South Florida Matriarch Sentenced to Life in Prison for Hired Killing of Her Former Son-in-Law

South Florida Matriarch Sentenced to Life in Prison for Hired Killing of Her Former Son-in-Law
Donna Adelson listens to statements made on her behalf by family friends during her sentencing for her role in the murder of Dan Markel, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat via AP, Pool, File
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Donna Adelson, the matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family who was convicted in the hired killing of her former son-in-law, was sentenced Monday to life in prison for her role in the 2014 murder-for-hire of Daniel Markel.

A prominent Florida State University law professor, Markel was locked in a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife, Adelson’s daughter, when he was gunned down in 2014 at his home in Tallahassee.