Former mother-in-law arrested for allegedly hiring hitmen to kill FSU law professor.
Florida Dentist’s Mother Arrested in Murder-for-Hire Plot
Last week, Florida dentist Charlie Adelson was convicted of plotting to have his former brother-in-law murdered. Now, Adelson’s mother has been arrested for her alleged role in the murder-for-hire plot.
Donna Adelson, 73, was arrested on Monday and charged in connection with the murder of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. Donna has been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, the same charges on which Charlie was convicted.
Flight to Vietnam Foiled Arrest
State Attorney Jack Campbell told the outlet that Donna and her husband were intercepted at Miami International Airport preparing to board a flight to Vietnam, which has no extradition treaty with the United States. Campbell also said that police and prosecutors had enough evidence to arrest Donna, but the timeline of her arrest was sped up after they learned she was flying to Vietnam.
“That’s what forced our hand,” Campbell told the Democrat. “We started talking to some of our law enforcement partners about the complexities of trying to bring someone back from either Dubai or Vietnam. And that might be a very complicated and lengthy process. So that’s why we had to make a decision quickly.”
The flight was scheduled less than 48 hours before a grand jury was set to meet – which may have taken Donna’s case. Campbell added that there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest Donna’s husband, Harvey.
Donna is currently being held at the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond but is expected to be transported to the same detention facility where her son is incarcerated and awaiting sentencing.
Dentist Found Guilty of Murder Plot
Charlie Adelson, 47, was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation of first-degree murder, according to People Magazine. A jury deliberated for just three hours before finding him guilty, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
Charlie reportedly mouthed the word “no” and lowered his head to the table after the first guilty verdict was read. He showed little reaction to the other verdicts.
Charlie was found guilty of hiring hitmen in 2014 to kill Markel. Markel and Charlie’s sister, Wendi, were locked in a contentious child custody dispute at the time the professor was murdered. Wendi had wanted to take the couple’s two children to Miami after their divorce to be closer to her family but was told she couldn’t make the move unless Markel consented, which he didn’t.
Markel had pulled into his garage on July 18, 2014, and was promptly shot twice in the head by unknown assailants. He was taken to a hospital but died 14 hours later.
Years later, it was discovered that the murder was part of a plot devised by Charlie and his mother Donna, who used a woman named Katherine Magbanua as an intermediary to hire two men, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, to murder Markel.
At the time of the planning, Charlie was dating Magbanua, who hired Garcia, the father of her children, to kill Markel. Garcia enlisted Rivera to help him, according to prosecutors. Garcia and Rivera drove to Tallahassee from Miami in a rental car to conduct the murder. This rental car was tracked across the state of Florida and was even captured on bus cameras, placing it in the vicinity of Markel’s home just after the murder.
Rivera pled guilty in 2016 to the crime and was sentenced to 19 years in prison. In 2019, Garcia was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for the conspiracy. Magbanua was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. Her first trial resulted in a hung jury, and she is appealing her conviction.
During his trial, Charlie claimed he had nothing to do with the plot to murder Markel, WPLG reported. He claimed Magbanua, who became his ex-girlfriend, had planned the murder with Garcia and Rivera all on her own and then extorted him. This was Charlie’s attempt to explain away the $100,000 paid to Magbanua.
What charges has Donna Adelson been arrested and charged with in connection to the murder-for-hire plot?
Divorce, which Markel opposed. The motive for the murder was believed to be Charlie’s desire to gain full custody of his nephews.
The murder-for-hire plot involved two men, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, who were hired to carry out the killing. Both Garcia and Rivera were previously found guilty for their roles in the murder and were sentenced to prison.
During the trial, it was revealed that Charlie Adelson had provided financial assistance to the hitmen and had communicated with them leading up to the murder. The prosecution presented evidence including phone records and surveillance footage to prove Charlie’s involvement in the plot.
The conviction of Charlie Adelson marks a significant development in the long-standing investigation into the murder of Dan Markel. Markel’s death shocked the community and left his family and friends devastated. The arrest of Donna Adelson, Charlie’s mother, further highlights the complexity and extent of the family’s involvement in the crime.
The arrest took place just days after Charlie’s conviction, as Donna and her husband were about to board a flight to Vietnam. The decision to arrest Donna was hastened due to the difficulty and time-consuming nature of extraditing someone from Vietnam. State Attorney Jack Campbell stated that this urgency forced their hand in bringing charges against Donna.
Donna Adelson has been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, the same charges that Charlie was convicted of. She is currently being held at the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond. It is expected that she will be transferred to the same detention facility where her son is awaiting sentencing.
The case of the Adelson family’s involvement in the murder-for-hire plot has captivated the public’s attention. The shocking nature of the crime, coupled with the family dynamics and the high-profile status of Dan Markel as a respected law professor, has ensured widespread media coverage.
As the legal process unfolds, it remains to be seen how the sentencing of Charlie Adelson and the upcoming trial of Donna Adelson will play out. The judicial system will strive to bring justice to the memory of Dan Markel and provide closure to his loved ones.
In conclusion, the arrest of Donna Adelson in connection with the murder-for-hire plot adds another layer of complexity to the already shocking case. The conviction of Charlie Adelson and the ongoing investigation have shed light on the Adelson family’s alleged involvement in the crime. As the legal proceedings continue, the public eagerly waits for justice to be served in the tragic murder of Dan Markel.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...