A shocking incident unfolded at Miami International Airport as a 73-year-old grandmother, Donna Adelson, was apprehended in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot to kill her former son-in-law. Newly released body camera footage from November shows the moment police took Donna into custody as she and her husband were attempting to flee to Vietnam on a one-way flight.
Donna Adelson is now facing charges of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder, accused of conspiring with her son and several others to have Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel killed in his driveway back in 2014. The motive behind the plot stemmed from a court battle between Markel and his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, who is Donna’s daughter.
The court battle involved Wendi’s desire to relocate with her two sons to South Florida to be closer to her mother and other family members. However, Markel refused the proposal, leading the Adelson family to allegedly orchestrate his removal from the picture. Prosecutors have pointed to the Adelson family as the primary suspects, stating, “Who did it appear to have a motive to want Dan Markel dead? His own family.”
Donna’s son, Charlie, has already been convicted of first-degree murder and is currently serving a mandatory life sentence. The investigation revealed that Donna was allegedly attempting to flee the country, as evidenced by her remarks in a jail call with Charlie about a week prior to their arrest. Prosecutors consider this attempted escape as potential evidence against her in court.
While Donna’s attorney maintains her innocence, stating they “look forward to proving it at trial,” she is scheduled to appear in court on Monday to face the charges against her.
This chilling case serves as a reminder of the dark side that can exist within families, with allegations of murder-for-hire plots causing shockwaves throughout the community. The legal proceedings surrounding this case will undoubtedly attract significant attention as the story unfolds.
