At Donna Adelson Trial, Witness Describes Scene Moments After Dan Markel Shot

Witness Testimony Begins

• 💡 James Guyger testified regarding the events of July 18, 2014, the day Dan Markel was shot.
• 🎯 Around 10:30 AM, Guyger and his wife heard a "popping loud sound" from their living room, prompting them to investigate.

Initial Observations

• 🚗 Guyger observed a light-colored Prius rapidly backing out of Dan Markel's driveway and speeding away towards Betton Road.
• 🔍 His initial thought was a burglary attempt at Markel's house, leading him to check the garage.
• 🏡 Upon his first inspection, he found Markel's garage door open and his car running inside, but no immediate signs of a break-in.

Discovering the Scene

• ⚠️ Feeling uneasy when Markel didn't emerge or leave, Guyger returned to the garage a second time.
• 🚨 He discovered the driver's side window shattered and glass on the ground, indicating a violent event.
• 🩸 Inside the car, he saw a "bloody head" moving back and forth, but Markel was unresponsive to his calls.

Emergency Response

• 📞 Guyger immediately realized the need for emergency medical assistance and called 911 after retrieving his phone from home.
• ⏱️ He estimated that 5 to 10 minutes elapsed between hearing the initial sound and making the 911 call.
• 💬 During the 911 call, he reported Markel's head was still moving, leading him to assume Markel was still breathing.

Background Information

• 🤝 Guyger knew Dan Markel and his wife Wendy as neighbors who had moved in about five years prior to the incident.
• ⚖️ He was aware that Markel and Wendy were going through a divorce and that Wendy had moved out.
• 🎓 Markel was known to be an attorney connected with the FSU Law School.