TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - One of the accused in the slaying of FSU professor Dan Markel in 2014 admitted on Monday that he was part of the "hit for hire" scheme surrounding the professor's death.
After Luis Rivera reached a plea agreement in court last week that sentenced him to 7 years in prison, he admitted to investigators on Monday that he was part of the operation to kill Markel.
In a newly released video, Rivera detailed the car ride between he and Sigfredo Garcia, the other man accused in Marke's murder.
He mentioned to investigators how during their first trip to Tallahassee, they drove by Wendi Adelson, Markel's ex-wife, while she was with her children.
Rivera told investigators that he noticed Garcia and Adelson making eye contact and said he began to wonder she was. That's when he said he began suspecting that Garcia was displaying to Adelson that they had arrived.
Rivera also admitted that he strongly believed Katherine Magbanua, a woman with ties both to the Adelson family and one of the alleged shooters in his death, had a hand in everything from the beginning.
He said he heard Garcia having several phone conversations with her throughout their trip.
Rivera also added that he did not know who Markel was before Garcia let him in on the plan.
Rivera's confession comes after a long, complex investigation into the law professor's murder.
Beginning with a messy divorce in 2013, Markel's wife Wendi Adelson was denied a request to move her children to South Florida. In July of 2014, Markel was shot multiple times and died from his injuries.
One of the men that investigators believe was hired by the family of Adelson to kill Markel, Sigfredo Garcia, was arrested in May 2016.
In June, Rivera was identified by investigators as the second shooter.
Magbanua has also been charged in the law professor's murder, after court records suggested that she received payment from the Adelson's.
She is also the only connection between the Adelson family and the other alleged gunmen.
Though no first appearance date for Magbanua has been set yet, Garcia's next appearance has been set for Oct. 17th.
