New murder charge in Florida death of Toronto professor
• A woman arrested in the death of a Canadian legal scholar in Florida has been charged with first- degree murder for her alleged role in what investigators have suggested was a murder-for-hire rooted in a bitter divorce.
A U. S. grand jury indicted Katherine Magbanua this week in the 2014 killing of Dan Markel, a law professor at Florida State University who was born in Toronto.
Magbanua is the third person arrested in the case.
In October, one of the two others arrested in the case, Luis Rivera, suddenly pleaded guilty to second- degree murder. He told investigators he and his co- accused, Sigfredo Garcia, were paid to kill Markel because the academic’s ex- wife allegedly wanted full custody of their two children.
Markel’s ex- wife, Wendi Adelson, and her family have denied any involvement in the death and she has not been charged. Her brother has come under police suspicion but is also not charged.
Police have said Magbanua was in a relationship with Adelson’s brother and was the only link between Markel’s ex-wife’s family and the two men arrested in the professor’s death.
Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman said this week it was possible Magbanua could help lead authorities to other arrests in the case, but noted that depended on the woman’s cooperation.
“If she co- operated and was willing to testify truthfully against other involved parties that could have an impact on additional arrests/ prosecutions,” Cappleman told The Canadian Press. “So far there is no indication that she intends to co-operate.”
Markel was gunned down in his Tallahassee, Fla., garage in July, 2014.
Police have alleged the hit on Markel was arranged by Magbanua, who had been romantically involved with both Garcia — with whom she has two children — and Markel’s brother-in-law.
Rivera has alleged Magbanua divided up payment for the hit. Police allege Magbanua received cheques from a dental practice run by Charlie Adelson and his parents, though she allegedly never worked there.