Dateline Tonight

Who is Charles Adelson & Where is He Now? 2025 Update & Background

by · Published · Updated

Charles Adelson once appeared to be a successful South Florida professional with a promising future. A practicing cosmetic dentist, Charles worked at his family’s thriving business, the Adelson Institute for Aesthetics & Implant Dentistry in Fort Lauderdale. Known for his flashy lifestyle, expensive tastes, and a high public profile, he frequently posted about fitness and luxury on social media. But behind the polished image was a man who, according to prosecutors, played a central role in the calculated murder of his former brother-in-law, Dan Markel.

Charles was the middle child of Donna and Harvey Adelson and the brother of Wendi Adelson, a law professor who divorced Markel in 2013. The family had long resented the custody arrangement that kept Wendi and her children tied to Tallahassee. Prosecutors would later argue that Charles was the one tasked by his mother with solving the “problem” — and that he turned to a network of personal relationships and criminal intermediaries to do it.

The Connection to the Murder

On July 18, 2014, Dan Markel was shot twice in the head as he sat in his car in the driveway of his Tallahassee home. For years, the case remained cold. But in 2016, authorities arrested two Miami men — Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera — for carrying out the hit. Their arrests pointed investigators to Katherine Magbanua, who had ties to both men and, crucially, was dating Charles Adelson at the time of the murder.

According to Rivera’s testimony and Magbanua’s statements during her later conviction, Charles initiated the plan and facilitated the payment — $100,000 for Markel’s murder. Magbanua acted as the go-between, organizing the hit and distributing the money. Surveillance, wiretaps, and financial records would later place Charles in the center of the conspiracy. The motive, as laid out by the prosecution, was to free his sister from legal constraints and allow her to relocate with her sons.

Surveillance, Wiretaps, and the Turn in the Case

Despite strong suspicion, Charles wasn’t arrested until April 2022. Investigators used newly enhanced audio from a 2016 undercover FBI sting at a restaurant, where Charles and Magbanua were recorded speaking in code about the murder and an attempted extortion plot. The sting — involving an undercover agent posing as someone demanding hush money — helped solidify the state’s case.

Wiretap transcripts showed Charles and his mother, Donna Adelson, discussing how to handle the fallout. During one phone call, they referenced the situation as “the TV thing,” allegedly code for the murder. Donna was also implicated in helping launder the money paid to Magbanua. The state argued that Charles was not simply reacting to threats — he was part of the problem, not the victim of it.

Arrest, Trial, and Conviction

After years of building a case, Charles Adelson was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder. His trial began in October 2023, nearly a decade after Markel’s death. During the trial, Magbanua testified that Charles had orchestrated the plan with his mother and used her to recruit the killers. She said the money was handed off the same night Donna texted Charles, “outside your house,” just before Magbanua came by to collect it.

Prosecutors presented a trail of evidence, including financial records, burner phone communications, and Charles’ own words from recorded conversations. On November 6, 2023, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts. A month later, on December 12, Charles was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus 30 years each for conspiracy and solicitation.

Where He Is Now

Charles Adelson is currently serving a life sentence in a Florida state prison. Once a dentist living in luxury, he is now inmate #Y62515 in the Florida Department of Corrections. He has lost his professional licenses, his freedom, and his public standing.

Following his conviction, his mother, Donna Adelson, was arrested while trying to flee the country. Charles testified at her 2025 trial as part of the state’s evidence, further solidifying the family’s collective downfall. In contrast, Wendi Adelson — the sister he sought to “help” — remains uncharged and continues to deny any involvement in the crime.

Charles Adelson’s case is a stark reminder of how personal grudges and a sense of familial entitlement can transform a successful professional into a convicted murderer. His descent from respected dentist to life prisoner is one of the most stunning aspects of the Dan Markel case — and a tragic legacy for all involved.

More “Deadly Mischief”

More Feature Articles

Avatar photo

Ryan Gill

Ryan is a passionate follower of true crime television programs, reporting on and providing in-depth investigations on mysteries in the criminal world.

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *