The 4 Key Witnesses Expected to Testify Against Donna Adelson and What They Might Reveal

Donna Adelson is a name that has become synonymous with one of the most complex and chilling murder-for-hire plots in recent American history. Her story feels less like a real-life legal case and more like the script for a high-stakes television drama, where a wealthy family matriarch stands accused of orchestrating the assassination of her former son-in-law. As the trial approaches, the prosecution’s case won’t be built on a smoking gun or DNA found at the scene. Instead, it will be meticulously constructed from the words of others—a handful of key witnesses whose testimony is designed to connect every dot for the jury.

The entire legal battle will hinge on the credibility of these individuals. They are the human puzzle pieces that, when assembled, could paint a damning picture of a family conspiracy allegedly masterminded from the top. The state will argue that these witnesses, each from a different corner of this sordid tale, collectively prove that Donna Adelson was the driving force behind the murder of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel. Let’s break down who these four crucial witnesses are and what bombshells they are expected to drop in the courtroom.

The Bridge: Why Katherine Magbanua’s Testimony is the Linchpin

First up is Katherine “Katie” Magbanua, a figure prosecutors will portray as the essential link the bridge between two completely different worlds. On one side, you have the wealthy, educated Adelson family of dentists in South Florida. On the other, you have the street-level criminals who carried out the murder in Tallahassee. Without Magbanua, these two worlds would likely have never collided.

So, what’s her story?

Katherine Magbanua was, at one point, dating Charlie Adelson, Donna Adelson’s son. Simultaneously, she is the mother of two children with Sigfredo “Tuto” Garcia, one of the men convicted of murdering Dan Markel. This placed her in a uniquely pivotal and perilous position. The prosecution’s narrative, which has already successfully convicted Charlie Adelson, is that he used Magbanua as the go-between to hire Garcia and his associate, Luis Rivera, to kill Markel.

What will she say on the stand?

Having been convicted for her role in the murder and now serving a life sentence, Magbanua has little to lose by testifying. In Charlie’s trial, she provided a stunning, insider’s account of the plot. We can expect her to repeat and elaborate on this for the jury in the trial of Donna Adelson.

Her testimony will likely focus on several key areas:

• The Money Trail: Magbanua is expected to detail how Charlie Adelson funneled cash to her, which she then used to pay Garcia and Rivera. She’ll describe payments made in cash, stapled stacks of bills, and even paychecks from the Adelson Institute, the family’s dental practice. This testimony is vital to show that the hit was financed by the Adelson family’s resources.
• The Coded Language: She will likely testify about the coded conversations she had with Charlie. They allegedly used euphemisms, referring to the murder plot in veiled terms. Her explanation of these conversations will be crucial for the jury to understand the wiretap evidence.
• The Motive: Magbanua can speak to Charlie’s desperation and his repeated complaints about how Dan Markel was treating his sister, Wendi. More importantly, she can testify to the family dynamic, explaining that Charlie was acting not just for his sister but also at the behest of his mother, Donna Adelson.

Legal analysts, who have followed this case for years on outlets like the Law&Crime Network, consider her testimony to be the foundational element of the state’s case. She is the only person who can directly connect the Adelsons to the hitmen, and her words will be aimed at showing that this wasn’t just Charlie’s idea, but a full-blown family affair.

The Inside Man: What Hitman Luis Rivera Has Already Confessed

If Katherine Magbanua is the bridge, Luis Rivera is the man who drove the getaway car across it. As one of the two men who traveled to Tallahassee to execute Dan Markel, his testimony provides a chilling, ground-level perspective of the crime itself. Rivera, a former high-ranking member of the Latin Kings gang, took a plea deal years ago in exchange for his cooperation, and he has testified in every trial since.

What will he say on the stand?

Rivera’s testimony is straightforward, brutal, and to the point. He isn’t there to talk about family dynamics or complex emotions; he’s there to talk about the mechanics of a murder-for-hire. He is expected to tell the jury:

• The “Job” Offer: How Sigfredo Garcia, his childhood friend, approached him with a “job” to kill someone in Tallahassee for a woman who wanted her kids back.
• The Trip and the Murder: He will describe in graphic detail their trips to Tallahassee, how they stalked Dan Markel, and the moment Garcia shot him in his garage. This unflinching account is meant to show the jury the grim reality of what the Adelson family’s money allegedly bought.
• The Payment: Rivera will confirm they were paid $100,000 for the murder and describe how the money was delivered to them in cash by Katherine Magbanua.

While Rivera never met or spoke to Donna Adelson, his testimony is crucial for establishing that a murder-for-hire actually took place and that it was well-funded.

The prosecution will use his story to anchor the entire conspiracy in a grim reality.

His credibility has been attacked by defense attorneys in the past due to his extensive criminal history, but his story has remained remarkably consistent across multiple trials. In the strange world of high-profile legal cases, sometimes the most impactful testimony comes from unexpected figures; a career criminal in this case, much like how paula jones became a household name and a central figure in a national political scandal decades ago. Rivera’s testimony serves to remind the jury that this case isn’t just about family drama, it’s about a cold-blooded murder.

The Wild Card: Will Wendi Adelson’s Immunity Hold Up?

Wendi Adelson, the ex-wife of Dan Markel and the daughter of Donna Adelson, is arguably the most fascinating and enigmatic figure in this entire saga. She was the epicenter of the bitter custody battle that prosecutors claim was the sole motive for the murder. Her mother, Donna Adelson , was allegedly desperate for Wendi and the grandchildren to be able to move from Tallahassee to South Florida, something Dan Markel’s legal rights prevented.

Why is she such a wild card?

Wendi was granted limited immunity by the state early in the investigation in exchange for her cooperation. This means she cannot be prosecuted for the murder based on her testimony, as long as she tells the truth. However, she has consistently denied any knowledge of or involvement in the plot to kill her ex-husband.

What will she say on the stand?

The prosecution will call Wendi to the stand not because they expect a confession, but to establish the motive for the crime. Her testimony will be a high-wire act for both sides.

• The “Desperate” Mother: The prosecution will question Wendi intensely about her mother’s state of mind. They will want her to describe how much Donna Adelson hated Dan Markel and how obsessed she was with getting the grandchildren to South Florida. Wendi’s testimony about her mother’s vitriol is the most direct evidence of motive the state has.
• Suspicious Coincidences: Prosecutors will grill her on a series of odd “coincidences,” such as her brother Charlie giving her an old TV right around the time of the murder, which investigators believe was a front for a payment. They will also ask about a drive she took past the crime scene shortly after the shooting.
• Family Dynamics: Her testimony will provide a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Adelson clan. The prosecution will try to portray a family so enmeshed and controlled by Donna Adelson that they would do anything to make her happy.

Wendi’s situation is fraught with peril. If she is caught in a lie, her immunity deal could be voided. Her private life and relationships have been dissected in court, a painful process for anyone in the public eye, not unlike how individuals such as Kathleen Nimmo Lynch found their personal lives scrutinized under the harsh glare of a national scandal. For the jury, Wendi’s credibility will be a central question: Is she a grieving daughter trapped in an impossible situation, or does she know far more than she’s letting on?

The “Gotcha” Moment: Breaking Down the Undercover Agent’s Role

The final key witness is not a family member or a co-conspirator, but a law enforcement officer whose work led to perhaps the most damning evidence against Donna Adelson: the “bump” recording. In 2016, the FBI ran a sophisticated sting operation. An undercover agent, posing as a friend of the hitmen, approached Donna Adelson in public and handed her a piece of paper with a phone number on it, claiming that his “brother” (implying one of the hitmen) needed help.

What will this agent testify to?

The agent’s testimony will serve one primary purpose: to authenticate and provide context for the video and audio recordings of that encounter. The jury will see the video of Donna’s reaction and hear the subsequent panicked phone calls she made to her son, Charlie.

The agent will likely describe:

• The Setup: How the sting operation was planned and executed.
• Donna’s Reaction: He will describe Donna Adelson’s immediate reaction, her shock, her confusion, and how she quickly drove away.
• Authenticating the Evidence: Most importantly, he will legally establish that the recordings played in court are a true and accurate depiction of what happened.

This testimony is the setup for the prosecution’s knockout punch. The recordings themselves show Donna Adelson not calling the police after being approached by an apparent extortionist, but instead calling Charlie and speaking in what sounds like panicked, coded language. She is heard saying things like they need to find someone who knows how to get a “new TV” and discussing “the collection.” The agent’s testimony will tee up this evidence, allowing the prosecutor to argue that this is the reaction of a guilty person, not an innocent grandmother.

Weaving the Narrative for the Jury

These four witnesses, each from a vastly different walk of life, are the pillars of the prosecution’s case against Donna Adelson. Their individual testimonies will be woven together to create a single, cohesive narrative:

1. Wendi Adelson will establish the powerful motive of a mother’s desperate and obsessive desire to control her daughter’s and grandchildren’s lives.
2. Katherine Magbanua will provide the link, showing how that motive was translated into action through a conspiracy financed by the family.
3. Luis Rivera will deliver the grim proof of the crime, detailing the brutal murder that was the end result of that conspiracy.
4. The Undercover Agent will provide the final piece: Donna Adelson’s own words and reactions, which the state will argue are undeniable proof of her guilt.

Ultimately, the trial of Donna Adelson will be a battle of storytelling. The defense will work to discredit each witness and offer alternative explanations for the evidence. But the prosecution is betting that the combined weight of these four testimonies will be too much to overcome, proving that behind the facade of a wealthy, loving family was a criminal enterprise with a matriarch willing to kill to get what she wanted. Donna Adelson and the jury’s decision will rest on whose story they believe.