TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – It’s Day 2 in the trial of a South Florida dentist accused of being the mastermind behind a murder-for-hire plot that left a Florida State University professor dead.
The state alleges that Charlie Adelson ordered the hit to kill FSU professor Dan Markel so that his sister, Wendi, along with her children could move to South Florida from Tallahassee to be closer to her family.
Charlie Adelson was looking on as his sister, Wendi Adelson took the stand again. But Friday’s testimony was focused on Wendi’s ex-boyfriend, Jeffrey Lacasse.
“Charlie had investigated all possible options to take care of the problem of Danny Markel including a hit man which would cost about $15,000. I late revised that and thought maybe it was $50,000 but the dollar amount was the only amount in question. She did say that Charles had looked into hiring a hit man to kill Danny Markel,” said Lacasse.
Charlie Adelson is accused of hiring two hitmen to kill his ex-brother-in-law Dan Markel.
The story unfolded like a movie script. In 2014, Markel was shot to death in his driveway by two now-convicted men.
Sigfredo Garcia is the man prosecutors say was the person who shot and killed Markel. He is serving a life sentence; Luis Rivera is serving 19 years in prison for his role in the murder.
Prosecutors have long alleged that members of the Adelson family were behind the plot because of a bitter child custody battle between Wendi and Marke. Wendi has not been charged with the murder.
Wendi took the stand after Lacasse and denied the conversation Lacasse said he had with her never took place.
Lacasse has said that Wendi tried to frame him for the murder.
“I’m suspicious that there was an effort made,” he said.