**Donna Adelson Sentenced to Life in Prison for the Murder of Former Son-in-Law Dan Markel**
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Donna Adelson listened to her defense team’s opening statements in court on Friday, August 22, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Alicia Devine/AP)
For the Adelson family of South Florida, murder became a deeply personal affair, particularly for the matriarch and her son at the center of this tragic American story.
As is often the case, the murder-for-hire of Toronto-born academic Daniel Markel has left devastation in its wake.
Markel, a university professor, was killed in 2014. (Photo by HANDOUT/FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY)
On Monday, Donna Adelson was sentenced to life in prison, joining her son Charlie, a dentist, in serving time for their roles in the crime. A Florida court also sentenced the two hired hitmen and a facilitator to lengthy prison terms.
Two children are now without their father, and Markel’s family is left to mourn. Wendi Adelson, Markel’s estranged wife, was eager to escape the confines of Tallahassee for the vibrant life in Miami, where her parents and brother resided. She wanted to take her two young sons with her, leaving Markel behind in the Panhandle.
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**Murder for Hire**
The challenge was that Markel, a prominent law professor at Florida State University College of Law, had no desire to relocate to South Florida. According to prosecutors, this decision ultimately cost him his life, as the wealthy Adelson family was unwilling to accept his refusal.
On July 18, 2014, Markel was shot and killed in the driveway of his Tallahassee home by Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia, a member of the Latin Kings gang. Prosecutors revealed that the hitmen were paid $100,000 for their actions.
The plot was orchestrated by Katherine Magbanua, who was involved with Charlie and is the mother of Garcia’s child. Eventually, the hitmen, the intermediary, and Charlie were arrested, charged, and convicted.