TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The head of a wealthy South Florida family was convicted of murder Thursday in the murder of her former stepson, a well-known law professor who was trapped in a fierce custody battle with his ex-wife when he was shot in 2014.
The ju judge returned Donna Adelson’s conviction in a few weeks trial on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in the murder of Professor Daniel Markel, a law professor at Florida State University in Tallahassee, which he taught. The incident has attracted attention for more than a decade in Florida amid awkward divorce details, tensions with wealthy in-laws, and custody battles that lead to murder.
When the judge announced that the ju judge had convicted Adelson of first-degree murder, the defendant cried out “Ah!” I tremble and started crying.
The ju judge was then taken out of court, and Florida Judicial Circuit Judge Stephen Everett gave Adelson a two-minute break to gather himself.
“This wasn’t a result, but I’m sure you’re hoping, but there’s no further explosion before the ju umpire,” he told her.
In an impact statement after the verdict, the mother of Ruth Markel Daniel Markel spoke about the deep grief and grief after the death of her son.
“We lost our treasure. My son Dan’s life tragically shortened at the age of 41,” she said. “For 11 years, we have been forced to live a life filled with unimaginable pain and heartbreak.”
Daniel Markel and Wendy Adelson divorced and shared custody of their two children, but she wanted to bring more than 370 miles (595 kilometers) closer to other families in the family from Tallahassee to South Florida. However, the judge determined that Wendy Adelson was unable to move the children, and Marquel refused to move.
Prosecutors argued at the trial that Donna Adelson helped coordinate the murder of Marquel after allowing her daughter and two young grandchildren to move south.
The judge said the ruling will be “a later” but case management is scheduled for October 14th.
Adelson was the fifth person to be tried for what prosecutors cast as a conspiracy to be hired for murder to kill Marquel. Among those already serving life sentences for the murders is Donna Adelson’s son, Charles Adelson.
Wendy Adelson denied any involvement in the murder and has not been charged.
At the trial, prosecutors portrayed Donna Adelson as the patriarch of the wealthy South Florida family, with the means and motivation to coordinate the murder of her “hate” step-son.
The defense attorneys allegedly claimed that the state did not have enough evidence to link his aged grandmother to a murder group, highlighting the roles that others would play instead, casting doubt on Adelson’s two adult children.
Charles Adelson, like his ex-girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua, has been sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors say that between the two men hired to carry out the murders sentenced to life in prison, Magbanua worked as an intermediary for Sigfredo Garcia, who was sentenced to life in prison, and Louis Rivera, who was also sentenced to 19 years in prison, working with the state.
