Donna Adelson Trial: Sgt. Christopher Corbitt Reveals Wiretap Calls & Coded Messages
The jury in the Trial of Donna Adelson heard pivotal testimony today from Tallahassee Police Sgt. Christopher Corbitt, who meticulously walked them through intercepted calls, text records, and cell tower data. His work formed the backbone of the state’s investigation into the murder-for-hire plot that claimed the life of Dan Markel.
Corbitt explained how investigators tracked patterns of communication between Donna Adelson, her son Charlie Adelson, and Katherine Magbanua, using mirrored phones and wiretaps to capture conversations. Jurors saw firsthand how the family’s phone traffic spiked around critical moments—such as the hitmen’s trips to Tallahassee and the undercover “bump” staged against Donna in 2016.
One of the most striking moments came when Corbitt highlighted Donna’s first call after the bump: she dialed Charlie immediately. The prosecution argued that this reflexive move showed Donna’s awareness of the conspiracy. Jurors also reviewed a coded exchange in which Donna sent Charlie a message about a “birthday present,” with prosecutors alleging it was code for payments tied to the murder.
Why does this testimony matter? Because it strips away speculation and lays out a digital trail. Corbitt’s evidence connects Donna’s behavior to specific points in the conspiracy timeline, offering jurors objective proof that her actions weren’t coincidence. For prosecutors, this testimony is a chance to show that Donna wasn’t a bystander—she was an active communicator whose calls and texts tie her directly into the planning and cover-up.