The Dan Markel Case: Wendi Adelson's Lawyer Calls Out Her Accuser

Wendi's lawyer claims that Rivera is both ill-informed and not credible.

Wendi Adelson

Wendi Adelson

The biggest news out of confessed hitman Luis Rivera’s recent interview with police in the Dan Markel case was Rivera’s claim that Markel’s ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, had advance knowledge of, and possible involvement in, the plan to murder Markel. Until now, there wasn’t much evidence connecting Wendi to the killing. (There’s somewhat more evidence relating to Wendi’s brother and mother, Charlie and Donna Adelson; through their lawyers, the Adelsons have denied any involvement in the crime.)

In my story yesterday, I said I found Rivera to be a solid witness, although I questioned his claims about Wendi. I suggested that he didn’t know the full extent of the alleged plot and might have made some assumptions — perfectly reasonable assumptions, but assumptions nonetheless — about Wendi’s role (specifically, that she was involved in the hit because she was the main beneficiary of it, even though it’s possible that people close to her commissioned the murder without telling her).

Not surprisingly, Wendi’s high-powered lawyer, veteran trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor John Lauro, also has his doubts about Rivera’s testimony. From the Tallahassee Democrat:

“Rivera is hardly a credible witness, and as everyone in this investigation recognizes, he has no personal knowledge about the statements he made concerning Wendi,” Lauro said. “All of his alleged information is second or third hand and none of it has been corroborated during the investigation.”

Fair enough. Many other aspects of Rivera’s testimony are corroborated by other evidence — surveillance video, cellphone records, statements from other witnesses — but not his claim of a Wendi sighting the day before the murder. It’s not impossible — according to Lauro, Wendi lived about ten minutes away from Dan at the time, and they shared custody of their two kids — but it’s not confirmed. Also unconfirmed are Rivera’s claims of meaningful glances exchanged between Wendi Adelson and his alleged comrade in crime, Sigfredo Garcia.

But as I’ve said before, I’m keeping an open mind. If Sigfredo Garcia and Katherine Magbanua start cutting deals and pointing fingers at Wendi, then what Wendi called her “ill-fated romance” with Dan Markel will become more ill-fated than she ever imagined.

Sponsored

Wendi Adelson’s attorney questions Rivera’s credibility [Tallahassee Democrat]

Earlier: The Dan Markel Case: Luis Rivera Points The Finger At Wendi Adelson
The Dan Markel Murder Case: The Adelson Family Speaks
Wendi Adelson On Her ‘Ill-Fated Romance’ With Dan Markel


David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law and the author of Supreme Ambitions: A Novel. You can connect with David on Twitter (@DavidLat), LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can reach him by email at dlat@abovethelaw.com.

Sponsored