georgia Cappleman, state prosecutor working on the case; and Michael Weinstein, Charles' attorney; as well as police interviews with Wendi and her ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Lacasse on Dan's murder and footage from Luis' confession tape.
Wendi and Dan finalized their divorce about a year before Dan died. After the murder, police followed a clue from an eyewitness who reported a green Prius fleeing the scene. Through detailed detective work, police traced the rental car to Sigfredo and Luis. After combing through call logs and financial transactions, authorities connected Sigfredo and Luis' actions to Katherine. Luis received a reduced sentence in exchange for cooperating with the state's investigation. Luis and Katherine pleaded not guilty. Authorities have not charged the Adelsons in connection with Dan's murder and the family denies any involvement in his murder.
"20/20" is anchored by David Muir and Amy Robach. David Sloan is senior executive producer.
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