The murder case of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel, who was brutally assassinated in his driveway over a decade ago, has taken a dramatic turn.
The spotlight is now on Donna Sue Adelson, Markel's former mother-in-law, who is set to stand trial for allegedly masterminding the murder.
According to Fox News, Adelson, a 75-year-old grandmother, is facing charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation of murder. Prosecutors have painted a chilling picture of a family conspiracy, allegedly orchestrated by Adelson, to liberate her daughter, Wendi Adelson, from a bitter custody dispute. Adelson, however, has entered a plea of not guilty.
Dave Aronberg, a former Palm Beach County State Attorney and a friend of the late Markel, spoke to Fox News Digital about the case. He suggested that the lengthy wait for Adelson's trial was a calculated move by the prosecution. "The day of reckoning for Donna is here and justice has come slowly, but it is going to arrive," Aronberg stated.
He explained that the prosecution had to meticulously build their case, starting with the hitmen, then Katherine Magbanua, Adelson's former girlfriend, and Charlie Adelson, Markel's former brother-in-law, before they had enough evidence against Donna.
Since Markel's murder in 2014, Charlie Adelson has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The two hitmen hired for the murder, Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia, along with their intermediary, Katherine Magbanua, are also serving lengthy sentences, as reported by the Associated Press.
Prosecutors have argued that Donna Adelson was the puppet master behind the scenes, orchestrating the entire plot. Aronberg commended the prosecution's strategy of stacking convictions, stating, "I dont think you get to Donna without getting to Katie Magbanua and then Charlie Adelson first. Its been a very successful strategy and its not done yet."
Markel, a promising legal scholar, was in the midst of a heated divorce and custody battle with Donna's daughter, Wendi, when he was ambushed and shot in July 2014. Prosecutors allege that Donna and her son, Charlie, conspired with hired hitmen to eliminate Markel, enabling Wendi to move with her children to South Florida.
The trial, which began with jury selection on Tuesday in Tallahassee, Florida, is expected to proceed more swiftly than Charlie's trial, as the prosecutors and judges are now intimately familiar with the case. Aronberg anticipates that Donna's testimony will be a pivotal moment in the trial, stating, "Donna will take the stand, they will cross-examine her it will be must-see TV. And I think justice will be done."
Aronberg highlighted Donna's "consciousness of guilt" as one of the prosecution's most potent weapons, particularly her 2023 attempt to flee the U.S. for Vietnam, a country with no extradition treaty with the U.S. "The best evidence for the jury will be consciousness of guilt," Aronberg explained. "She tried to flee the country on a one-way ticket to Vietnam. Thats not how an innocent person acts."
In 2016, the FBI conducted an undercover operation against Donna, known as "the bump." An agent, posing as an extortionist linked to the killers, approached Donna in Miami. Aronberg pointed out that Donna's reaction to this operation was telling. "If you had nothing to do with this crime, youd throw the paper away or call police," Aronberg said. "She didnt either. She called her son, whos now in prison for life, and spoke in code about the TV, which was their code for the murder. Thats not how an innocent person acts."
Aronberg also highlighted inconsistencies in Donna's narrative, such as the Adelsons' outrage at being asked for a fake $5,000 payoff during the sting operation, yet their willingness to pay $300,000 when Magbanua claimed the killers demanded it, as per testimony at Charlie Adelson's trial.
Aronberg speculated that the defense might attempt to leverage Donna's status as a 75-year-old grandmother and caring mother. However, he was skeptical about the effectiveness of this strategy, stating, "Shes going to say she was just being a good mother to her son thats why her money got into the killers hands. But that didnt work for Charlie, and it wont work for her."
At the time of his murder, Markel was embroiled in a contentious divorce and custody dispute with his wife, Wendi Adelson. Prosecutors allege that Donna and her son, Charlie, arranged the murder so Wendi could gain full custody of their children and start a new life in South Florida.
Wendi has not been charged but has been repeatedly named in court filings. She has fought a subpoena to testify at her mothers trial, arguing it could jeopardize her Fifth Amendment rights. Aronberg expects she will still take the stand, under immunity if called by the prosecution.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Donna Adelson's defense team, Jackie Fulford and Joshua Zelman, for comment. Despite the twists and turns of this case, one thing remains clear: the pursuit of justice for Dan Markel continues unabated.
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