Man charged for murder of Toronto law professor Dan Markel

Dan Markel
Dan Markel WIKI COMMONS PHOTO

Florida police charged a man for the murder of Toronto native Dan Markel, a law professor shot outside his home in 2014.

Tallahassee police on Thursday arrested Sigfredo Garcia, 34, and charged him with first-degree murder, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. Garcia has been arrested at least 22 times in Florida.

Markel’s death is being investigated as a murder-for-hire.

Markel, who graduated from Harvard University, was a popular 41-year-old professor at Florida State University at the time of his death. He was a well-known criminal law scholar and had been published in the New York Times and the Atlantic. He was also the founder of a popular legal issues blog called PrawfsBlawg.

He was also a father to two young boys.

READ: MURDERED LAW PROFESSOR ‘BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER’

At the time of the shooting, investigators stated that Markel was the “intended target” in the shooting, adding that there was no evidence that the crime was a “random act.” At his funeral in Toronto, Markel was remembered as a respected professor, a devoted Jew, and a great friend.

“Danny was a person of strong principles and strong opinions,” said his sister, Shelly Markel. “Intelligent and articulate, he was proud of all his accomplishments, but there was one thing that towered above his pride; his commitment and love for his boys, Benjamin and Lincoln… He always knew his priority was his boys.”

According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Garcia’s previous arrests were for assaulting a police officer, aggravated assault with a weapon and car burglary among other charges.