Donna Adelson, the matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family, has been sentenced to life in prison for killing her former son-in-law, Daniel Markel, after she hired a hitman to perform the murder.
Her sentencing was revealed in a court hearing on Monday, October 13, more than one decade after Adelson, 75, was allegedly involved in the 2014 murder-for-hire of Markel.
Markel and his ex-wife, Adelson’s daughter, were in the middle of a messy custody battle when he was gunned down at his home in Tallahassee, Florida, which prosecutors believe Adelson organized.
Adelson was found guilty in September of first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation, according to the Associated Press. She was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the murder charge, as well as an additional 30 years for the other two counts that will be served consecutively.
Romantic Lies and Deceptions Depicted in ‘Don’t Date Brandon’: Everything to Know About the Miniseries
Following the sentencing hearing, Adelson pledged to appeal.
Before her sentencing was revealed, Adelson made an emotional plea and insisted she was innocent, per the outlet. She then argued that her trial was a miscarriage of justice, adding that she believed the jury was swayed by years of negative media coverage surrounding the case.
“What happened to Danny is unforgivable. But I am an innocent woman convicted of this terrible crime without evidence,” she said, according to the outlet. “I’ve always respected the law. I’ve never gotten a parking ticket, But I’m going to prison for a murder I did not commit.”
Circuit Judge Stephen Everett didn’t find her argument compelling and told her, “You certainly can choose to deny your involvement and maintain innocence. The court finds the evidence in this case is clear.”
Charlie Hunnam’s Office Involved in a Break In… See the ‘Practical’ Items They Took
During the trial, prosecutors painted Adelson as a calculated and controlling matriarch, per the Associated Press. The legal team argued she had the resources and motive to orchestrate the killing of Markel, who she allegedly “hated.”
Meanwhile, defense attorneys insisted the state didn’t have sufficient evidence to link Adelson to the murder plot. Instead, they pointed to the roles played by others and even cast suspicion on two of Adelson’s adult children.
Adelson’s son, Charlie Adelson, was found guilty of the same charges as his mother in 2023, according to ABC News, and he was also given a life sentence in prison.
Meanwhile, Markel’s ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, has denied any involvement in the killing and has not been charged for the crime.
