Ex-Mother-in-Law Convicted in Murder-for-Hire of FSU Professor

Donna Adelson, 75, was found guilty on September 4, 2025, of orchestrating the murder of Dan Markel, a law professor at Florida State University, in a case that exposed a deadly dispute over child custody and relocation rights.

Markel was shot twice in the head in his Tallahassee driveway in July 2014 and died the following day. The case remained unsolved for years before investigators uncovered an elaborate conspiracy involving multiple participants.

Circuit Judge Stephen Everett delivered guilty verdicts on all counts: first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation to commit first-degree murder. On October 13, 2025, Adelson was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or release, with an additional 30 years imposed for the conspiracy and solicitation convictions.

The motive traced back to Adelson's daughter, Wendi Adelson, an attorney and Dan Markel's ex-wife. Wendi sought to relocate with their two children to South Florida, a move Markel opposed in court. He also filed a motion to prevent Donna Adelson from having unsupervised visits with the grandchildren, intensifying family tensions.

Investigators determined that Donna Adelson orchestrated the killing, setting in motion a chain of events that involved multiple co-conspirators. Her son, Charles Adelson, was also convicted and is serving a life sentence. Katherine Magbanua, Charles Adelson's ex-girlfriend, was convicted and is likewise serving life imprisonment. Two individuals who carried out the actual shooting—hitmen Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera—were also convicted in connection with the murder.

Addelson's conviction marked the fifth guilty verdict in the case, bringing a degree of closure to a crime that gripped Florida's legal community. The FSU law school community had been devastated by Markel's death, as he was respected for his legal scholarship and contributions to the field.

The case highlighted how disputes over child custody and family relationships can escalate to tragic extremes. What began as a disagreement over relocation evolved into a murder-for-hire scheme that ultimately claimed the life of a prominent legal educator and shattered multiple families.

Addelson maintained her composure throughout the trial, but the evidence presented by prosecutors painted a detailed picture of her central role in planning and financing the murder. The investigation demonstrated the dangers of allowing family conflicts to fester without proper legal resolution.

With Adelson's conviction and sentencing, the judicial process in this high-profile case has largely concluded, though questions about family dynamics and the warning signs that preceded the tragedy continue to resonate within legal and academic circles. The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of pursuing violence as a solution to legal disputes.

**Sources:**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KllCnH7xcI

https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/donna-adelson-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-in-2014-murder-for-hire-of-ex-son-in-law-fsu-professor-daniel-markel/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A0Gaw8Mmos

https://www.aetv.com/articles/murder-of-dan-markel-why-did-ex-mother-in-law-want-him-killed