Donna Adelson, a 75-year-old grandmother, is set to stand trial in Florida for allegedly orchestrating the murder of her son-in-law, Florida dentist Dan Markel, in a family-driven murder-for-hire plot. Nearly 11 years after the 2014 killing of Markel, prosecutors have now charged Adelson with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation of murder, accusing her of being the matriarch behind the cold-blooded family plot. Markel, a rising legal scholar, was embroiled in a contentious divorce and custody dispute with Donna’s daughter, Wendi Adelson, when he was ambushed and shot in his driveway. Prosecutors argue that Adelson and her son, Charlie Adelson, worked with hired hitmen to eliminate Markel so Wendi could gain full custody of their children and start a new life in South Florida.
The case, which has taken nearly a decade to reach the courtroom, has been built step-by-step, with prosecutors first targeting the hitmen and their intermediaries before moving to Adelson. Charlie Adelson, who was already convicted and sentenced to life in prison for his role in the plot, was the first key witness. He and the hired hitmen, Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia, as well as their go-between Katherine Magbanua, were all convicted and are serving lengthy prison sentences. Prosecutors argue that Adelson orchestrated the killings from behind the scenes, with key evidence including her attempt to flee the U.S. to Vietnam in 2023, an action prosecutors believe shows ‘consciousness of guilt,’ given that Vietnam has no extradition treaty with the U.S.
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg, a friend of Markel, emphasized the importance of building the case incrementally, explaining that the prosecution needed to secure convictions against the hired guns and intermediaries before moving to Adelson. He noted that the strategy was successful, as Charlie Adelson’s conviction and subsequent life sentence laid the foundation for taking down Adelson. Aronberg also highlighted contradictions in Adelson’s behavior during an FBI sting operation in 2016, where she allegedly spoke in code about the ‘TV,’ which was the code for the murder, showing her knowledge of the plot despite claiming innocence.
The trial, which is set to begin in Tallahassee, Florida, is anticipated to be a high-profile and closely watched event, with prosecutors expecting it to proceed more rapidly than Charlie Adelson’s trial, given their familiarity with the case. Aronberg warned that Adelson’s attempt to portray herself as a sympathetic grandmother might not resonate with the jury, given her evident guilt as shown by her flight to Vietnam and the code references. While Adelson has not been the only one in the family to be implicated, Donna’s daughter, Wendi Adelson, has also been named in court filings, though she has fought to avoid testifying, arguing it could jeopardize her Fifth Amendment rights. Nevertheless, Aronberg expects she will be called to testify under immunity if required.