Paul L. Caron
Dean





Sunday, October 2, 2016

Katherine Magbanua (Mother Of Hit Man's Children, Worker In Adelson Dental Practice, Girlfriend Of Charlie Adelson) Charged With Murder of Dan Markel

MagnaubaTallahassee Democrat, Suspected Link in Markel Killing Charged With Murder:

Katherine Magbanua, the suspected link between the family of Dan Markel's ex-wife and the two men accused of shooting him, was arrested on murder charges in Broward County.

Magbanua, 31, was booked into the Broward County Jail on Saturday.

Police say Magbanua connected Sigfredo Garcia, the father of her two children, and Luis Rivera with the family of Markel’s ex-wife Wendi Adelson.

Investigators say Rivera and Garcia were hired to kill Markel in connection with his acrimonious divorce from Adelson. They were charged with first-degree murder in May. ...

Police say Rivera and Garcia, who will stand trial Oct. 24 and Nov. 14 respectively, traveled to Tallahassee from Miami in a rented Toyota Prius. Multiple security cameras showed them tailing the 41-year-old throughout the day he was killed. A similar Prius was seen leaving Markel's home after sounds of gunfire were heard by a neighbor.

The first person Garcia called when his phone was picked up on cellular towers in the Lake City area after the shooting was Magbanua. The call to Magbanua was one of 2,700 investigators found Garcia made to her between May 1, 2014, and July 19, 2014 — the day after Markel’s killing.

Prosecutors have called Magbanua a suspect, or at least a witness, in the killing for months. Last month they sought records of a breast enhancement procedure she had they say was partially paid for by Charlie Adelson. At one point, the two were involved in a romantic relationship, court records say. Call records show she is one of the periodontist's top contacts.

Following the slaying, Rivera and Garcia purchased several cars and motorcycles around the same time Magbanua began receiving paychecks from the family's dentistry practice, court records say. The checks were handwritten and signed by Donna Adelson. ... 

Police found between Markel’s killing in July 2014 and Nov. 2015, Magbanua deposited more than $56,000 in cash into her bank account. ... “Investigators believe that Magbanua is supported financially by Charlie Adelson," court records say, "and has received numerous benefits from the Adelsons since Markel’s murder.”

ABC News, New Suspect Arrested in 2014 Murder of Florida Professor Dan Markel:

An attorney for Magbanua, Tara Kawass, declined to directly comment on the allegations, but released this statement to ABC News late Saturday. "Katherine is a single mom who has no prior convictions. There was no reason to arrest her like this. Our sole priority right now is getting her on bond so she can take care of her two kids."

No one in the Adelson family has been charged in connection with Markel's murder, and their attorneys have described allegations by police that the family was involved in the killing as "fanciful fiction."

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2016/10/katherine-magbanua-mother-of-hit-mans-children-receptionist-in-adelson-dental-practice-charlie-adels.html

Legal Education | Permalink

Comments

My comment posted above on Oct. 2, 2016 referencing the two children will be cared for by the State if no family member steps forward was not speaking of Dan Markel's two young sons. Rather it was referring to the two children of Katherine Magbanua.

Posted by: Elsie Harlow | Oct 8, 2016 12:04:25 AM

Day after extradition to Tally Charlie is arrested at his office with cams rolling.

Posted by: Andrew | Oct 3, 2016 11:45:24 AM

The racial and/or class & wealth optics as to who's been charged and arrested here and who has not stink to high heaven...

They don't stink. Some people cover their tracks better than others.

Posted by: Art Deco | Oct 3, 2016 9:57:16 AM

they will be cared for by the State if no other family member steps forward.

No doubt an ample supply of paternal side relations in Toronto. Grandpa Markel is 73 but still working and still looks vigorous.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-markel-25745431

Here's the aunt:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelly-markel-2006407

Two small boys would be an adjustment for a 47 year old spinster, of course.

Posted by: Art Deco | Oct 3, 2016 9:03:19 AM

The racial and/or class & wealth optics as to who's been charged and arrested here and who has not stink to high heaven...

Posted by: anon | Oct 3, 2016 4:57:45 AM

No sympathy here for Katherine Magbanua. She should have thought long and hard before apparently becoming involved in the center of a hit-for-hire. If convicted, it will have been her criminal actions which could leave her two children orphaned. At minimum though, they will be cared for by the State if no other family member steps forward. A lesson to all ever comtemplating such a heinous action.

Posted by: Elsie Harlow | Oct 2, 2016 6:28:03 PM

prosecutors will probably offer her a deal to get her to flip.

Posted by: Doodles Weaver | Oct 2, 2016 3:57:21 PM

And the noose tightens just a little bit more.

Posted by: Art Deco | Oct 2, 2016 1:21:38 PM

I am totally shocked. (I'm not.)

Posted by: Anon | Oct 2, 2016 10:14:32 AM

Busted!

Posted by: Andrew | Oct 2, 2016 7:47:28 AM

And what's changed since the PC document from a few months back was insufficient?

Also, if Magbanua (plus Garcia, plus Rivera) is arrested by Charlie hasn't been, what are the racial optics of those arrests? Yes, we know that Charlie's lawyered up to the teeth and you only get one shot at this, but...

Posted by: ppp | Oct 2, 2016 7:18:51 AM

I can think of another single mother of two kids... fatherless kids. If the main concern is the welfare of children, how about not having a father murdered and sending two kids to live with the alleged killers? The optics on the attorney's statement are a bit nuts.

Clock's ticking, Charlie & Donna, and Yom Kippur is on the way.

Posted by: ppp | Oct 2, 2016 6:57:34 AM