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Katherine Magbanua testifies on day nine of retrial

Posted at 10:35 PM, May 26, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-26 23:34:46-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — One of the biggest things Katherine Magbanua focused on while testifying in her defense was clearing up what was going on in the 2014 undercover video of her talking with Charlie Adelson in a South Florida restaurant.

In that recording, you can hardly hear Magbanua speak, but she said she never talked about murder, and didn't know any details about the murder.

She also said through her testimony Thursday that if she knew at that time who murdered Dan Markel she would have gone to the police .

During her testimony, Magbanua also talked about her relationships with both Adelson and Sigfredo Garcia, the father of her children, who are both currently in jail for their role in Markel's death.

She also responded to Luis Riveria's testimony about her taking Garcia to rent a car ahead of Markel's murder.

When asked repeatedly about having any connection in Markel's murder, she said she was innocent.

"Did you have anything to do with the murder of Dan Markel," asked Magbanua's attorney Tara Kawass during questioning. "No Ma'am," responded Magbanua.

Also testifying Thursday, four investigators who were involved in the original investigation along with Ryan Fitzpatrick, a former friend of Charlie Adelson.

Fitzpatrick touched on the personality of Adelson and how much him he says the Adleson family disliked Markel.

Judge Robert Wheeler expects closing arguments to wrap by lunch tomorrow.