Markel was murdered in Tallahassee, Florida, in 2014, in a murder for hire motivated by child custody issues following Markel's divorce from Wendi Adelson, a clinical law professor and child advocate also employed at Florida State University at the time. Wendi Adelson has not been charged, but she has been named, together with her brother Charlie and mother Donna, as "conspirators" in the killing. So far, four individuals have been charged: Luis Rivera ,Sigfredo Garcia,. Katherine Magbanua and Charlie Adelson (Wendi Adelson's brother) has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder, but has not yet been tried. Jury selection will begin April 24, 2023, and evidence will be heard May 1. The trial is tentatively slated to last three weeks.
