The jury convicted Donna Adelson, the matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family, of orchestrating the 2014 murder of her former son-in-law, law professor Daniel Markel. The verdict was announced on September 5, 2025, after a lengthy trial that drew widespread attention.
- Donna Adelson convicted of murder in 2014 case
- Victim was Florida State law professor Daniel Markel
- Custody dispute influenced the murder plot
- Multiple defendants involved in murder-for-hire scheme
- Donna Adelson's family members also sentenced
- Trial details highlight family tensions and motives
Donna Adelson was accused of helping plan Markel’s murder because he opposed her daughter’s move to South Florida. Markel, a Florida State University law professor, was shot in Tallahassee during a bitter custody dispute. Prosecutors argued Donna’s motive was to prevent the move, which she believed threatened her family’s interests. She was the fifth person tried for the murder, linked to a broader murder-for-hire plot. Her son, Charles Adelson, and others, including a hired hitman, are already serving life sentences. Wendi Adelson, Donna’s daughter and Markel’s ex-wife, denies involvement and has not been charged. The trial painted Donna as a controlling family figure, while her defense claimed insufficient evidence linked her directly to the crime.
- Conviction confirms Donna Adelson’s role in orchestrating the murder.
- Prosecutors linked her to a murder-for-hire plot involving hired killers.
- Key suspects, including her son and a hired hitman, are already serving life sentences.
- The case underscores the deadly consequences of custody and family conflicts.
This verdict concludes a decade-long investigation, emphasizing the risks of family disputes escalated by wealth and influence. The case remains a stark reminder of how personal conflicts can turn deadly.
Further legal actions may follow, and the case continues to impact Florida’s legal and social landscape.
