The Murder of Dan Markel: The Family Behind a Murder-for-Hire Plot
A new Hulu docuseries is about to put one of the most complicated murder-for-hire cases in recent memory back in the spotlight. Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel premieres September 1, and the four-part series promises new audio and first-time interviews connected to the long-running investigation.
Before you watch, we want to point you to our two-part coverage of Dan’s case. The murder of a respected Florida State University law professor became a story of divorce, custody, family pressure, hired killers, years of courtroom twists, and a question that has followed the case from the very beginning: how far would someone go to get what they wanted?
Listen to our coverage: Dan Markel, Part One and Dan Markel, Part Two.
The Murder of Dan Markel
Dan Markel was a law professor at Florida State University and the father of two young boys. He and his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, had been through a difficult divorce and custody dispute. Wendi wanted to move with the children to South Florida, where her family lived, but a judge denied the relocation request in 2013.
On July 18, 2014, Dan was shot in the garage of his Tallahassee home. Investigators quickly determined that he had been targeted. What initially looked like a shocking, isolated killing would eventually reveal a murder-for-hire conspiracy with connections stretching from Tallahassee to South Florida.
The case did not move quickly. It took years of interviews, wire recordings, phone records, surveillance footage, and trials before the full picture began to emerge. But the people who loved Dan never stopped looking for answers.
The people convicted in the murder-for-hire plot
Five people have been convicted in connection with Dan Markel’s murder: Sigfredo Garcia, Luis Rivera, Katherine Magbanua, Charlie Adelson, and Donna Adelson.
Garcia and Rivera were identified as the men who traveled from South Florida to Tallahassee in the days before Dan’s death. Rivera later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Garcia was convicted of first-degree murder in 2019.
Katherine Magbanua, who had previously been in a relationship with Charlie Adelson, was convicted after a retrial in 2022. Charlie Adelson was convicted in 2023 of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder. In July 2026, a Florida appeals court upheld his convictions and life sentence.
Donna Adelson, Dan’s former mother-in-law, was also convicted in the case. Prosecutors had described the murder as stemming from the bitter custody conflict that followed Dan and Wendi’s divorce.
Wendi Adelson has not been charged. Prosecutors have identified her as an unindicted co-conspirator, and she has maintained her innocence.
What Hulu’s new Dan Markel documentary adds
Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel is produced by ABC News Studios and will include exclusive audio, along with first-time interviews from people close to the investigation and the Adelson family.
One of those voices is Rob Adelson, the oldest Adelson sibling, who has been estranged from the family. The documentary also includes former FBI agent Pat Sanford, who worked on the case, and June Umchina, Charlie Adelson’s former girlfriend.
That is what makes this premiere worth watching even if you have followed the case for years. This is not simply a recap of a murder-for-hire plot. It is a chance to hear from people who have not previously told their stories publicly.
Listen to our two-part Dan Markel series before you watch
Dan’s case has so many moving pieces that it is difficult to understand in a single sitting. From the custody battle and the unusual clues investigators followed to the complicated relationships at the center of the case, every layer raises more questions.
If you are watching the Hulu series next week, start with our two-part Moms and Mysteries coverage first. We walk through the case from the beginning and follow the investigation that led to five convictions.
Listen to Dan Markel, Part One
Listen to Dan Markel, Part Two
The Markel family waited years for accountability. As the new Hulu series brings the case to a much larger audience, we would love to know: will you be watching, and what part of this case has stayed with you most?
Source Notes
[1] Deadline, Hulu To Explore Murder Of Dan Markel In Docuseries
[2] WCTV, timeline of key dates in the Dan Markel murder case
