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

The murder-for-hire plot that led to the death of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel has culminated in the conviction and sentencing of his ex-wife's mother, Donna Adelson. Adelson was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder in the 2014 shooting death of Markel. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus an additional 30 years for the conspiracy and solicitation charges.

Markel was killed on July 18, 2014, as he arrived home from the gym. He was speaking on the phone with a music teacher when he told the other person he saw an unfamiliar car in his driveway. The conversation was interrupted by a loud noise, later identified as the sound of a gunshot. Markel died the following day.

Prosecutors argued that the murder was a targeted hit orchestrated by Donna Adelson, fueled by a bitter custody dispute over Markel's two young sons with her daughter, Wendi Adelson. Wendi Adelson had sought to move the children to South Florida to be closer to her family, a request Markel opposed. The custody battle intensified after a judge denied Wendi's relocation request.

Evidence presented at trial suggested that Donna Adelson's son, Charlie Adelson, a dentist, arranged the killing through his then-girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua. Magbanua, in turn, connected with Sigfredo Garcia, the father of her children, and his friend Luis Rivera. Garcia is believed to have been the shooter, with Rivera serving as the getaway driver.

The investigation into Markel's death spanned years, with investigators piecing together the case through cellphone records, surveillance footage, financial data, and intercepted communications. CCTV footage showed a silver Prius circulating near Markel's gym and then following him home, which investigators described as a predatory action.

During Charlie Adelson's trial in 2023, he was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, and sentenced to life in prison. He testified that he was unaware of the plot and later claimed he was threatened into paying money. Katherine Magbanua and Sigfredo Garcia were also convicted of first-degree murder. Luis Rivera pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and cooperated with prosecutors, receiving a 19-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors characterized Donna Adelson as a controlling matriarch who was furious about the custody dispute and motivated to eliminate Markel. Her defense attorneys maintained that the state lacked sufficient evidence to link her directly to the murder plot. However, hundreds of wiretapped conversations involving the Adelson family, revealed through the investigation and documented in a new true crime docuseries, provided insight into their alleged involvement.

Producers of the docuseries, "Welcome to the Family: The Murder of Dan Markel," highlighted the arrogance displayed in the intercepted conversations. They suggested that some family members believed they were above the law and accustomed to getting their way, which contributed to their downfall. The wiretaps also revealed the extent to which Donna and Charlie Adelson allegedly involved themselves in Wendi Adelson's personal life.

Wendi Adelson has not been charged in connection with her ex-husband's murder and has repeatedly denied any involvement. Producers of the documentary noted that while online vitriol against Wendi is prevalent, they could envision a scenario where the family acted without her knowledge.