This is Steven Epstein's ninth and final guest post on his book, Extreme Punishment: The Chilling True Story of Acclaimed Law Professor Dan Markel’s Murder.
The following is an excerpt from Chapter 11, Gloves Off:
July 18, 2014 began as an ordinary summer morning at 2116 Trescott Drive. Dan woke the boys up, fed them breakfast, and helped them get ready for their day. They were strapped into their car seats in his black Honda Accord promptly at 8:30 a.m. He backed out of the garage, down the driveway, and began their familiar drive to Creative Preschool, singing fun songs along the way. When he dropped them off at 8:50 a.m., Dan embraced them tightly, reminding Ben and Lincoln he’d be back early to take them swimming. “Love you guys,” he said with a big smile as he watched them walk toward their classrooms.
On his way to the gym, Dan reached out to Wendi, hoping to speak with her about SAS, an option he was now willing to consider despite her deception. His call rolled to voicemail. He indicated in his message that he was taking an exercise class and expected to be done between 10:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. They could talk after that. He pulled into the parking lot at Premier Fitness at 9:12 a.m. and hustled to his class.
When the class ended, Dan headed straight to his car, cooling off in the driver’s seat while scrolling through his texts on his iPhone. One of the messages was from a music teacher at SAS named Stewart Schlazer, who said he was reaching out to provide information about the school. “Please call anytime,” the text read. “I’d love to answer your questions.” Dan backed out of his spot, exiting the parking lot at 10:38 a.m.
Ten minutes later, while driving southbound on Thomasville Road, he connected with Schlazer, clutching his cellphone in his left hand while listening through its speaker. Dan told the music teacher about Wendi’s surreptitious lottery application, letting the complete stranger know that he and his ex-wife didn’t see eye-to-eye on very much. Dan explained that he’d received somewhat of a sales pitch from the assistant principal and was looking for a different perspective. Finally given the chance to speak, the teacher began outlining the attributes he believed SAS could offer Dan’s soon-to-be kindergartener.
From his end of the conversation, Schlazer eventually heard the ambient road noise dissipate, as if Dan had arrived home. “Hold on a second,” Dan said. “There’s a person in my driveway that’s unfamiliar to me.”
“Sure, no problem,” the music teacher replied. He waited for Dan to come back on the line. Suddenly, he heard a loud noise—as if a person was grunting—and then some muffled voices he couldn’t make out with any clarity.
“Mr. Markel?” he said loudly, mispronouncing Dan’s surname. “Mr. Markel?” The only thing Schlazer could make out from his end of the connection was the sound of ultra-deep, heaving breaths—as if Dan’s mouth were pressed up against the phone and he was gasping for air. He feared Dan was having a heart attack.
“Are you all right? Is everything okay?” Schlazer shouted. “Can I help you?” No response. He hung up and tried calling back, but the new call rolled straight to voicemail. He texted Dan, asking, “Are you okay?” But there was no reply.
Unbeknownst to Schlazer, at that very moment, Dan’s next-door neighbor Jim Geiger was standing beside his vehicle, peering through the shattered driver-side window at a horrifying sight. He too was on the phone—calling the 911 emergency dispatch center with an urgent plea for help.
Nearly 8 ½ years have passed since that fateful July morning. The criminal justice system that Dan Markel cared so deeply about—and spent nearly every day thinking, writing, and speaking about—has moved forward in deliberate fashion, albeit at an unfortunately slow pace. Investigators with the Tallahassee Police, special agents with the FBI, and prosecutors in the State Attorney’s Office have done yeoman’s work piecing together how the murder plot unfolded and identifying those who played a part in Dan’s vicious slaying. Four individuals have been charged and three convicted, with additional arrests and trials likely still to come. Full and complete justice for Dan Markel and his family may finally be at hand.
Thanks so much to The Faculty Lounge for giving me this platform to promote EXTREME PUNISHMENT and share vignettes from Dan Markel’s life and career. Dan touched so many in the legal academy. It is my fervent hope that the story I’ve told honors his memory and serves as a lasting legacy for everyone who knew and cared for him.
Markel was a good guy.
--casual friend of his
Posted by: AmberCat | December 23, 2022 at 12:23 AM