GUILTY FL - Dan Markel, 41, FSU law professor, Tallahassee, 18 July 2014 - #1 *Arrests*

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Jersey*Girl said:
Very sorry for such a great loss. :hug:

Thank you so much for this. Ok, wondering where he was positioned in his home. Was it near the front door? Could the culprit be a delivery person of some sort, or would that have been noticed in the neighborhood? Was he working on any shady crimes? With all of his opinion pieces, many which are utilized in various schools, it seems he is hands on in his investigations...or maybe it just appears that way on paper. Either way, is it possible he was investigating something serious that maybe ruffled some feathers? Oh, & have ballistics been released? Wondering what make of gun was used.
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I doubt Dan would have actively been involved in any law cases. Law professors write articles, theorize about stuff, etc. They typically do not have the time to get involved with cases. Sometimes law profs will write a brief, etc. but their influence on cases is pretty minimal. Some law profs are not even members of the bar! I also don't think his CV says anything about an active criminal law practice. Crim Law profs can typically only do some defense work since prosecutors work is done by state attorney and I don't think Dan ever had a criminal law practice as he went to a law firm straight out of school and entered law teaching 4 years later.

Dan was the kind of guy it seems who really cared about people and might have went overboard to help another person with his or her case or paper. So I think any involvement he had with law cases would have been him actively helping people rather than him getting enemies. I don't think he made many enemies in his professional life. It seems like from what I read, he was a tough prof but very fair, ie., kinda the tough love kind of prof who acted that way because he wanted his students to grow, and many students are writing looking back how much they appreciated that approach.
 
Jersey*Girl said:
Very sorry for such a great loss. :hug:

Thank you so much for this. Ok, wondering where he was positioned in his home. Was it near the front door? Could the culprit be a delivery person of some sort, or would that have been noticed in the neighborhood? Was he working on any shady crimes? With all of his opinion pieces, many which are utilized in various schools, it seems he is hands on in his investigations...or maybe it just appears that way on paper. Either way, is it possible he was investigating something serious that maybe ruffled some feathers? Oh, & have ballistics been released? Wondering what make of gun was used.
Click to expand...

I doubt Dan would have actively been involved in any law cases. Law professors write articles, theorize about stuff, etc. They typically do not have the time to get involved with cases. Sometimes law profs will write a brief, etc. but their influence on cases is pretty minimal. Some law profs are not even members of the bar! I also don't think his CV says anything about an active criminal law practice. Crim Law profs can typically only do some defense work since prosecutors work is done by state attorney and I don't think Dan ever had a criminal law practice as he went to a law firm straight out of school and entered law teaching 4 years later.

Dan was the kind of guy it seems who really cared about people and might have went overboard to help another person with his or her case or paper. So I think any involvement he had with law cases would have been him actively helping people rather than him getting enemies. I don't think he made many enemies in his professional life. It seems like from what I read, he was a tough prof but very fair, ie., kinda the tough love kind of prof who acted that way because he wanted his students to grow, and many students are writing looking back how much they appreciated that approach.
 
Jersey*Girl said:
Is it at all possible he shot himself? I'm thrown off by the investigation being labelled as a homicide but I thought sometime back that all deaths by gunshot are to be first investigated as homicide just to be thorough. In this case, there's the belief that he'd never have done this to himself since he's so esteemed and has accomplished so much. Not certain what to think here when considering the rumor mill. Where in his house was he shot? Was he near the front door? It was around 11:00 am Friday when police were called after a neighbor heard a loud noise. Did Markel teach any summer courses? If so, what time and days did he hold class? If not, maybe he had more time on his hands to miss his children. Divorce was final July 2013 but the case over money & custody/visitation was still ongoing. Is it possible a disgruntled student did this? Wondering when grades from Finals were in. Could a student have failed his class recently? Markel's ex wife wanted to move their kids 6 hours away but he was fighting her on it. Why move such small children so far away from their father without merit? Or is there a reason for it? Both are incredibly esteemed in their respective fields of law. It's such a shame for something like this to happen. Praying for the best.
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Law classes would have ended beginning of May. Probably grades would have gone out in mid June. It seems like it would be too long of time for a disgruntled student to hold a grudge - why wait 6 weeks after getting your grades? I don't think fsu has a summer school, most profs work on their own research over the summer. I believe the wife may have been from Miami so perhaps after the divorce she wanted to go back to her parents, she might only have been living in tallahassee for Dan, so I could see why she wanted to move back.

The whole case is just so incredibly odd and sad. Who shots someone in broad daylight? I suppose it was just luck that the neighbor heard the shots. Were they outside? The perp it seems had very little chance to escape- the neighbor probably ran over when heard the shots, so where did the perp go? Speed away in a car? Run to woods? How did they get out of there?

The scenarios are 1) something related to the divorce or a domestic situation with new girlfriend. Bases on statistics this is the most likely situation. But knowing that who would be stupid enough to murder someone in broad daylight where you would be the most likely suspect? Just weird 2) a disgruntled student or professional colleague or an angry neighbor; or 3) stranger or burglary gone bad. For some reason the cops ruled out the burglary situation. Why? I guess nothing was taken but to rule it out it had to be more than this. Maybe something in the way he died showed it was not just a panicked burglared shooting someone. But what? Was it a close shot? Weird angle?
 
Police seem pretty sure that it wasn't a robbery gone bad and that he was the intended victim:

""The investigation has provided no indication that this case is connected to a burglary or robbery," a TPD press release said. "There is no evidence this is a random act.""

In fact, the video at the link has a police spokesperson who sounds even more definitive that it wasn't a burglary/robbery/random: http://www.tallahassee.com/story/ne...tal-shooting-tallahassee-police-say/12977653/
 
Not sure if this counts as MSM, but Brian Leiter is a prominent legal blogger and has posted that FSU colleagues say that Dan was shot after opening the door to his home: http://leiterlawschool.typepad.com/leiter/2014/07/in-memoriam-dan-markel-1972-2014.html

If he were found shot in the doorway of his home w/ the door ajar, it would explain (1) how the neighbor heard the bang clearly and (2) how the police got in so quickly (didn't have to break in -- query whether they would break in so quickly for just reports of a loud bang). It would also explain why police are so sure this wasn't a robbery/burglary and that Dan was targeted: the fact he opened the door would imply the bell was likely rung (not exactly the standard MO for a would be robber); if nothing was missing despite the door being ajar, it would really suggest that it wasn't a robbery; if Dan opened the door and was immediately shot, the shooter definitely planned to shoot him and knew it was Dan he was shooting.
 
I'm confused... This "vehicle of interest" - no description? Also, there was another article that informed a vehicle was searched but info was redacted from the police report, etc. So this isn't the same car, right? Maybe something came over the tip line so police just released they're looking for this vehicle but its weird considering no description was given.
 
SeaEclipse said:
Not sure if this counts as MSM, but Brian Leiter is a prominent legal blogger and has posted that FSU colleagues say that Dan was shot after opening the door to his home: http://leiterlawschool.typepad.com/leiter/2014/07/in-memoriam-dan-markel-1972-2014.html

If he were found shot in the doorway of his home w/ the door ajar, it would explain (1) how the neighbor heard the bang clearly and (2) how the police got in so quickly (didn't have to break in -- query whether they would break in so quickly for just reports of a loud bang). It would also explain why police are so sure this wasn't a robbery/burglary and that Dan was targeted: the fact he opened the door would imply the bell was likely rung (not exactly the standard MO for a would be robber); if nothing was missing despite the door being ajar, it would really suggest that it wasn't a robbery; if Dan opened the door and was immediately shot, the shooter definitely planned to shoot him and knew it was Dan he was shooting.
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Thank you SeaEclipse. I wonder why would someone target him? From everything I'm reading, he's a pretty amazing man.
 
Jersey*Girl said:
Description?

http://forward.com/articles/202688/police-hunt-mystery-car-in-dan-markel-slaying/?
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Jersey*Girl said:
I'm confused... This "vehicle of interest" - no description? Also, there was another article that informed a vehicle was searched but info was redacted from the police report, etc. So this isn't the same car, right? Maybe something came over the tip line so police just released they're looking for this vehicle but its weird considering no description was given.
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Answer to my own question... Here's the vehicle of interest:

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2014/07/22/dan-markel-died-gunshot-head/13020049/

r8yybl.jpg
 
Probably not connected, but a few similarities between the DM case and the murder of DP and RW.
In the DP/RW case, both are well loved, respected and influential in the Toronto community, where they lived and have family.
Both are Jewish, and are often in Florida, where they were murdered in their home .
Initially no motive given, eventually it turned out that a ring was missing and LE are still looking for two female suspects. Fwiw...

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-Beach-Jan-10-2013&highlight=hallandale+beach
 
interesting connection (or non connection... just interesting that this made you think of that other case), dotr... I agree there are the similarities you outlined, but IMO too, it seems a stretch, yes.

and that looks like a Prius, no? I don;t know much other than what has been posted here, but I am certainly hoping for justice for this man, and peace to those who knew and loved him.
 
Hopefully TPD is checking into car rentals in the area to see if a vehicle of that description was rented. Also, I'm assuming that there was video of that car in the neighborhood at the time of the shooting; may be a potential witness or perpetrator. Let's hope they get a lead soon. I ache for his children. To lose a parent is so horrifically tragic, especially a loving and good father.
 
http://www.tallahassee.com/story/ne...seeking-information-car-markel-case/13067025/

"Investigators are asking anyone with information about the vehicle or a similar vehicle to call TPD at the designated tip line for this case, 891-4462. TPD has received more than 50 tips to the line and are continuing to follow leads. People also may call CrimeStoppers at 574-8477. Information leading to an arrest in the case could come with an award of up to $3,000.

TPD also received several video images of the roadways surrounding the incident location. Chief Michael DeLeo is asking anyone with personal surveillance cameras who live in the Trescott Drive area to contact the tip line. Northway did not say whether they have received any private surveillance tapes.

"Our hope is one of those cameras could provide us with a piece of vital information to bring this terrible tragedy to a close for all of those involved," DeLeo said."
 
http://abcnews.go.com/US/grim-details-emerge-fsu-professors-shooting-death/story?id=24691466
bbm

"A criminal law professor at Florida State University gunned down at his home was shot in the side of the head at relatively close range, ABC News has exclusively learned."


<<<< Snip>>>>


" One potentially big clue is that there was no sign of forced entry into the house.

&#8220;There&#8217;s not enough information to suggest that this is a contract murder. It certainly could be,&#8221; said ABC News consultant Brad Garrett, a former FBI agent. &#8220;The most likely theory is that it it&#8217;s somebody that he knows.&#8221;

With no suspects named, police are being careful not to reveal certain evidence.

&#8220;We must make sure that we are keeping the integrity of this case so we can bring it to prosecution,&#8221; Northway said.
 
I think profilers would say this is definitely a man. For lack of a better word, female gunners are often less comfrontational. Females tend to kill more in the sleep, I.e. Betty Broderick, or as part of a murder suicide or as part of a long drawn out psychotic episode. Usually shot husbands fit into one of those scenarios or else the wife makes it look like a suicide, creating some doubt. I cannot think of any cases where you have a female walk in broad daylight and execute someone. Why did not this killer do this at night? Much much less chance of getting caught plus it is likely the neighbors would not have heard. Could it be a contract hit and the person behind it wanted a clear alibi for the day? No one ever has a good alibi at night really as most of us are sleeping though I guess you could make yourself am alibi with phone call pings and Internet use.

I gather the shot must have been at the front door because if in the house, how would the neighbor have heard it? It looks like there is a healthy distamce between houses, how did the neighbor hear unless it is really loud? And did they run immediately or pause a moment to get phone? Scary for them because they probably just literally missed the killer. How did the killer get out of there?
 
Yellow said:
I think profilers would say this is definitely a man. For lack of a better word, female gunners are often less comfrontational. Females tend to kill more in the sleep, I.e. Betty Broderick, or as part of a murder suicide or as part of a long drawn out psychotic episode. Usually shot husbands fit into one of those scenarios or else the wife makes it look like a suicide, creating some doubt. I cannot think of any cases where you have a female walk in broad daylight and execute someone. Why did not this killer do this at night? Much much less chance of getting caught plus it is likely the neighbors would not have heard. Could it be a contract hit and the person behind it wanted a clear alibi for the day? No one ever has a good alibi at night really as most of us are sleeping though I guess you could make yourself am alibi with phone call pings and Internet use.

I gather the shot must have been at the front door because if in the house, how would the neighbor have heard it? It looks like there is a healthy distamce between houses, how did the neighbor hear unless it is really loud? And did they run immediately or pause a moment to get phone? Scary for them because they probably just literally missed the killer. How did the killer get out of there?
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Rbbm. Maybe the killer did not look intimidating, is a regular sight and would not attract attention zipping around, like a bike courier?
 
dotr said:
Rbbm. Maybe the killer did not look intimidating, is a regular sight and would not attract attention zipping around, like a bike courier?
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A bike courier would be out-of-place except in downtown (IMO). However an exercise biker or jogger would fit unnoticed in Betton Hills.

This neighborhood (I know it well) gets a lot of "cut-thru" traffic by locals avoiding Centerville, Miccosukie, Thomasville Roads & the congested area around the hospital. Any of the residential connectors around little ponds are much a much nicer drive than the frantic intersections one would encounter on the main roads.

Adjacent to Markel's house on 319, TVL Road, is a mixed zone. There is a bank, private school, public park, shopping areas, homes & condos. Other than security cameras around the bank & probably at the intersection of 319 & Betton Hills Road, one could "fade" into the backdrop of everyone else going about their own business. The neighborhood is old, has winding streets, huge trees & a lot of mature shrubbery. Most of the houses are older, well-kept & some have lots of a half-acre plus.

As stated earlier, my suspicions are all over the place... I think the timing will be key. I hope the cops know a lot more than we know. TPD has suffered some big black-eyes lately & need to redeem themselves.
 
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