Donna Adelson Now. Inside Her Life After Masterminding Her Ex-Son-in-Law’s Murder

Nearly two years after being charged in connection with her former son-in-law’s murder, a verdict has been reached in Donna Adelson’s case.

In July 2014, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel was shot twice in the head while sitting in his car outside his home, shortly after dropping off his children at preschool. He was rushed to a hospital but died 14 hours later. At the time, Markel was in a bitter custody fight with his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, whose family wanted her to move from Tallahassee to South Florida with their children.

The case became a long legal saga. Multiple people were convicted for their roles in arranging the hit, including Wendi’s brother, Charlie Adelson, and her mother Donna. In November 2023, Donna was arrested just days after Charlie was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder.

The Adelson family had always denied involvement in Markel’s killing. In 2016, their lawyer released a statement saying:

“There has been a lot of unsupported speculation that the Adelsons had something to do with the murder. That speculation is categorically false. To be clear, none of the Adelsons — Wendi, her brother Charlie, or their parents Donna and Harvey — had anything to do with Dan’s murder.”

Who is Donna Adelson?

Donna is the mother of a wealthy Miami family that owns a dentistry practice. She is married to Harvey Adelson, and they have three children: Robert, Wendi, and Charlie. Donna is reportedly estranged from Robert, who works as a doctor in New York.

In November 2023, Donna was arrested by the FBI at Miami Dade International Airport and charged in connection with Markel’s murder, who was previously married to Wendi and killed by hired hitmen in 2014.

Wendi and Markel settled their divorce in 2013. They were granted joint custody, but a judge ruled she could not move her children out of Tallahassee.

Donna and her husband were about to board a one-way flight to Vietnam, a country without an extradition agreement, when she was arrested. State Attorney Jack Campbell said her plans to leave the country “forced our hand” in arresting her.

How was Donna Adelson involved in Dan Markel’s murder?

Two men were hired to kill Markel: Latin Kings gang leader Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia, the father of Charlie’s ex-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua’s children.

During Charlie Adelson’s trial, Rivera said he and Garcia were paid $100,000 to kill Markel, which they shared with Magbanua, who helped organize the plan. Prosecutors said Donna helped fund the contract killing, which cost over $100,000, according to CNN.

Garcia was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to life plus 30 years. Magbanua was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in 2022 and sentenced to life plus two 30-year terms. Rivera pleaded guilty in 2016 and was sentenced to 19 years.

Why was Donna Adelson involved in Dan Markel’s death?

Investigators said in a 2016 affidavit that Markel’s murder likely came from Wendi’s family’s desire for her to move closer to them in South Florida, taking the children after a bitter divorce.

Markel was killed before an unscheduled court hearing where he planned to request restrictions on Donna’s contact with his children. Prosecutors said Donna “hated” Markel, especially after he asked a judge to prevent her from having unsupervised visits with her grandchildren.

During the custody battle, Donna allegedly sent her daughter tense emails, telling her to act and “show [Markel] what will make him absolutely miserable,” according to ABC News’ 20/20.

Where is Donna Adelson now?

On Sept. 4, 2025, over a decade after Markel’s death, Donna was convicted of murder.

After a trial that lasted weeks, the jury found her guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder. Four people, including her son Charlie, had already been convicted of conspiring to murder Markel.

When Florida Second Judicial Circuit Judge Stephen Everett announced her guilty verdict, Donna yelled, “Oh my God!” and began sobbing, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.

Donna now awaits her sentencing and could face life in prison.

Markel’s father, Phil, said in court that he hopes Donna will “live to 120, alone in her jail cell,” per USA Today. He added, “I wish that every day of her remaining days she thinks about the harm she has caused so many,” before asking her, “Was it worth it?”