A sinister family drama involving murder, extortion, and international escape plans unfolds in Florida as grandma Donna Adelson seeks release from jail. The 73-year-old dental matriarch stands accused in a shocking murder-for-hire plot that claimed the life of her former son-in-law and has already sent her son to prison for life.
At a Glance
- Donna Adelson is seeking release on bond while awaiting trial for allegedly orchestrating the 2014 murder of her former son-in-law, Dan Markel
- She was arrested at Miami International Airport with a one-way ticket to Vietnam, a country with no extradition treaty with the U.S.
- Her son, Charlie Adelson, was previously convicted of first-degree murder in the case and is serving a life sentence
- The murder was allegedly linked to a custody dispute involving Markel and Adelson’s daughter, Wendi
- Adelson claims she was traveling to Vietnam for “peace” after her son’s conviction, not to evade authorities
Grandmother Claims Safety Concerns in Jail
Donna Adelson, a 73-year-old Florida grandmother accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot against her former son-in-law, appeared in court Wednesday as a judge considers her request to be released on bond. Adelson’s attorneys claim she fears for her safety in jail due to alleged assaults and extortion by other inmates.
Circuit Judge Stephen Everett will decide at a later date whether Adelson can be released while awaiting trial. The prosecution argued there is strong evidence of her guilt and considers her a significant flight risk after she was arrested attempting to board a flight to Vietnam in November.
When questioned about her attempted departure to Vietnam, Adelson offered an explanation that prosecutors found highly suspicious. Despite having a one-way ticket to a country with no extradition treaty with the United States, Adelson claimed she was merely seeking emotional relief following her son’s murder conviction.
“I wasn’t afraid of being arrested,” Donna Adelson told the court, according to CourtTV. “My husband and I – literally shocked and traumatized at what had happened to Charlie – and he said ‘we need to just get some peace, we need to catch our breath, we’re gonna go away somewhere’.”
Prosecutors painted a different picture, however, suggesting her travel plans were carefully timed to evade justice.
“But you were hoping to make it out of America before you were arrested, right?” prosecutor Sarah Dugan asked during proceedings.
The murder case that has rocked the Florida legal community involves multiple family members and hired criminals. Prosecutors allege the Adelson family orchestrated the 2014 killing of Dan Markel, a prominent law professor at Florida State University, following his bitter divorce from Wendi Adelson.
The triggerman, Sigfredo Garcia, has already been sentenced to life in prison, while his accomplice Luis Rivera received 19 years after cooperating with authorities. Katherine Magbanua, who allegedly served as the middleman between the hitmen and the Adelsons, was also convicted and sentenced to life.
Adding to Adelson’s legal troubles, prosecutors want to introduce jail phone calls between her and her son Charlie. In one recording, Donna is heard saying, “We’re leaving the country. They’re not recording my phone,” suggesting that she knew she was being monitored and had plans to flee the country.
While her defense attorney Dan Rashbaum has claimed that “she’s a good mom,” prosecutors continue building their case that Donna Adelson was a key orchestrator in a calculated murder plot targeting her former son-in-law.
