The fate of Fort Lauderdale dentist Charles Adelson, who is charged with the 2014 murder of Florida State University Law School professor Daniel Markel, will soon be decided by a jury. Adelson, who is the former brother-in-law of Markel, has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The murder occurred during a bitter divorce and custody battle between Markel and Adelson's sister, Wendi, who is also a law professor at Florida State University.

Prosecutors allege that Adelson orchestrated a sprawling murder-for-hire plot, with the assistance of his then-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua, to kill Markel. The plot was carried out by two individuals, Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia. Rivera, a member of the Latin King gang, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 19 years in 2016. Garcia was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 for his role in the murder.

In Magbanua's trial, she was found guilty for her involvement in the plot and received a sentence of life in prison without parole. During Adelson's trial, Magbanua testified as a witness for the prosecution and admitted to lying about her innocence in her own trial. She implicated Adelson in the murder, stating that he came up with the idea to kill Markel and repeatedly expressed his desire for the job to be done. Magbanua testified that Adelson asked her if she knew anyone who could harm someone, and she understood that the person he wanted to harm was his sister's husband.

Rivera also testified, stating that he and Garcia were hired by Magbanua for $100,000 to carry out the murder. He testified that the money came from Adelson, who was referred to as "The Dentist." Adelson, however, denied any involvement in the plot and claimed that the murder was carried out to extort money from his family.

In his own defense, Adelson testified that he had discussed the custody dispute and the stress it caused his family with Magbanua. He claimed that the family was prepared to offer Markel $1 million to walk away from the dispute and allow Wendi to relocate with their children to South Florida. Adelson said he shared this information with Magbanua. According to his testimony, Magbanua later informed him that a friend of hers had acted on his own to kill Markel and was now demanding more money. Adelson claimed he paid to protect himself and his family because he believed he would be extorted or killed.

Adelson spent over seven hours on the witness stand, testifying about his version of events. Closing arguments are expected to take place on Monday.

In a surprising turn, Adelson's lawyer questioned him about why he never revealed his version of the story to the authorities. Adelson stated that no one had asked him about it, and he believed that the truth would come out eventually. Prosecutors argued that Adelson's actions, such as giving Magbanua a large sum of money, spending the night with her, and continuing a relationship with her, contradicted his claim of being extorted. They suggested that Adelson was the mastermind behind the murder-for-hire plot.

The trial has shed light on the complex and contentious dynamics within the Adelson and Markel families, with a custody battle at the center of the motive for the murder. Adelson's defense hinges on his claim of being an unwilling participant in an extortion plot, while the prosecution maintains that he orchestrated the murder of Markel.

Both sides will present their closing arguments before the jury begins deliberations. The outcome of the trial will determine Adelson's fate in the murder of Daniel Markel.