Guilty Grandma Convicted of Murder for Hire, Told to Control Herself After Courtroom Outburst [WATCH]

A South Florida woman was convicted this week in the 2014 murder-for-hire plot that killed Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel.

A jury found Donna Adelson, 75, guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, concluding a case that has spanned more than a decade and drawn national attention.

Markel, 41, was gunned down outside his Tallahassee home in July 2014 amid a bitter divorce and custody dispute with his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, Donna Adelson’s daughter.

Prosecutors argued that Donna Adelson orchestrated the killing to allow her daughter to relocate with her two young children from Tallahassee to South Florida.

When the verdict was read in court, Adelson reacted emotionally, exclaiming, “Oh! My God” as she shook and cried.

Circuit Judge Stephen Everett paused proceedings to allow her to regain composure and warned her to remain controlled in the courtroom.

“Mrs. Adelson, control yourself,” the judge said.

“While this was not the outcome I’m sure that you desire, there will not be any further outbursts in front of the jury.”

NEW: Grandma starts weeping in court after being convicted in the m*rder of her ex-son-in-law.

75-year-old Donna Adelson was seen being told to control herself as she began crying.

According to prosecutors, Adelson orchestrated a plot to take out her ex-son-in-law Daniel Markel… pic.twitter.com/PLS9IysVBg

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 5, 2025

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The case brought forward years of grief for Markel’s family.

His mother, Ruth Markel, addressed the court after the verdict.

“We have lost a treasure. My son Dan’s life was cut tragically short at 41 years old,” she said.

“For 11 years we have been forced to a life filled with unimaginable pain and heartbreak.”

She urged the court to impose the maximum penalty of life in prison, saying that was “the justice Dan’s life fully deserved.”

Donna Adelson is the fifth person convicted in connection with the plot.

Her son, Charlie Adelson, was convicted in 2023 and is serving a life sentence.

Charlie’s former girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua, is also serving a life term.

Two hired gunmen, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, were prosecuted as well—Garcia received a life sentence, while Rivera accepted a plea deal and is serving 19 years after cooperating with investigators.

Prosecutors described Donna Adelson as the controlling force behind the conspiracy.

Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman told jurors that Adelson’s financial and logistical role tied her directly to the killing.

Evidence presented included 44 checks she signed that prosecutors said were funneled to Magbanua, as well as notes in her planner containing details of Markel’s vehicle.

Cappleman argued that Adelson even delivered cash to her son’s home in Fort Lauderdale on the day Markel was murdered.

“She was paying for a murder,” Cappleman said in her closing argument.

The state also presented recorded phone calls showing Adelson discussing travel plans to Vietnam shortly after her son Charlie’s conviction.

Vietnam does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.

In November 2023, Adelson was arrested at Miami International Airport while attempting to board a one-way flight to the country with her husband, Harvey.

Forensic testimony further detailed the crime scene.

Investigators recovered Markel’s cell phone and eyeglasses near his car, noting no evidence of forced entry or robbery.

Prosecutors argued this supported their case that the shooting was a targeted hit rather than a random act of violence.

The defense countered that the evidence did not conclusively tie Donna Adelson to the murder.

Attorney Jackie Fulford described her as an interfering parent rather than a criminal mastermind.

“She meddles in her children’s lives… gets involved in their divorce,” Fulford told jurors.

“She’s just being a parent, not a killer. She’s a meddler—not a murderer.” Fulford suggested suspicion should fall more heavily on Adelson’s adult children, not on Donna herself.

Despite the defense’s efforts, jurors sided with the prosecution’s argument that Adelson played a critical role in planning the killing.

Judge Everett scheduled further case management for October 14, with sentencing to be determined at a later date.

The conviction closes another chapter in the lengthy prosecution of those involved in Markel’s death, though the case remains one of Florida’s most closely watched legal battles, symbolizing the devastating impact of family disputes that escalated into violence.