Florida Law Professor's Killer Gets Life in Prison

A Tallahassee jury rejected the death penalty for Sigfredo Garcia four days after they found him guilty of murdering up-and-coming law professor Dan Markel.

October 15, 2019 at 12:13 PM

4 minute read

The original version of this story was published on Daily Business Review

Sigfredo Garcia will spend the remainder of his life in prison for the 2014 murder of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel.

A Tallahassee jury deliberated for 40 minutes before recommending a life sentence over the death penalty—the only other option available after they found him guilty of first-degree murder Oct. 11. Judge James Hankinson of the Second Circuit Court of Florida followed the jury's recommendation and officially handed down a life sentence for the first-degree murder conviction, as well as a 30-year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder, to be served consecutively with the life sentence. Garcia will not be eligible for parole.

Garcia appeared relieved when the jury delivered its recommendation. Deputy assistant state attorney Georgia Cappleman told the jury in her closing arguments during sentencing that the death penalty is appropriate because Garcia had ample time to reconsider his role in Markel's murder, which was in the works for well over a month before it happened.

Resources