5 chilling details about the Dan Markel case from Dateline season 34 episode 5

Dateline revisited the Dan Markel murder-for-hire case with a clear, step-by-step account of how a custody dispute grew into deadly violence. The episode laid out who did what, when it happened, and how investigators pieced the case together.

Titled Deadly Mischief, season 34 episode 5 aired on Oct. 24, 2025. It focused on the Tallahassee shooting of Florida State law professor Dan Markel and the long series of arrests, trials, and verdicts that followed. Some listings have misspelled his last name as Dan Merkel.

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Case background for Dateline’s look at Dan Markel

Markel, 41, was shot in his garage on July 18, 2014, and died the next day. Police said he was the intended target. A neighbor’s 911 call and the sighting of a light-colored Toyota Prius gave investigators an early break. That car thread did not fade. It became a core clue.

The personal backdrop mattered. Markel and his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, had fought in family court over relocation and parenting time. Years later, five people were convicted in connection with the killing. Those included two Miami men who carried out the hit, a go-between who linked them to the family, and two members of the Adelson family.

Also read: Dateline season 34 episode 5: What happened in the Dan Merkel murder case

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5 key details Dateline highlighted in Deadly Mischief

1) A custody fight set the stage

The broadcast revealed that the dispute over where the children would live was more than just paperwork. Judges, filings, and hard lines over relocation built pressure. That pressure, prosecutors argued, framed the motive that later emerged in wiretaps, phone records, and testimony.

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2) The Prius, the 911 call, and the timeline

A neighbor reported a light-colored Prius leaving the scene after gunshots (Image via Pexels)

A neighbor heard gunshots and reported a light-colored Prius leaving the scene. Surveillance and toll data tied trips from South Florida to Tallahassee around the murder dates. The show mapped a simple chain: travel, surveillance of Markel’s errands, the shooting, then the return drive south.

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3) Phone pings and paychecks linked the players

Dateline outlined how phone logs and deposits helped connect Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera to Katherine Magbanua, and then up the ladder to the Adelson side. Checks from a family dental practice, sudden cash, and frequent calls after key events formed a paper trail the jury could follow.

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4) A 2023 trial ended with a life sentence

The episode summarized the trial of Charlie Adelson, who was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation after jurors deliberated for only a few hours. He received life in prison, with additional time on the other counts. Per AP News, prosecutors said he paid to have Markel killed during the custody impasse.

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5) The 2025 verdict against Donna Adelson

Donna Adelson was arrested at Miami International Airport in 2023 and later convicted in 2025 (Image via Unsplash)

The program also covered the conviction of Donna Adelson. Jurors found her guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation. The case featured undercover “bump” footage and jail calls that prosecutors said tied planning and payments to the family. According to NBC News, she was arrested at Miami International Airport with a one-way plan to Vietnam and later sentenced to life.

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Dateline: Deadly Mischief is available to stream on Peacock, NBC, fuboTV, Spectrum On Demand, and The Roku Channel.

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Also read: Dateline: Secrets Uncovered - 5 key details about Cathy Torrez's case

Edited by Preethika Vijayakumar