Jury convicts Florida matriarch in murder-for-hire killing of her former son-in-law
September 4, 2025
A jury has convicted the matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family in the hired killing of her former son-in-law, a prominent law professor. Donna Adelson was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in the 2014 death of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel. Markel was gunned down in Tallahassee, where he taught law, amid a bitter child custody battle with his ex-wife. Prosecutors said the family matriarch had helped orchestrate the killing after Markel stood in the way of letting her daughter, Markel’s ex-wife, and two young grandsons relocate to South Florida to be closer to the rest of her family. The ex-wife has denied involvement in the killing and has not been charged.