Why Did Donna Adelson Get Sentenced to Life in Prison? Full Case Explained

Donna Adelson, 75, has been sentenced to life in prison for orchestrating the 2014 murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel. The sentencing took place in a Tallahassee courtroom on October 13, 2025, more than a decade after Markel was gunned down in his garage. Adelson maintained her innocence during the hearing and fiercely criticized the trial, the jury, and the verdict — remarks that led the judge to highlight her “utter lack of remorse.”

The conviction marks the fifth in the high-profile case, following the earlier life sentences of her son Charlie Adelson, two hired gunmen, and an intermediary. Adelson will spend the rest of her life behind bars, as the state did not pursue the death penalty.

Donna Adelson’s Trial and the Verdict That Sealed Her Fate

Donna Adelson was found guilty on September 4, 2025, of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in connection with the killing of Dan Markel. After an 11-day trial, the jury needed just three hours to reach its unanimous verdict — the same amount of time it took to convict her son Charlie in 2023.

Markel was ambushed and shot to death on July 18, 2014, shortly after dropping off his two young sons — Adelson’s grandsons — at preschool. Investigators determined that the murder was the result of a murder-for-hire plot driven by a bitter custody battle between Markel and his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, Donna’s daughter. Wendi had unsuccessfully sought court permission to relocate with the children to South Florida, closer to her family.

Prosecutors argued that Donna Adelson orchestrated the plot so her daughter and grandchildren could live nearby. Evidence including cellphone records, surveillance footage, and rental car receipts linked the hitmen — Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera — to the Adelsons through Katherine Magbanua, Charlie Adelson’s former girlfriend and a key intermediary.

Rivera later testified against his co-conspirators and received a reduced sentence of 19 years. Garcia, Magbanua, Charlie Adelson, and now Donna Adelson are all serving life sentences for their roles in the killing.

Defiant in Court: Adelson Denies Involvement and Slams the Justice System

During her sentencing, Donna Adelson broke her silence and addressed the court in a lengthy, emotional speech. She denied any involvement in Markel’s death and attacked the prosecution’s case, accusing the state of inconsistency by labeling different people as the “mastermind” in various trials. “If I had become aware of this plan before Danny was murdered, I would have stopped it,” she insisted.

Judge Stephen Everett interrupted her several times, warning that her “utter lack of remorse” would factor into her sentencing. Adelson also alleged that one juror had “inside information” about a witness and claimed that her conviction was not “justice for Dan.” She concluded by swearing on her life that she had no role in the murder.

Her husband, Harvey Adelson, also spoke in court, accusing the judge and jury of bias and claiming his wife was being punished for a crime she did not commit. “You’re sending an innocent woman to prison,” he said tearfully. Despite the family’s protests, the mandatory life sentence was imposed without hesitation.

The Legacy of the Dan Markel Murder Case

Markel’s parents, Ruth and Phil Markel, attended the sentencing via Zoom and later described their son’s murder as a “crime of cruelty” motivated by selfish desires. Ruth Markel called it “a murder of convenience” that allowed Donna Adelson to live closer to her grandchildren at the cost of their father’s life.

The Markel case has gripped Florida for more than a decade, exposing a tangled web of family conflicts, legal battles, and murder-for-hire plots. It has also raised questions about how far some will go to control family dynamics — and how justice unfolds even years after a crime.

Donna Adelson’s sentencing closes a major chapter in the Dan Markel case, but appeals may still follow. For now, the matriarch of a once-prominent South Florida family will spend the rest of her life behind bars, maintaining her innocence even as the courts hold her accountable.

FYI (keeping you in the loop)-

Q1: Why did Donna Adelson get life in prison?

She was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in the 2014 murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Dan Markel.

Q2: What was Donna Adelson’s role in the Dan Markel murder?

Prosecutors said she orchestrated the plot to have Markel killed so her daughter could move closer to family with the children.

Q3: Who else was convicted in the case?

Her son Charlie Adelson, hitmen Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, and intermediary Katherine Magbanua were all convicted. Rivera received a reduced sentence.

Q4: What did Donna Adelson say in court?

She denied involvement, criticized the trial, accused the jury of bias, and insisted she was innocent, which the judge said showed “an utter lack of remorse.”

Q5: What was the motive behind the killing?

The motive was tied to a custody dispute and Donna Adelson’s desire for her daughter and grandchildren to live nearby.