What to Know
- Additional charges were filed against Sigfredo Garcia and Katherine Magbanua on counts of conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder.
- Another man, Luis Rivera, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to seven years in prison.
New charges have been filed against two people accused of killing Florida State law professor Dan Markel.
The Tallahassee Democrat reports additional charges were filed on Wednesday against Sigfredo Garcia and Katherine Magbanua on counts of conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder. Garcia and Magbanua, two of the three people charged in Markel's 2014 shooting death, are already charged with first-degree murder.
Prosecutor Georgia Cappleman says the new charges don't stem from new evidence but instead an effort to reflect the scheme in its entirety. Magbanua's attorney Christopher DeCoste says the new charges reflect the prosecution's lack of readiness to proceed. Garcia's attorney, Saam Zengeneh, said Thursday it was too early to comment.
Another man, Luis Rivera, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Investigators believe that Magbanua was the one who connected Rivera and Garcia with the family of Markel’s ex-wife, Wendi Adelson. Officials have tried to link the ex-wife’s brother and mother, Charlie and Donna Adelson, to the case - but so far no charges have been filed.
Rivera is currently serving a 19 year sentence. He told officials that Magbanua relayed information between both Garcia, himself and the Adelson family as they drove from Miami to Tallahassee to kill Markel in the garage of his home. She allegedly delivered a package to both men the day after the shooting with money as payment for the crime.
