Sat Sep 06 14:50:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**Donna Adelson Found Guilty in Dan Markel Murder-for-Hire Plot**
**Tallahassee, FL – November 9, 2023** – After a decade-long pursuit of justice, Donna Adelson, 75, was found guilty on Thursday of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder in the 2014 death of her former son-in-law, Dan Markel, a prominent Florida State University law professor. The verdict marks the fifth conviction in the high-profile murder-for-hire case that has captivated the nation and involved a complex web of family intrigue.
Adelson sobbed and exclaimed “Oh my God” when the verdict was read at Leon County Courthouse in Tallahassee. Judge Stephen Everett excused the jury from the courtroom before offering her a moment to compose herself. She now faces a likely life sentence in prison.
Markel, 41, was fatally shot in his Tallahassee driveway on July 18, 2014. The murder sparked an intensive investigation, revealing a plot orchestrated by Adelson’s son, Charles Adelson, a Fort Lauderdale periodontist, who was convicted in 2023 on the same charges and is currently serving a life sentence.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Charles Adelson hired Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, with the assistance of Katherine Magbanua, to carry out the murder. All three were previously convicted and are serving prison sentences.
The case, which has been the subject of extensive media coverage, including news articles, television shows, and a podcast, hinged on evidence demonstrating the Adelson family’s animosity toward Markel following his divorce from their daughter.
The State Attorney’s Office hailed the verdict as a significant victory in their relentless pursuit of justice for Dan Markel and his family.
First Piper 