Dan Markel

Florida State law professor Dan Markel was murdered in his own driveway on July 18, 2014.

Three years later, prosecutors are still trying to sort out what exactly happened that day, with theories that include an angry ex-wife, in-laws, hired hitmen — or all of the above.

It wasn’t until two years after the murder that the first arrests came, when Tallahassee Police revealed details of an alleged murder-for-hire plan. Police said that the suspected motive was a custody fight between Markel and his ex-wife over their two children.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Luis Rivera, the alleged getaway driver, accepted a plea deal and is expected to testify against Sigredo Garcia, the alleged shooter, and Katherine Magbanua, the alleged contact with the in-laws, both of whom are still awaiting trial.

No members of the family have been charged with any crime, and all maintain their innocence. Attorneys for the family, Magbanua and Garcia have reportedly called the idea of a murder-for-hire plot a “theory” and a “fishing expedition.”

Markel’s children live with their mother in South Florida.

“Not a week goes by that one of the neighbors doesn’t ask or comment, ‘What’s going on?’” said Markel’s friend and neighbor Reggie Garcia.

Contact Jesse Bernstein at [email protected] or on Twitter, @__jbernstein

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’re near the end of our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we have a very ambitious goal of $127,000 by April 21.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a Passover gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Make a Passover Gift Today!

$90 $180

$360

Other amount