True Crime Vault: First Divorced, Then Dead

Welcome back to the 2020 [music] True. Crime Vault. [music]. He says, "Are you sitting down?" And. then I knew right away in his voice that. this was not a good story. >> And what a story. Call this one a. lovehate triangle. Husband, wife, and. wife's family. >> They hate Danny in a way. I've never. seen this kind of obsession.

>> This wasn't a normal divorce case. >> Did any of you ever think that it could. get violent? >> Never. >> A murder mystery we've been following. for years. >> Someone killed the father of my. children. First we got divorced, [music] then he. got murdered. >> Now finally a courtroom verdict. >> I don't want him to think I'm the one. convicting him or something. If I say. yes, I saw them. [music] And then that. puts him in prison for life. >> The driver's side window is all bashed.

in. He's inside. The car is running and. he's got blood all over his head. >> It looks like [music] he's been shot at. a very close range. >> Do this. >> I don't know. Would you ever ask someone. to do something like this? >> I have something I want to tell you. I'm. concerned about my safety with what I'm. going to tell you. I do have some ideas. So, who did it appear had a motive to. want Dan Markell dead? His own family.

>> They say the wheels of justice turned. slowly. >> All right. >> In this case, almost 10 years. >> Court is now in session. The honorable. judge Steven Everett now presiding. In. many murder trials, there's the deceased. and the defendant. >> State calls Wendy Ad, >> but this one is unusual because this is. a story about a family. >> Please say and spell your name. >> Wendy Eden W.

>> One that seemingly has everything. Devotion, wealth, influence, and something else. >> Back in 2014, the Aden family had a big. problem. And that so-called problem leads this. family here. >> From the very outset, the state. suspected. the Adalins, the family. >> While the defendant's choices helped. solve a problem within his family, they.

came at a very high price. >> That price, prosecutors say, was murder. In the Bible, it says there's exodus. The Jews left Egypt. And I I always say. the second exodus of the Jews [music]. was from New York to South Florida. >> Michael Weinstein is a criminal defense. attorney who grew up in South Florida. >> My parents came down back in the 70s and.

it was 30° in New York and 70° here. And. that was a pretty easy decision for. them. They settled in Coral Springs, a. community about an hour north of Miami. Beach. Coral Springs is kind of like a. suburb of nowhere. There wasn't really a. big city that was attached to. Among the Weinstein family's many. [music] friends were the Adles. [screaming]. >> Here's the matriarch Donna Adlesen. appearing on Wheel of Fortune 1989.

>> I'm a domestic coordinator. I'm. responsible [music] for the activities, classes, and lessons of my son Robert. who is 16, Charlie who is 12, Wendy who. is 10, my husband Harvey who's in the. audience. >> Harvey Eden is someone I've known my. entire life. He's a dentist [music] and. he was married to Donna and he had three. kids, Robert, Charlie, and Wendy. >> Harvey was extremely successful [music]. dentist. He runs the Aden Institute.

dentistry. Donna helped as the office. manager. >> Donna was always a bright smile. You. know, you'd walk into the [music] dental. office and she was always warm. You. know, walk into her home, it was always. clean, immaculate, and the kids were. always well behaved and appropriate and. dressed well. And she was always a. bright light to those children. >> By all accounts, the Aden children are. exceptional. They're smart, athletic, and driven to succeed. The three Adlesen.

siblings, Rob was the oldest. >> Rob goes to medical school and falls in. love with a fellow student there. >> Donna doesn't approve of him marrying. her because she didn't have a Jewish. background. >> Rob marries his girlfriend, falls out of. favor with his mother, and becomes. estranged from the Adles. So focus. shifts to the younger children, Charlie. and Wendy. and they will be central to.

the story. They were closer in age. So I think. Charlie and Wendy were a unit to a. certain extent. >> Charlie and Wendy were at high school at. the same time. Charlie was class of 95. Wendy was class of 97. So two years. apart. >> Daryl Gold went to high school with the. Aden [music] siblings. >> Charlie was always kind of a goofy kid. in high school. He was a jokester and he. was a I guess a social butterfly. Charlie went to dental school, got his.

degree, came back, and then he was. helping Harvey in his practice. So, [music] it was a father and son. practice, and Harvey was successful, but. that Charlie helped bring it to a new. level. [music]. Wendy was always an all-star. She was. incredibly bright as a child. She did. phenomenally well in high school, incredibly [music] smart, and gregarious. and well-loved by everybody. Friends say she isn't only smart but. also a lot of fun. Characteristics that.

were on display when she, like her. mother before her, appeared on a game. show. >> What have you always [music] wanted to. do? >> Weakest link. >> When I was little, I wanted to be a. giraffe. >> Wendy Adlesen does something a little. different than everyone in her families. She goes into law. Wendy has an internship in Washington DC. where another young lawyer is just. [music] starting out. >> Danny studied in Harvard undergrad. He. went to Cambridge, England. He went to.

Israel for a year and after that [music]. he finished law school and we went to. live in Washington. >> Danny was a very warm person to start. with with everybody. He never greeted. [music] people with a handshake. It was. always a hug. Dan was raised in [music]. a conservative Jewish household in. Toronto, Canada. >> It's a word in Yiddish. He would be a. bench real guy with great character and. great personality. a young woman uh named Wendy AD uh.

searched [music] him on Jay Date, the Jewish dating service, and she was. sitting with her mother, Donna, [music]. searching for a candidate for her to. meet. And so they're looking up Dan. Markell. >> He and Wendy share a passion for the law. and seemed [music] like a great match. >> There was a really strong connection and. she, you know, was really drawn to him. And what did you think of this young. woman?

>> She was a very warm. She's a very. attractive person. And we were so. pleased that, you know, Danny was happy. >> Wendy's beautiful. She's adorable. She's. uh bright. >> And it was a beautiful thing to [music]. see Danny in love. >> You must have been elated. Here is this. beautiful, well-educated, bright, warm. [music] woman who comes from a great. family who is in love with your son. They're going to make great grandb. babies. Everybody [music] should be. happy.

>> We were. Wendy and Dan's relationship moves. quickly and in less than a year, they're. engaged. They decide to have their. wedding in South Florida. Donna Adlesen. was very involved in [music] the. planning of this extravaganza for her. only daughter. >> Daniel Markell was devout in his Jewish. faith. It. >> was important for him to have a. traditional Jewish marriage. specifically and that the wedding be. entirely kosher.

>> He was very invested in it being a. kosher wedding so that the rabbis would. be comfortable being there. When Dan's family and friends travel. down from Canada for the big day, they're in for a surprise. >> Daniel Markell shows up at his own. wedding and discovers that the catering. is not kosher. And. >> I think he sort of had the rug pulled. out from under him because the rabbis. were going to have to leave. And I. [music] think that was a very.

devastating moment for him. >> Donna approached me and she said, "Why. is Danny so kosher? you're not even that. kosher. [music] And she already had. started to move towards that as kind of. a bit of a divisive issue. [music] Do you think that this is. malicious? >> No, I think that it was a bit of. sabotage, a little bit of lack of. respect. There was a third [music] person in this.

relationship and that's what we have. here. >> So, Donna was the third person in the. relationship between Wendy [music] and. Danny. Absolutely. >> Lots of people whose in-laws are paying. for the wedding end up with not the. wedding of their dreams. It's only in retrospect that it looks. like a harbinger of things to come.

After their wedding, Wendy Aden and Dan. Markell settle into [music] a life. together. They moved to Tallahassee, the. capital of Florida. >> Both Dan and Wendy get jobs at Florida. State University Law School. >> So, if you're not from Florida, there's. a saying, the further north you go, the. more south you get. Northern Florida is. really southern [music] Georgia. >> When you think about Florida, maybe you. think about Disney World. You think. about Miami with the beaches and the. nightife. >> And Tallahassee is not seen as that.

sophisticated. [music]. It's a much slower pace here. >> Dan and Wendy start their life together. in this neighborhood called Bettton. Hills. >> It is a kind of upscale neighborhood. This is a quiet place. This is where. kids run around, you know, ride their. bikes up and down the street. >> And they have from the outside what. seems like [music] a pretty idilic life. >> They were very lovey, happy. We went to. dinner once uh at their house and we.

left kind of going like almost feeling. >> inadequate like inadequate as a married. couple because they were dancing and. singing and. >> and they called each other the bears. >> The bears. Mr. Bear was Danny and Mrs. Bear was Wendy. >> In the leafy enclave filled with. families, Wendy and Dan [music] start. one of their own and they have two boys. within 2 years. Danny was a great father.

with all his accomplishments. [music]. To me, I'm the proudest of him as a. father. >> His boys were [music] the entire world. to him. >> He was a professor and a demanding job. He traveled, but he managed to arrange. his schedule as much as he could to. spend a lot of quality time. They would. go to the local pool. They would go to. the park. He was really invested [music] in their. early growing up years.

Dan, this career really takes off. He. was like a star on the rise. >> Well, Dan Markel was a passionate guy. who cared deeply about learning and. teaching. >> Speaking about retributive justice, >> he's a criminal law specialist. Murder, for example, is the kind of law that I. think everyone. >> he could talk for hours about principles. of justice and jurist prudence in. >> terms of [music] sentencing issues of. the death penalty of criminal justice.

>> passes. >> Dan starts a blog for law professors and. his friends say it might have made him. some enemies. We're in a profession. where most of the people are type A. personalities. Most people are a little. aggressive. Dan liked to argue and he. liked to make sure people understood his. arguments. >> Friends of Dan's will tell you that he. liked to needle people. He liked to push. and poke and prod. While Dan is relishing life in.

Tallahassee, [music] Wendy is not as. content. She's longing for South Florida. where her parents and brother live. under the old adage, a happy wife, happy. life, he tried to get a job in Miami, which would have been closer to Wendy's. parents, and then was unsuccessful. That was very dispiriting for both, I. think, him and Wendy. >> She was talking to him about [music]. being unhappy and he was insisting they. had no problems.

>> They had come into their marriage as. equals, well-educated lawyers with. ambition and promise. But over time, her. friends say Wendy begins to feel a sense. of imbalance in their relationship. Something that she talks about openly on. a podcast she does for a writing class. >> Our marriage dissolved after the. children arrived as the loneliness of. being married to someone that didn't. view me as an equal crept in. >> Danny was brilliant. He was topnotch in.

his field. And I think she struggled. with being in his shadow. And I think it. was hard for her to navigate her role in. the marriage. He was fairly controlling and pretty. unkind to my friend and I was, you know, around on a number of occasions when he. put her down and it was really hard to. be around for that. >> Roughly 6 years into their [music]. marriage, Wendy writes a novel. It's.

called This Is Our Story. It's a work of. fiction, but those close to Wendy notice. the parallels to her own life. [music]. In fact, Wendy laments Dan's. unwillingness to read her book in her. podcast. >> I do believe he loved me the best way he. knew [music] how. I mean, he didn't like. fiction, so why read my novel? It was. logic, not a lack of love. In the book, one of her characters was a woman who. fell out of love. And perhaps that's why.

she wanted Dan toita. >> My childhood friend Lisa told me this. weekend [music] that she never even knew. I was unhappy in my marriage. I had no. idea I hid it so well. At this point, Dan is traveling. frequently for work while Wendy stays. behind, literally and figuratively, working and caring for their two young. sons. I see Dan in New York and [music] he's. telling me that he thinks his marriage.

is is unwinding. So, I try to encourage. him to just stick it out, stay home. more, don't go to as many conferences, just [music] try to work your way. through it. It's during one of these trips to a. conference in New York City that Wendy. calls Dan to deliver some devastating. news. She says, "I'm leaving. It's. over.". Dan says, "Please don't do this. We can. still work this out.".

>> She calls him in New York. He changes. all his plans. He cancels the lecture. and he gets on a flight to come back to. Tallahassee. He walks [music] into the bedroom and. there was divorce papers on the bed. >> Half the furniture is missing. Even half. the dining room chairs were gone. >> He came home to a house that was. literally half emptied. Even though she. was just filing [music] for divorce, but. she preemptively took everything, including the kids.

>> Danny called this Pearl Harbor. [music]. >> It was kind of shocking. you know, all. of a sudden he was sneak attacked on a. Sunday morning. Essentially, >> even in his wildest imagination, when. he's describing [music]. what he's taking to be his wife's. disengagement, he doesn't think that. this is going to happen. >> Danny was devastated from the divorce. >> This wasn't a normal divorce case. It. was incredibly latgious, you know. I. guess you might expect that with two law.

professors. The accusations are flying at this. point. Wendy accuses Dan of hiding. assets while Dan accuses Wendy of taking. hundreds of thousands [music] of. dollars. >> He said that she stole assets, wouldn't. give back diamond ring from one of his. aunts in the Holocaust. It was really. acrimonious. >> Wendy accuses Dan of emotional abuse and. claims he tells their colleagues at FSU. that she has quote mental health issues.

They each vehemently denied the claims. of the other. >> It was almost like a tennis match, you. know, going back and forth with these. filings that only the two of them. [music] really were involved in the. match at that point and everybody else. was just kind of standing on the outside. watching. >> There was lack of communication. There. was ranker. Did any of you ever think. [music] that it could get violent? >> Never. But there was a third party. involved in this divorce.

>> Let's show this what will make him. absolutely miserable. Wendy's mother, Donna. >> Gibbers hasn't beaten the Aden family. yet. Less than 7 years after exchanging. wedding vows, Wendy Adlesen and Dan. Markell are exchanging accusations in. divorce court. The divorce got really nasty and I think. the boiling point was when Wendy. couldn't leave Tallahassee, couldn't.

relocate to [music] South Florida, Dan. wouldn't agree to it. >> Wendy made it extremely clear to almost. anyone who would listen that she did not. like Tallahassee. She did not want to. live here [music] and she wanted to move. to South Florida. >> And the only way she could do that is if. he agreed or he died. >> She's allowed to leave him, right? She's. allowed to divorce, but she's not. allowed to just take his kids and move. them 7 hours to South Florida. >> She filed a motion to relocate the. children, and that was flatly denied.

>> The judge ruled over the protests of. Wendy and Wendy's family, that she could. not move to Miami. >> Donna and Harvey, Wendy's parents, had. always been actively involved in Wendy's. life and in the grandkids life. >> It's like 700 miles. It's a day drive. and it was quite inconvenient for them. >> You have to keep going up to Tallahassee. >> and Donna be back and forth quite often. >> When the divorce happens, they maintain.

a closeness to the situation. They are. extremely involved. And the news that. Wendy and the kids will not be able to. move to South Florida apparently does. not sit well with her mother, Donna. Donna began this campaign. She [music]. wrote these lengthy emails to Wendy. Donna refers to uh Dan Markell as. Jibbers, which is clearly [music] a. derogatory term. >> It's time to take control of your life.

and not let Jibus think he's won. anything by having you remain in. Tallahassee. A month before their next court. appearance, Donna sends Wendy a long. email suggesting ways to needle her soon. tobe [music] ex-husband. Remember this. is the woman who helped her daughter. find Dan on J date Date 8 years earlier. Now Donna says she wants that same man. to suffer. Let's show this what will. make him absolutely miserable. You know.

his weak points. Money, religion, control. Donna advocates using religion to. pressure Dan. >> Let Gibbers know that your children will. be baptized [music] in the Catholic. Church. >> Donna even suggests paying Dan off. >> We plan to make a financial offer to him. to allow this relocation. She suggested. [music] to Wendy that they should go. three ways to pay Danny a million. dollars. Her and [music] Harvey, Charlie, and Wendy. And Donna reminds.

Wendy she's not alone in this fight. >> Gibbs hasn't beaten the Aden family yet. You have a very strong family behind. [music] you. Just remember that. >> I don't think at this point money, threats of Catholic school, you name it. We're going to convince Dan to be. separated from his kids. >> Although their divorce is technically. finalized in July 2013, things aren't. over just yet. The following spring, old.

wounds reopen after the boys visit their. grandma, Donna. >> Donna was telling the boys how stupid. their father was. >> How did Danny even find out that Donna. was maligning him to his own children? >> The boys told him, he said, "Danny, grandma, Donna was saying that you're. stupid.". >> And Danny was now getting agitated about. the fact that there was this bad thing. going [music] on. >> that obviously infuriates him. your. ex-mother-in-law is trying to poison.

your kids against you. >> He felt [music] like her family was. alienating the children from him. So Dan files a motion that will take. Wendy back to [music] court. >> and he was making the argument to the. court that the grandmother should not be. able to have the kids unsupervised. [music]. >> They had a lot of issues post divorce. which [music] made it even difficult to. have smooth communications uh between. them. There was lack of communication, anger. Did any of you ever think that it could.

get violent? >> Never. [music]. >> Despite the heated language in divorce. court, in their personal lives, Dan and. Wendy appear to be moving on. Soon, there's a new man in [music] her life. Wendy was introduced to a social work. professor at FSU, Jeff Lacass. One of. the first [music] things that people. point out about Jeff is that he looked a. little like Dan. Dan is dating as well and they became. relatively serious too. It. >> was beautiful. He he fell in love again.

and that was a nice experience for. [music] us really to see him in a much. better moment after all of the other. things that were going on. >> It took a [music] while but I thought he. was really regaining his footing. But that would all change on a hot July. morning in 2014. Dan Markell is on. summer break from FSU Law School. He drives the children to the preschool. He drives to Premier Gym. >> Dan Markel was coming back to his home.

from the gym. He's on the phone. >> I remember very specifically he says to. me, "M, I have to make one more call.". >> Dan makes that call and is pulling into. his driveway when he notices something. unsettling. >> He says, "There's someone in my driveway. that I don't know. And as the man is on the phone, he hears. some exchange. Then he hears a muffle, a. sound, a grunt. He never hears Dan.

Markell again. >> At around 11:00 a.m., shots ring out. A. neighbor finds Dan Markell slumped over. in the front seat of his Honda, calls. 911. >> 911, what's the address of your. emergency? >> Uh, it's right next door to my house. >> Okay. What What's he What's going on. with him? >> I don't know. the the the driver's side. window is all bashed in. He's inside. The car is running and he's got blood. all over his head.

He's not responding to me. And this phone call came in from the. police that he was shot. Dale was in shock. Your mind goes blank. [clears throat] It's not possible. It's. they're making a mistake. All you could think about is your body's. totally traumatized. >> It It was horrific. It was just. something that out of this world.

>> In the beginning, no one really knew. what happened. >> Police asked Dan's ex-wife, Wendy, what. she knows. I. >> do this. >> I don't know. Would you ever ask someone. to do something [music] like this? >> Not in a million years. >> Wendy does not hold back in this. interview. Do you think someone would. [music] do this for your benefit without. asking you? >> No. Even my family who felt like I had. been mistreated would never do something. like this. Never.

>> It is perhaps the biggest mystery of. this case. Exactly what was going. through Wendy's [music] brain in that. interview room. 911. What's the address of your. emergency? >> Uh, it's right next door to my house. >> This was a horrifying scene for that. neighbor who first walked over and. looked and wasn't sure what had.

happened. >> Okay. What What's he What's going on. with him? >> He's [music] not responding to me. The. neighbor sees Dan Markel with a gunshot. to the forehead, to the face and his. glasses are shattered. It looks [music]. like he's been shot at a very close. range and Dan Markell is still. breathing. Once the paramedics arrive, he's quickly. rushed to the hospital. >> Police track down his ex-wife Wendy, [music] who is out to lunch with.

friends, and bring her to the police. station. There was a shooting. at your ex-husband's home, Daniel. All. right. Has been taken to the hospital. Um, he's not going to survive. >> My god. >> Okay. >> What happened? >> Well, before we get into everything, I. have to establish where you were and who. you were with and so forth.

>> Okay. I just [laughter] don't. understand. How did this happen? >> She sits down for hours and then during. that time the police look at her phone. They look at her ID. They swab her for. fingerprints. Everything that you would. do with a potential suspect. They never. call her a suspect. And it's an. interview, not an interrogation. But she. does provide all of this willingly. >> I understand why you think I'm the. primary suspect. >> No, you're not the primary suspect.

>> My ex-husband caused me a lot of grief. I would. I would never do something like that. >> I know. >> I understand why I would be the person. you would think would do something like. that. >> Well, we have to work just as hard to. eliminate. >> It's fine. I want to figure out who this. is. >> Wendy does not hold back in this. interview. She talks about how bad the. divorce was. She talks about how Dan was. emotionally abusive to her. She talks. about how she wants to get down to.

Miami. He never hurt me physically, but. he was he was emotionally abusive. >> Okay. >> And I didn't tell most people that. So, all most people know is we it just. didn't work out. >> While Dan Markell clings to life, his. parents are located and told the. devastating news. Phil, it was you who. got the original call. I was visiting. friends and this phone call came in from. the police. saying that Denny was shot and that. somebody from the hospital doctor is.

going to call me. >> Phil called me. I got the call and he. says, "Are you sitting down?" And then I. knew right away in his voice that this. was not a good story. [music]. And then he told me that Danny was shot, which was horrific. Dan Markell died in the hospital less. than 24 hours after he'd been shot. [music]. >> I had wished that I could at least hold. his hand before he passed away. I regret.

that very much. >> Dan's death was felt by so many. There. were headlines all across Florida and. that covered [music] his death, his. murder, and the memorial for him because. he touched so many lives. So many people. came out to support his family, to. remember him. >> I was unbelievably moved. Just the. outpouring of love for him. I literally.

sat in my seat and cried because [music]. I found out things about Danny, my own. son, that I didn't even know myself. Tallahassee police now scrambling to. unravel the riddle of who killed Florida. State University professor Dan Markell. >> This was the crime that sent [music]. shock waves through the community. I just could not believe it because I.

know Danny. I know how he is. Who would. shoot him really is what was going. through my mind. >> The overall response was shock and. horror and a lot of questions like. [music] why would anyone want to kill. Dan Markell? After Dan Markell is killed, it's a. complete mystery as to who did this. No. evidence seems to have been left behind. It's as if the murderer vanished into. thin air. [music].

>> With [music] him being so prominent in. the legal world, there was a lot for. investigators to chew on. One theory is. that Dan made enemies over his. provocative legal blog that he'd founded. and wrote for and he'd recently received. online threats. >> So my first thought was and I shared it. with the police at that moment that. maybe it was a disgruntled perhaps. student or other person professional on. the blog. They also looked, of course,

in a college town you're going to say. was an unhappy student. >> They just thought, [music] "My god, this. happened to one of us, and another one. of us might be next.". >> Detectives also begin to look at people. in Wendy and Dan's lives, starting with. someone that Wendy herself brought up. during her long police interview. >> Basically, the hours after the murder, Wendy pretty much immediately started. pointing fingers at a few different. people. She talked about a guy she knew.

she was dating, Jeffrey Lass. >> I see why he's a good suspect. Like, what if it's Jeff? He didn't like. Danny because Danny hurt me. >> Police track down her former boyfriend. and bring him in for an interview. >> I'm surprised you guys didn't call me. earlier, though, cuz I probably said 100. times in public that I like to kick his. ass. >> [music].

>> While all of these theories about who. murdered Dan Markell were circulating, police started to think this was more. [music] personal. Maybe it had something. to do with Wendy. Maybe someone who. loved her. >> She talked about a guy she knew she was. dating, Jeffrey Lass. [music]. Jeffrey Liccast comes in to talk to. police willingly three times. He keeps. coming back because it seems that he has. a story to tell.

[music]. >> Your name did come up. >> Uh because you were associated at some. point with Wendy. >> Of course. >> Spent a lot of time with Wendy. I mean, she really has this charisma, this. sexuality, and so, you know, you throw. yourself in front of a bus for this. girl. This is a new kind of thing for. me. I was in love with this girl, man. Jeff's interview, maybe more so than. Wendy's, is extraordinary because he's a. boyfriend who is in the process of. breaking up with Wendy. And it's a. contentious breakup by both of their.

admission. >> I was surprised you guys didn't call me. earlier though cuz I probably said 100. times in public that I like to kick his. ass cuz he kept like really making Wendy. suffer and things like that. >> But no, I would never. I'm a professor. I'm not a not going to do anything like. that. He's right up front about saying that he. didn't like this guy. He also has an. ironclad alibi. He was out of town. >> I stayed at a really crappy days in. maybe 20 mi south of Atlanta. >> He's got the receipts. He was not here. So that immediately puts him in the. clear. [music].

>> You know, right away something clicks in. his head. [music] and he seems to say, "I think I. know what happened. >> I'm concerned about my safety with what. I'm going to tell you to be honest. So. Danny Marel just got killed and I don't. want to be next. I'm sorry if that. sounds paranoid, but uh I do have some. ideas. >> And Lass points to Wendy's family. Her parents and her brother who run that. very successful South Florida dental. clinic. [music]. >> A family desperately wants her back in.

South Florida. They hate Danny [music]. in a way. I've never seen this kind of. obsession. like their hobby is hating. Danny. >> Maya and Alex Greenberg tell police. about [music] this eye from the Adles. towards Dan Marco. >> They hated Danny. Really? They think. they're mean. >> I think they I mean to do some of the. stuff that they did during this divorce. with Danny. Just not reasonable. >> Hi, Mom. How's it going? I need you to.

sit down. So during this police. interview, Wendy asks if she can call. her mother, and she tells Donna that Dan. has been shot. He's not expected to. [music] live. >> Danny has been shot. >> There was a point where she was [music]. just kind of saying she was relieved to. find that her mom was surprised at the. news. >> Well, my parents sounded really. surprised, so it's at least a relief.

I was trying to think of who would be. angry enough to do something to him. My. parents would be angry, but they're not. capable of this. >> And Wendy makes this [music] startling. comment about something her brother. Charlie once said to her. >> My brother, um, the one, his name is. Charlie, the one I'm really close to. He. makes a lot of jokes and bad taste. And. it was a joke he made. Oh, I looked into. hiring a hitman and it was cheaper. [music]. to get you this TV. So instead, I got. you this TV. It was my divorce present. >> Okay.

>> Such a horrible thing to say. [snorts]. >> Would you think that this guy Charlie. would even be capable of doing something. like this? >> No. >> Let's just talk. >> He's the joker. >> Okay. >> Charlie was always someone who was. smiling. Always someone who would have a. good time. >> Wendy's older brother, Charlie, had a. reputation as a fast living, funloving. playboy. >> He's so smart. He's intelligent [music]. and he's fun. >> He throws his money around. He's a bit.

of a player. >> Charlie always has a girl that I can't. keep up. >> It seemed like [music] Charlie had two. different types of friends, you know, people we kind of grew up with, like. normal, nice people. He also seemed to. have maybe friends that were from the. wrong side of the tracks. If somebody tried to kill my ex-husband, I think it should be prosecuted to the. full extent of the law, >> regardless of who it is.

>> I mean, it would be different if I. thought it were my brother, but I don't. think it was my family. Anyone outside. my immediate family, that's a tough one. But I don't think my immediate family. did this. So, >> if it's anybody else, yeah. >> And it turns out that Wendy's family was. nowhere near Tallahassee the day Dan was. shot. Wendy later releases a statement through. her attorney saying, "My family had. nothing to do with this." And quickly. moves to South Florida [music] with her. two sons. Meanwhile, as police continue their.

investigation, they have just [music] a. single solid lead from the crime scene. The neighbor did see a car backing away, something that looked similar to a. Prius, and that's all that police had to. go on. You said there was another. vehicle that you saw driving away. >> Yes. And it it left scene rapidly. It. looked sort of like a Prius. >> Police are able to identify a green. Toyota Prius at the fitness center where. Dan Markell worked out the morning he.

was shot. >> He [music] exercises, comes back out, goes to his car, and the same vehicle, which hasn't left the parking lot, is. then [music] seen pulling out of the. parking lot, following behind the. victim. The Prius was really the thing that they. focused on initially. They had. surveillance video of it from [music]. city buses that it had driven by. Intersection cameras were able to. capture it. >> We also find that car on video on a bus. camera pulling into the victim's.

neighborhood or thereabouts shortly. before the murder. >> And they notice there's a Sun Pass. It's. the uh the toll road [music] pass. Now. in Tallahassee at this time, we don't. have any toll roads, so people don't go. around with sunpass screeners. They then began this absolutely. extensive search all over [music] the. state for this type of color, this type. of Prius with the SunPass on it. When. police pulled those toll records, it led.

them here to this hole-in-the-wall. rental agency here in Miami that rents. mostly hybrids. Now, inside a contract. was signed leading police to the men who. rented that green Prius. >> And when they went and looked at who. signed for the car to be rented, their. names were right there. >> Who are these two men? >> I want to know what made them come to. Tallahassee and kill our friend.

>> It's very strange. I mean, people, they. don't know him. You never heard of him? >> The mystery surrounding those two men. would lead to an undercover encounter in. South Florida. >> Excuse me, Mrs. Add. How you doing? Just want to give you. this. I'll listen. >> Ear. >> And a cryptic call between mother and. son. >> I got some I got some paperwork hand. delivered to me. >> Does it involve me or other people? >> Well, probably both people. You probably.

have a general idea what I'm talking. about. 10 months ago, someone killed the father. of my children. First, we got divorced, [music] then he. got murdered. >> A law school professor is shot down in. cold blood. Now, the murder trial. arrived for the jury. >> Teaming with hired hitmen, hidden. recordings, and family secrets.

When Wendy Adlesen walked into the. courtroom to take the stand, how does. she feel about the fact that the state. is saying her family is involved in this. murder? >> Charlie is basically your prime suspect, at least within that family. >> I mean, he's a suspect. >> Wendy Aden had a problem, and her. problem was named Dan Markel. >> Dr. were you involved in a plot to kill your.

brother-in-law Dan Markell before the. shooting? Did you ever discuss hiring a. hitman? >> Somebody hired him, but who? What will. the jury [music] decide? If they think. the police are coming to you to talk to. you, they will kill you. Look at what. they did to Professor Markeel.

Tallahassee police now scrambling to. unravel the riddle of who killed Florida. State University professor Dan Markell. >> Tomorrow marks one [music] year since. his death. >> So far, there are no good leads, so. they're asking for your help. [music]. >> Does the story kind of just drop off? >> It did. There was not a whole lot of. information that came out really almost. 2 years with no answers. The community. thinking, "What happened? Do cops just. not have any information? No leads?".

>> I was thinking that my god, it's never. going to go anywhere. It's 2 years and. nothing. Nothing. What is so sad for the Markell's besides. this horrible violent death of their. son, they don't have connection to his. children. >> After Dan was murdered, [music] the. children went back to South Florida with. Wendy. >> And then a series of things happened. [music] afterward that compounded that.

grief for the Markell's. One of those. things was learning that Wendy had. changed the boy's last name from Markel. to Aden. Her excuse was that she was. concerned for the safety [music] of the. kids. I was shocked. I was angry. They. just want to wipe the Markel family off. the. off the earth. We don't exist. >> So, the Adles are still running their. dentistry practice in South Florida. >> They're all living their lives down. there. The children are growing up.

>> They have adamantly denied any [music]. connection to the homicide or any. involvement. It appears that the Adles get what they. wanted. Wendy finds a law job in Miami. She. enrolls her sons in school. [music]. She even makes time to take a podcasting. class where she lays bare her feelings. about her ex-husband, Dan Markell. >> 10 months [music] ago, someone killed. the father of my children. First, we got divorced, [music] then he.

got murdered. She makes this joke in the podcast that. she doesn't know how to refer to Dan. >> I don't know whether to call him my ex. late late spouse or my late expouse. except that late expouse sounds like. latex spouse. >> For Dan Markel's survivors, of course, it didn't play well. >> It feels sacrilegious [music] these days. even to suggest something less than. heroic about my latex husband because he. was murdered. I don't think she set out.

to disparage Dany so much as she, you. know, was reflecting honestly on what. the experience was like for her. Behind the scenes, Tallahassee police. are homing in on who was driving that. green Prius away from the crime scene. Through meticulous police work, they. traced the car to a rental lot in Miami. And when they went and looked at who. signed for the car to be rented, Luis.

Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia, Sigfredo. signed it that he was the brother of. Luis Rivera. Sigfredo Garcia was a. low-level criminal. Had some drug arrest. down in Miami. Luis Rivera, however, uh. >> more of a hardened criminal. >> More hardened criminal involved in a lot. of gang activity. Lewis was an. acknowledged member of the Latin Kings. He was a crown. He was a a big deal in. the Latin Kings. They rented it in their. names with their phone numbers with a.

sunpass. They had their phones on while. they were driving up there. Essentially, they just wrote a map for the cops. [music]. >> Investigators were able to later use. cell phone tower pings to show when. phone calls were made from Sigfredo. Garcia. They placed Garcia near Dan. Markell's neighborhood at about the time. of the homicide using the cell phone. data. We also have the ATM video where on the.

day of the homicide, the two killers are. seen driving through an ATM in that Pine. Micah Prius. >> The police, they had a substantial. amount of information to begin. collecting a warrant to to arrest these. guys. Police think they figured out who. committed the murder and how they did. it, but they're left with the question. of why. >> Why would someone commit this crime? Sigfredo Garcia and Lewis Rivera didn't.

even know Dan Marco. >> They discover that there is a link and. there's a a mysterious woman who will be. connected to this case. In what way are the alleged killers. linked to the [music] Adles? >> Through Katherine Maganua. >> And who is she? >> She is Garcia's child's mother. >> Uh-huh. >> And she is also the former girlfriend of. Charlie Aden.

>> How long were she and Charlie together? >> I think they were together for quite. some time before the homicide. Katie becomes this conduit, this this. connection point between the Adlesen's. and Dan Markell's murder. Absent her, you have nothing that links [music] any. of these people directly. >> Investigators start to form a picture of. a complicated web involving two accused. hitmen, a female companion, and the.

[music] brother of Dan Markell's. estranged ex-wife. As police try to piece this puzzle. together, they start by building a. timeline of the suspect's actions. And. that means looking at their phone. records. >> And once you get that phone you think is. involved, then you get a pen register. Who' they call? Katie Me Bonoa, the. intermediary. And then they get her. phone. Who she calling the day of the. crime? Charlie Adles. >> So investigators set out to follow the.

money. So, the strategy would be to work. yourself to the money man, to the the. heart of the conspiracy. Katie was the alleged facilitator. Investigators discover that in the. months after the murder, Katie McBan. makes some large cash deposits and also. receives checks from the Aden Institute. >> She was collecting checks from the. dentistry. Uh, you know, it was not. necessarily clear what she was doing for. the payment there.

And Katie buys a luxury car from the. Adlesen's for below sticker price. When. you dig a little bit deeper into the. various ways that Katie may have been. compensated, one way it is through. breast augmentation surgery, although there's no direct paper trail, investigators suggest Charlie Adlesen. may have helped pay for her procedure. The allegation is that Katie may have. enhanced her physique on the Adlesen's.

dime. So, cars, surgery, cash, and then. a job that wasn't really a job. Who. launched the conspiracy? Whose idea was. it in the first place? The cops felt it. was Charlie Anderson's, but they still. can't get to him. You've got the. circumstantial evidence of Charlie and. Katie uh being involved in this, but uh. what they're going to need is somebody. who's going to tell them exactly what. happened. Probably a jail house snitch.

[music]. When it came to identifying possible. suspects who might want Dan Markell. dead, detectives [music]. felt compelled to circle back to that. startling statement Wendy made to them. early in the investigation. >> My brother, um, the one, his name is. Charlie, the one I'm really close to, he. makes a lot of jokes and bad taste, and. it was a joke he made. He said, I I, you.

know, I looked into hiring a hitman and. it was cheaper to get you this TV, so. instead I got you this TV. But Wendy's former [music] boyfriend, Jeff Lacass, told police that when she. related the account to him, there was. nothing funny about it. >> She told me that Charlie had looked into. having Danny killed [music] in summer of. 2013. She meant it dead serious. I can just say I would be investigating. Charlie Adon. Now, I don't know if you did this, but.

if you're looking at somebody, don't miss him. With the Adlesen's firmly on their. radar, investigators in South Florida. now put the family under surveillance. >> Police need more information on the. Adles. They want to see if they can. prove this conspiracy. >> But because there is no hard evidence. directly linking the Adens's to Dan's. murder, investigators come up with an. audacious [music] plan to confront Donna.

Adlesen outside her luxury condo. building in Miami Beach. sunglasses on. She's got a black cross body bag and her. hair is pulled back in the rain. >> They decided to do something called a. bump, which is what it sounds like. Let's see if what we can shake loose. [music]. >> Donna Aden is approached on the street. by a man she's never seen before. This. person turns out to be an undercover FBI. agent. >> Excuse me, Mrs. AD. How you doing? Just want to give you.

this. Um, listen. >> You scary. Bill, don't be scared. >> And he says that he was the brother of. one of the asalants and that uh he. needed something a little extra to take. care of. >> He helped your family with this problem. you guys had up north. He's going. through some rough times. >> The undercover detective says that I. want $5,000 for you to help my family. >> We want to make sure that you take care. of what he's going through the way. you're taking care of Katie and.

>> Well, this will explain it. Thank you. >> He hands her a piece of paper that has a. press release of Dan's murder on it and. it has a phone number for her to call to. make that transaction with the money. >> And Donna eventually calls the guy. >> Hello. [music]. >> I I have to tell you, I mean, this is. important. I I have been so stressed out. [music] because I don't know your friend.

who is in jail. I've never met him. >> Let's stop around, okay? You know who. Katie is and you know that Katie has. somebody that knows T and they took care. of a problem for you people. >> You talk to the right people, you talk. to people, you make this 5K come to me. That's all I need. Just do it and get it. to me. >> I'll call you back. >> When Donna called her son Charlie, it. led to a cryptic conversation. I got some I got some paperwork hand.

delivered to me. >> Does it involve me or other people? >> Well, probably both of us. You probably have a. general idea what I'm talking about. >> So, let's let's just find some time to. talk to each other. >> She doesn't use the words murder or Dan. Markell. She just refers to it as you. know about it. We'll talk later. It may. have to do with the two of us. >> The string of calls went Donna to. Charlie, then Charlie to to Katie.

[music]. >> It's either somebody's pulling your. bones, somebody is just harassing you, or somebody's trying to get something. out of you. >> When they do catch the person, they're. going to be asking him lots of questions. [music] about who Katie is. All I'm. saying is find out who the it is and. tell them to stop playing their games. I. don't know who you have to talk to, but. it's it needs to be nipped in the bud. You don't take that out. Scared the out. of me like somebody's saying my name out. loud or whatever. Whatever. >> Okay. Someone's messing with you.

They're messing with me. So, what I'm. saying is find out who the. word. >> While there's no confession on tape, police prepare arrest warrants for the. alleged hitmen, Katie Magbanua and. Charlie Adlesen. But at this point, prosecutors are only ready [music] to. pull the trigger on charging two of. them. One of the men accused of killing. FSU law professor [music] Dan Markell is. now behind bars. On May 25th, 2016, the. news breaks in Tallahassee of Sigfredo.

Garcia's arrest for the murder of Dan. Markel. Soon after, Luis Rivera is also. charged for the murder. >> We can provide additional information. regarding this investigation. Just 8 days later, the police released. the probable cause affidavit for. Sigfredo Garcia. In it, investigators. allege his involvement in this murder. stemmed [music] from the desperate. desire of the Adlesen family to relocate. Wendy and the children to South Florida.

>> They are mentioned in this probable. cause affidavit. They are the only. connection between Sigfredo Garcia and. Dan Markell. >> Later, the Aden family [music] released. a statement saying there's been a lot of. unsupported speculation that the Adles. had something to do with the murder. That speculation is categorically false. To be clear, none of the Adelins, Wendy, her brother Charlie, or their parents, Donna and Harvey, had anything to do.

with Dan's murder. >> It's all over the news. So, there's some. feeling of, "Oh, wow. >> We just pray that those involved have to. pay the price for what they've done.". Charlie Adlesen was approached by one of. our 2020 [music] producers and asked. about his alleged involvement in the. murder plot. Dr. Ad. >> Yeah. >> Were you involved in a plot to kill your. brother-in-law, Dan Markell? Before the. shooting, did you ever discuss hiring a.

hitman? >> To the frustration of Dan's friends, months go by with no further arrests. There was definitely a growing sense of. frustration wondering how the people who. had been hired to commit this act were. all in jail, but the people who had. allegedly hired them were not. [music]. >> Then in October 2016, there is a. dramatic breakthrough. Prosecutors.

announce a plea [music] deal with Luis. Rivera. They say he's ready to reveal. how he says [music] Dan Markell was. killed. You slely swear or affirm that the. evidence you are about to give me is the. truth, the whole truth, and nothing but. the truth. >> Yes, sir. >> In October 2016, Lewis Rivera really broke open the case.

[music]. He confesses. >> He showed you a picture of Markel. >> Markeel. >> and said y'all were going to go kill. her. Mhm. >> Rivera says they've already been given. $5,000 [music]. in traveling expenses from a mysterious. person that Garcia would only refer to. as [music] the lady. >> I asked him, "Why are you going to kill. her?" Cuz the lady wants your two kids. back. The Rivera plea deal was important. because although he was a gang member.

and part of this murder, everything he. said was corroborated by the other. evidence. >> Went to Marquel's house. Rig jumps out, goes around the car where he was. driving, shot him twice, got in the car, we left. He called Skat. We had dumped the gun. and then he called her and he said, "Everything is is done. Make sure you.

have my money. I'm on my way.". >> Once Luis Rivera starts talking and. gives all of this information to police, they now have enough to bring down their. next suspect, Katherine [music] McBan. Police in Florida arresting a single. mom, accusing her of arranging the. killing of a prominent Florida state law. professor. [music]. >> She was arrested and was offered full. immunity. Get out of jail free card. and. she turned it down. >> After Katie was arrested, Charlie's. anxiety just spiked 100%.

>> Junochinda was dating Charlie at the. time of Katie's [music] arrest. >> Once Katie got arrested, he would tell. me like how horrible it would be in. prison. Like they're getting food from a. tray and it's like isolation and this is. a murder case, so it would be for life. While June says Charlie is sweating it. out, in September of 2019, his previous. girlfriend Katie Magbana goes on trial.

>> It's a high-profile case that's [music]. garnering attention across the world. >> Everybody be seated, please. >> It was a big deal that this was going to. trial 5 years after Dan Markell's. murder. Sigfredo Garcia and Kathern. McBan are tried together. >> We'll start with the state of Florida. >> Wendy Aden had a problem. and her. problem was named Dan Markel and the. solution to that problem was Magdanoa. Rivera and Garcia [music] to execute Mr.

Markel in cold blood. Though prosecutors. are bringing this trial against Stfredo. Garcia and [music] Katherine McBadawa, they spent a lot of time during their. case pointing the finger at Charlie. Adlesen. As the prosecution calls its witnesses, [music] one of them causes jaws to drop. in the courtroom. It's Wendy Adlesen. testifying under a limited immunity. agreement about the bad blood between. her family and Dan Markell.

>> She fought tooth and nail [music]. against testifying. I'm. >> going to show you dates exhibit 36. Is. that a photograph of you and Katherine. McDonald at the beach. >> with her friend? Yes. And did you say. how you know there's my grandma? >> I She was dating my brother. >> Is it fair to say that your brother is. very protective of you? >> I think that's fair to say. Did he ever. joke about hiring a hitman? He did make. that joke. >> But the prosecution's star witness is.

convicted killer Luis Rivera, testifying. as part of his plea deal for a reduced. sentence. >> All right. So Garcia hired you to do a. murder, didn't he? >> Yes, ma'am. And who hired him? >> The um Addison family. >> Who gave you the money? >> Garcia. >> All right. And tell us about the money. How was it packaged? >> Money. Hundreds. They were stapled. >> Stapled. >> $1,000 staple. Each each one of them. >> When Charlie's girlfriend June takes the.

stand, she describes the curious way he. stashes his cash. In fact, you said that. the money was stapled into stacks of. $100 bills, didn't you? >> Um, they were hundreds. Yes. And I don't. know if they were stacks, but there was. a staple on it. >> I thought it was so odd. Why do you have. a staple in your money? >> At this point, the defense calls Captain. McBo to defend. >> Katie took the stand in her own defense.

>> Did you have anything to do with the. murder [music] of Dan Markell? No, ma'am. >> Did you get the father of your children, Mr. Garcia, to commit [music] a murder. on behalf of Mr. Charlie? >> No, ma'am. >> Based on everything you you've seen, do. you think Charlie was involved in this? >> Yes. At the end of this trial, the jury. believed Luis Rivera in his [music]. testimony for the prosecution that.

Sigfredo Garcia was involved in Dan. Markell's murder. >> We the jury find as follows count one, the defendant is guilty of first-degree. murder. >> But as for Katie McBan, it was a hung. jury. >> As to Miss Mcbanoa, I will declare this. case mistried. I'm certainly happy with [clears throat]. the outcome for Mr. Garcia and hope we. can have a similar one for Miss Magdan, whether it be today or in the future. >> For Katie, that future came 2 and 1/2.

years later when she is retrieded on. largely the same evidence. She again. testifies that she had nothing to do. with the murder and once again [music]. points to Charlie as the culprit. >> Do you believe that he should be. prosecuted for his involvement in the. murder of Dan Marl? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. She said that she believes he's. guilty and that she had nothing to do. with it. This time though, it did not. seem to sway the jury in the way that it. did the first time.

>> In the state of Florida versus Katherine. Magbanowit, on count one, which is. first-degree murder, you have been. [music] found guilty uh by a jury. You. will be adjudicated guilty and you will. be sentenced to life in prison. >> Now, prosecutors have three convictions. for Dan Markell's murder. >> [music]. >> And it turns out in the time between. Katie's two trials, there was another. huge development. This one involving. Charlie Adlesen. According to authorities, newly enhanced.

audio from the [music] FBI exposed. details from a secret meeting between. Katie and Charlie back in 2016. >> Listen, if they if they want to charge. you with something, charge me. If not, I. don't talk to college. Sorry. Here's a. guy who had all the swagger in the world. who was sort of daring police to come. after him. And Charlie's words might. just come back to haunt him.

In April of 2016, investigators secretly. record a meeting between Charlie Adlesen. and Katie McBanua at a South Florida. strip mall. It was so noisy inside it was hard to. make heads or tails of what was being. said. But then 6 years later, the FBI is. able to enhance that audio. And for. prosecutors, it's a game changer.

with you. makes me think they don't these people. have already. the thing that sealed the deal for. Charlie Adlesen was the Dolce Vita. recordings he's saying if I thought they. had enough evidence I'd be at the. airport suggesting [music] that he would. skip town if he thought there was more. evidence out there against Yeah,

>> a grand jury has now indicted Charlie. Adlesen in Markell's death. >> It was unbelievable. to hear. It was relief cuz it's taken so. long. Want the people that are involved. to pay the price. >> Aden is charged with first-degree. murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and. solicitation to commit murder. He pleads. not guilty to all charges.

On October 23rd, Charlie goes on trial. >> Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of. the jury. The attorneys are going to. present their opening statements. The. prosecution tells the jury that Donna. Adlesen turned to her son Charlie to. help her get Wendy and the kids back to. South Florida. >> This defendant carried out his plan to.

hire a hitman to kill Dan Markell. He. conspired and he solicited Katherine. Magano to get this murder done. >> Seat's case against Charlie Eden is a. case of assumptions. It's a case of guesses. During his. opening statement, defense attorney. Daniel Rashbound stuns the courtroom by. saying Charlie Adlesen wasn't the. mastermind of the murder plot. He was. the victim. Rashbound tells the jury that his client.

was being extorted by the killers for. about $330,000. after Markell's murder. you will learn. that Charlie Adlesen was told if he. didn't pay within the next 48 hours, he. or one of his family members would be. next. >> It was a jaw-dropping moment. I'm. scratching [music] my head thinking, is. that going to work? Is that going to fly. in this courtroom? The prosecution starts out by calling. many of the same witnesses who testified.

during Katie's trial, including June. Umchinda, Charlie's former girlfriend, and [music] Charlie's sister, Wendy. Adlesen. Wendy testifies she had no idea. her family was allegedly being. blackmailed by the killers. When did you. learn that Katherine Magano was. blackmailing your brother for the murder. of your ex-husband? >> Today. So, he never told you? No, >> your brother has known who killed your. child's father, and you didn't know.

>> I did not know. >> The courtroom is buzzing as the. prosecution calls a bombshell witness, Katie Mcbanua. And this time on the stand, Katie does a. complete 180. She not only testifies she. was in on the murder plot, she also. testifies that it was orchestrated by. Charlie. She was the one connecting all. of this. She reveals that it had [music]. been 9 months before he was killed that.

she was approached by Charlie Adlesen. >> He asked me a question. Do you know. anybody that can harm someone? >> And did you know anybody that could harm. someone? >> Yes, ma'am. I did. Sigh. [music]. >> So, you knew that the person that was. going to be initially harmed was Wendy's. husband? >> Yes, ma'am. Katie also testifies about how she says. Charlie directed her to transfer the. money to the hitman.

>> And [music]. where did you get the money from to do. that? >> From Charlie Adlesen. >> How was the money packaged when you got. it? I think you said you got it the next. morning. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. How was it packaged? >> The money was in a plastic bag, like a. ziploc bag, and [music] then like a. grocery bag over it. He said he wore a. glove so that there's no fingerprints on. it. >> Katie then goes on to strongly deny. being part of any blackmail plot against.

Charlie Adlesen. >> Did you ever blackmail Charlie Aden? >> No, ma'am, I did not. >> Did you ever threaten him in any way? >> No, ma'am, I did not. >> But then on cross-examination, Rashbound. goes on the attack. They have to poke. holes in her story and show that she. [music] is lying this time by raising. the issue of the immunity, the get out. [music] of jail free card that she was. offered. >> You were offered to cooperate against. Charlie Adlesen and the other Adles and.

you would get to go home to your kids, right? [music]. >> Yes, sir. >> You still didn't cooperate. Still, the. deal was still open, right? >> Well, the deal was to give up Charlie. [music]. >> And you couldn't do that? Because in. order to give up Charlie, I had to give. up Sigato, the father of my children. So. I couldn't do that. >> again. You lied when you testified that. you didn't know anything about the. murder of Professor Markeel, right? >> Yes, sir. I told you I lied in my first. and second trial to save myself.

>> Is it true that you were the mastermind. behind Professor Markell's murder? >> No, sir. That was Charlie. With Katie sticking to her guns, there's. only one other person who can confirm. the details of the alleged extortion. plot for the defense, and that's their. own client, Charlie Adlesen. >> That jury was on the edge of their. seats. That's high stakes, and that's. where the rubber meets the road. >> How do you feel right now? I'm.

>> really nervous. >> Why are you nervous? >> My whole life depends on it. A packed courtroom watches as Charlie. Adlesen takes the stand in his trial for. first-degree murder. >> Please raise your right hand. >> The courtroom is a buzz with the. anticipation [music] of what is he going. to say.

Nine years after that brazen daylight. killing of Dan Markell, his former. brother-in-law speaks for the first. time. >> How do you feel right now? I'm. >> really nervous. >> Why are you nervous? >> My My whole life depends on it. >> Dan Markell's whole family was there, his sister and both of his parents. [music]. >> On the other side of the gallery, no. support for Charlie Adlesen. his [music].

father Harvey, his mother Donna, they. haven't been there at all. >> With his client facing a potential life. sentence, defense attorney Daniel. Rashbound takes a calculated risk. putting [music] Charlie Adlesen on the. stand. >> Now, do you recall making a joke that. buying her a TV was cheaper than hiring. a hitman? It. >> was the stupidest thing I ever said in. my life. And I said it as a complete. joke and it was stupid, but I do that a. lot. Did you ever say that joke to.

Katherine Magban? >> Yes, I did. Ju. >> just to be clear, did you ever look into hiring a hitman? >> No, [music] never. >> We're leaning in to hear how he is going. to pin all of this on Katie. >> Right out of the gate, Aden puts it all. on his former girlfriend, testifying. that the night of Markeel's murder, she. makes a shocking admission. She [music]. said, "Listen, this is all my fault, but. I had no idea anything was going to.

happen. I spoke in too much detail about. your family's personal [music]. problems.". Charlie Adlesen is claiming that Katie. told her ex, Sfredo Garcia, a secret, that the Aden family had planned to. offer Dan a million dollars to agree to. allow his ex-wife to relocate to South. Florida after their divorce. She's like, "My friend killed Dan and he. wants to be paid a third of a million. dollars.". >> Incredibly, Charlie Adlesen claims that.

he was told just hours after the murder. who killed Dan Markell. >> That was a big shocker. >> He testifies that the hitmen wanted in. on that million dollars. So, they. murdered Dan Markell essentially on. spec. The idea being kill now, blackmail. Charlie, collect the money later. And. I'm like, Katie, I'm not going to be. part of paying for a murder. This is. insane. And and she's like, look, if you. don't pay in 48 hours, they will kill.

you. >> That's why Charlie testifies he paid. her. That same night, he gives Katie. $138,000. from his [music] safe. Over the months. that followed, he admits he paid Katie. thousands more and asked [music] his. mother, Donna, to put Katie on the. payroll at the family dental practice. She said, "What is Katie going to be. coming into the office? Is she going to. start working for us?" And I said, "No, she's she's not.". >> My mom thought it was like. >> And Charlie claims the police got it all.

wrong when they heard him on that Dolce. Vita tape. That he isn't the ring. leader, but rather a victim of this. scheme. >> What do they think? >> They think it was a murder for hire. And. that's. >> what was it? It was an extortion. >> During Charlie's second day on the stand. during crossexamination, prosecutor Georgia Kappelman goes right. after his claim of extortion. >> Doesn't blackmail or extortion usually. involve the extortionist having some.

kind of dirt on the victim? >> I know how this was done to me. I I know. what I'm just telling you what happened. to me. I don't I'm not an expert in it. And she wants to know when Charlie's. life is being threatened, why didn't he. go to the police? >> So, you knew you'd be believed if he went to. the police, right? >> I didn't I didn't know I'd be believed, but I I feared for my life. >> And what about Katie, Charlie's one-time. girlfriend, we he claimed to really care. about. >> You didn't offer to testify in her.

trial. You let her get convicted and get. life in prison, didn't you? I I thought. the truth was going to come out. >> Ultimately, the prosecution hammers. Charlie on the stand for two hours, but. he sticks to his narrative that he was a. victim extorted by the hitmen and Katie. >> It was the truth. [music]. >> Closing arguments is that's the last. chance you get to speak to that jury. He's got no more chances to try to sell.

this story. If this was a murder for. hire, why was payment not made before? See, because he had no idea it was going to. happen. That's the only thing that makes. sense. He didn't do it. He didn't. conspire to do it. He didn't solicit it. [music]. >> In her closing arguments, prosecutor. Georgia Kappelman takes the jury back to. the motive for the murder. So, who did it appear had a motive to.

want Dan Markel dead? His own family. >> The prosecutor says this was all about. helping Wendy. >> Wendy appears to be the weakling of the. pack. She needs to be saved by Donna and. the defendant. Donna is the overbearing. matriarch who nags everyone to death. And this defendant fancied himself the. savior of this family. equal parts black. sheep and mama's boy. >> And she attacks the suggestion that.

Charlie Adlesen is an innocent victim in. this murder scheme. >> Latin King extortion [music] payment. plans, hit men that hire themselves. And. most unreasonable of all is probably. that Charlie Adlesen, an arrogant man of. extraordinary resources, a prize fighter. of verbosity, would just lay down and take this. in silence. This might be a good time to remind you.

that the jury room is not a place to. check your common sense. We want you to. bring it in there and render a verdict. that speaks the truth. >> [music]. >> 9 years after Dan Markell was brutally. murdered in the garage of his. Tallahassee home, it's judgment day for his former. brother-in-law, Charlie Adlesen.

After deliberating for just 3 hours, the. jury's verdict is delivered to a packed. courtroom. We the jury find as follows as to count. one of the indictments first-degree. murder. The defendant is guilty of. first-degree murder. Charlie Eden is also found guilty of. conspiracy to commit murder and. solicitation to commit murder. He looked. devastated, deflated. [music]. You just saw Phil Markel let out this.

big exhale and lean [music] all the way. over with his head in his hands. Could. you just describe the moment for us? >> Unbelievable. >> Joy, happiness. Um, >> joy [clears throat] and happiness is a. funny thing to say, but it's sort of. tinged with this feeling of relief. >> The relief is relief. It's a long time. >> So long. >> Charlie's Aden is a convicted murderer. Now the state's going to focus on others.

who were involved. [music]. >> Is the investigation still going on? >> Yeah, it's Yes. But as this nearly decade old case. continues, [music]. what sometimes gets overlooked is that. at the heart of this story are two young. boys. >> These are our memories. >> After the Aden's alleged link to the. murder plot was disclosed [music] in. 2016, the Markell's were cut off from. Dan's sons.

These boys are missing out on a set of. grandparents that have all this warmth. and desire to spoil them and be. grandparents to them. [music]. Ruth told me she despared of ever seeing. her grandkids again. But with the help. of Dan's friend Karen Ciphers, she. successfully fought for the passage of a. bill known as the Markell Act. It allows. grandparents to [music] ask a court to. order visitation if a parent is found. responsible for the other parents death.

I know that this bill does not at this. moment apply to the Markell's. Wendy has. not been found responsible by a criminal. or a civil court. [music]. That said, within an hour of the Senate. passing the bill, Wendy reached out to. Ruth and offered her a visit with the. kids. [music]. >> You got to see the kids again. What was. that like? I hadn't seen these boys in. six years. I had no idea what they. looked like. And we were shocked. The.

kids were smiling. They were warm. >> And I said, "Can we give you a hug?" And. they really responded. >> It lit a spark of hope that something. was going to happen, that we might have. more communications with them. Their Markell [music] said that the very. next day those hopes they had were. dashed when Charlie Adlesen was. arrested. Since then they [music] say. the relationship with the kids has again. become strained and we just hope and.

pray that uh one day things will change. >> There is still hope. >> There's always hope. >> Living with that hope and we should. mention that Charlie Adlesen is. scheduled to be sentenced this coming. December. his defense team, David, telling us that they are likely going to. appeal his conviction. You've been listening to the 2020 True. Crime Vault. [music] Friday nights at 9. on ABC, you can also find all new.

broadcast episodes of 2020. Thanks for. listening.