Katherine Magbanua (Broward County Sheriff’s Office)
Back in August, after Katharine Magbanua received a life sentence plus 60 years for her role in the murder of law professor Dan Markel, I noted that her attorney’s post-sentencing statement suggested that “Magbanua could be testifying again in the near future.”
As David Lat — who has kept on top of this case for the better part of a decade — flagged last night, it looks like Magbanua really might be about to testify:
Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera drove from South Florida to Tallahassee and fatally shot Markel in his driveway. When captured, Rivera told authorities that the pair were hired for the killing because “the lady wants her two kids back.” Wendi Adelson, Markel’s ex-wife with whom he shared custody, would take the children back to South Florida after Markel’s murder. In between the Adelson family and the killers sat Magbanua: Garcia’s ex-girlfriend and was then dating Adelson’s brother, Charlie.
That feeling when your web of conspiracy is a straight line.
Charlie Adelson now awaits trial after new audio enhancement technology applied to pre-existing audio of Charlie Adelson and Katherine Magbanua speaking over dinner allowed the conversation to be heard clearly for the first time. Presumably, the Proffer session mentioned in the filing is a prelude to a star witness turn at Adelson’s trial.
Though could it be more. Magbanua’s attorney stated over the summer that she “wants each and every person who had a hand in this and knows something about this to be brought to justice.” That’s a little vague, but it sounds like Magbanua knows of more than one person “who had a hand in this and knows something about this.” Could Magbanua be prepared to implicate more actors in this crime?
We’ll find out.
Earlier: Life Sentence In Law Professor Murder Case
Long-Awaited Arrest Made In Law Professor’s Murder
Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.
