FL - FSU Law Professor Dan Markel Murdered by Hitmen-Donna Adelson Upcoming Trial - *5 Guilty* #27

[BrownRice]

Was Judge E protecting the jurors from having to see Donna’s fake antics? I think Donna wanted the jurors to see her pain and make them doubt that they got it right. I’m surprised that she didn’t pretend to pass out.

I thought she was trying to pass out or have a heart attack!

 

[scottishgal]

My heart ached when I heard how amicable he was on the voicemail to WA on the morning of , about the son's kindergarten chat ...

If only she had stayed patient and not got her parents so involved in trying to 'fix things' for her - perhaps in a year or two DM would have moved on with Amy /new relationship to the point where he softened on her need to move back to South Florida esp if she was dating someone there , and they could have come to an amicable sharing of the kids (one has all school holidays , which actually comes to like 14-15 weeks a year.....this could have stayed just a very ordinary family dispute...amicably settled in time ....

 

[BrownRice]

She had it all - marriage to a very successful man, three intelligent and accomplished children, a high social standing in her community and a close-knit family. She threw it all away because of her pathological need for control.

Don’t forget the grandchildren! She loved them to death. Her life was full of sunshine. But she made sure to ruin all of it. Now her only sunshine is shared with a yard of prisoners.

 

[BrownRice]

Yes, they were interesting. But, now that Donna wont be seeing daylight I would love to see what they have to say to each other. Especially, since defense through shade at Charlie and Wendi.

Right? My gosh, the defense was brutal about them (and of course, Rob…the only child with a conscience and decency).

Rob and the Markel’s are where my heart went last night.

 

[BrownRice]

Still can't get my head around a professor being murdered because he wanted to have his children 50/50 custody and for them to remain in the town they had been born and raised in.....

And I say this as someone who many times in my 30s would have left my husband if location had not been a consideration .....he wanted to raise our son in scotland and my family is in england ...I did not have the courage to divorce with all my family the same 400 kms away ....would have done it if they had been here or we had been there ....I lived with my choices accepting life is compromise, and somedays I am glad I stayed in the marriage, somedays not so much but.....

Hiring a hitman just cos a marriage is crumbling or crumbled - over custody and location ?

How does one make that leap ? and think it is justifiable ? an educated person at that with logical reasoning skills and moral comprehension.

How does one live with that even if had not been caught by LE ?

This case is absolutely fascinating with it's human (or lack thereof) side as many others have pointed out

I think it was Donna’s idea and Wendi probably scoffed at it originally. Then started thinking hmmm……..ok.

 

[pseudo_hum]

Adelson crime family is now out of commission. #acf

 

[Tealgrove]

What a despicable horrible human being she is.

 

[scottishgal]

I think it was Donna’s idea and Wendi probably scoffed at it originally. Then started thinking hmmm……..ok.

I imagine it was a joke at first that they kept returning too - a running joke for a year - and then one lunch or dinner meet up or group family call at which one said ' eff it, we shud just do it' and everyone was somber instead of smiling wryly .....and then the spring of 2014 the grandma motion to have DA get only supervised visitation and the financial assets hiding motion....made them start those incessant phone conversations

I cant believe they had like a gazillion phone convos planning the 'tv repair' all for just SG to drive and park on DM driveway and shoot him and then drive back. How does a gazillion calls lead to a simplistic plan where they should have known CCTV would capture the car, the car would lead to car rental, the car rental contract would lead to SG......?

EVEN if the neighbour had not seen the Pirius(?) car leaving, think LE would have figured out this car was tailing DM all morning and looked into that car .....why follow him around all morning

 

[judithannegg]

Anyone know if Wendi was in the courtroom during the verdict? After the verdict at the prosecutor's press conference, I did hear the magnificent and talented Georgia Cappleman, when asked about a potential arrest for Wendi, say "Stay tuned." Wonder if there are any European countries with no US extradition that are wonderful to raise two boys...

 

[Knitpicker]

My heart ached when I heard how amicable he was on the voicemail to WA on the morning of , about the son's kindergarten chat ...

If only she had stayed patient and not got her parents so involved in trying to 'fix things' for her - perhaps in a year or two DM would have moved on with Amy /new relationship to the point where he softened on her need to move back to South Florida esp if she was dating someone there , and they could have come to an amicable sharing of the kids (one has all school holidays , which actually comes to like 14-15 weeks a year.....this could have stayed just a very ordinary family dispute...amicably settled in time ....

Phil Markel said that his son’s goal was to make FSU law school one of the top 10 law schools in the country. He wasn’t going anywhere.
And he wasn’t moving to NY to leave his sons.

 

[yazoost]

Ms. Markel's plugging her book during the VIS seemed really gross to me. Even using the full, eleven word title. Surprised she didn't project an Amazon QR code on the wall.

 

[Going Rogue]

The best part of yesterday's proceedings was hearing both Ruth & Phil’s victim impact statements immediately following the verdict and that it was delivered within a few yards of Donna who had seemingly just lost all hope of beating the system. Its hard to tell by Donna’s verdict reaction if she is truly convinced she is a victim and in no way accountable and thought she’d walk OR it was an act and has already thought this through and has another stupid plan in place. I’d bet the latter, her reaction did not appear genuine and I honestly believe because she lived a such a life of privilege the reality that she can’t buy or scheme her way out of this hasn’t fully sunk in with her. What a despicable person she is.

God bless the entire Markel family. In Donna’s words – I bet she has a lot to think about.

 

[judithannegg]

The best part of yesterday's proceedings was hearing both Ruth & Phil’s victim impact statements immediately following the verdict and that it was delivered within a few yards of Donna who had seemingly just lost all hope of beating the system. Its hard to tell by Donna’s verdict reaction if she is truly convinced she is a victim and in no way accountable and thought she’d walk OR it was an act and has already thought this through and has another stupid plan in place. I’d bet the latter, her reaction did not appear genuine and I honestly believe because she lived a such a life of privilege the reality that she can’t buy or scheme her way out of this hasn’t fully sunk in with her. What a despicable person she is.

God bless the entire Markel family. In Donna’s words – I bet she has a lot to think about.

Yep. I just can't get over the fact that Dan was a good guy, a good father, a good provider. He and Wendi, at some point, decided Tallahassee would be a place to raise a family. It's only Grandma that gets upset that she wants the boys closer to her that Wendi asks for relocation. And since that is denied, Grandma has to put in place to kill the father of her precious grandchildren. All because he didn't want to uproot their lives and move them closer to evil Grandma? And I mean EVIL. Dan didn't want to be a father that lived hours away from his kids. In fact his lawyer testified that he wanted, even though it wouldn't be possible, to tuck his kids in at night on days Wendi had custody. He really wanted to be there for the boys. Of course he wasn't going to allow them to be uprooted. This is a guy who wanted to see his sons EVERY DAY. Selfish Grandma couldn't see it that way. She took that as him being an a-hole because he wouldn't let Wendi move the boys so that SHE could see them every day instead. I'm sooo happy with the verdict. Go Georgia! As she said after the verdict, "Stay Tuned."

 

[Teche]

As a grandparent, I would be so grateful that that my former son/daughter-in-law would want to be actively involved in co-parenting. You’d want a healthy relationship for your grands.

 

[Montrealaise]

I imagine it was a joke at first that they kept returning too - a running joke for a year - and then one lunch or dinner meet up or group family call at which one said ' eff it, we shud just do it' and everyone was somber instead of smiling wryly .....and then the spring of 2014 the grandma motion to have DA get only supervised visitation and the financial assets hiding motion....made them start those incessant phone conversations

I cant believe they had like a gazillion phone convos planning the 'tv repair' all for just SG to drive and park on DM driveway and shoot him and then drive back. How does a gazillion calls lead to a simplistic plan where they should have known CCTV would capture the car, the car would lead to car rental, the car rental contract would lead to SG......?

EVEN if the neighbour had not seen the Pirius(?) car leaving, think LE would have figured out this car was tailing DM all morning and looked into that car .....why follow him around all morning

Yes, as soon as LE saw the video footage of the parking lot at the gym, it would have been clear what was happening. The camera captured DM's car driving into the lot and another car following not too far behind. You then saw DM getting out of his car, going into the gym, coming out about an hour later and then driving off. Meanwhile, nobody got out of the other car, which remained parked until DM came out and drove off, then followed his car out of the parking lot. Chilling.

 

[KariKae]

So now 5 people are in prison. And 7 (I think) children are growing up without one or both parents.

All because one spoiled woman didn't get her way in a divorce.

 

[Montrealaise]

As a grandparent, I would be so grateful that that my former son/daughter-in-law would want to be actively involved in co-parenting. You’d want a healthy relationship for your grands.

If DA was so distraught at not seeing her grandsons on a regular basis, why didn't she and HA buy a condo or small house in Tallahassee? They could have divided their time between there and Miami.

 

[alexwood]

I would love to see the conversations between Charlie and his mother. I think Wendi made her escape and wants nothing to do with them now. Will she change her name??

Here's my question. Can inmates call each other from their respective prisons?

 

[alexwood]

Kind of late - but on Holiday!

Thursday, Sept. 4th:
*Trial continues (Day 9)-CLOSING ARGUMENTS & VERDICT REACHED!! (@ 9am ET) - FL - Daniel Eric Markel (41) (shot to death July 18, 2014, Tallahassee) - *Donna Sue Adelson (64 @ time of crime/73/now 75) arrested by FBI @ Miami Intl. Airport (11/13/23) on out-of-County warrant from Leon County arrest Warrant [#FW23102353] & indicted (11/15/23), charged (11/21/23) & arraigned (12/11/23) with 1st degree murder, conspiracy to commit 1st degree murder & solicitation to commit 1st degree murder. No bond. Held at Miami-Dade County Jail (Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Leon County has 15 days to extradite from Miami-Dade County). Transferred from Miami-Dade to Leon County on 11/20/23. Transferred to Wakulla Detention Facility on 6/6/25. Held without bond (murder), $25K (conspiracy) & $25K (solicitation) on 11/21/23. Plead not guilty. Transferred to Leon County jail on 8/14/25. Leon County
Jury selection began on 8/19/25 & ended on 8/21/25. Jury: 12 jurors & 2 alternates [8 men & 6 women].
Trial began on 8/22/25. [thru 9/5/25] The State rested their case on 8/29/25. Defense began their case on 9/2/25 & rested their case on 9/3/25. Verdict: Guilty of all charges.
Leon County Circuit Judge Stephen S. Everett presiding. Prosecutor Georgia Cappelman & Assistant State attorney Sarah Dugan. Defense attorney Adam J. Komisar, Jackie Fulford & Joshua D. Zelman.
Case & Court info from 11/13/23 thru 8/18/25 & Jury Selection Days 1-3 (8/19-21/25) & Trial Days 1-7 (8/22-9/2/25) reference post #569 here:
https://websleuths.com/threads/fl-f...son-upcoming-trial-4-guilty-27.751508/page-29
9/3/25 Wednesday, Trial Day 8: Defense witnesses: Kristin Adamson, who previously represented Wendi Adelson. Linda Bailey [testified with no jurors; she was sitting in the courtroom during "other" testimony. She was hired by the defense to evaluate if the divorce between Wendi & Dan was contentious.
*After hearing her testimony, outside the presence of the jury, the judge has called for a recess to make his decision. Prosecutors are asking the witness be “excluded.” If they get their way, the witness will not be allowed to testify for breaking the sequestration rules. However, the judge pointed out the Florida Supreme Court has found exclusion to be an “extreme” penalty. Judge Everett rules there has been a "second" violation of the sequestration rule by the defense. That said, Judge Everett rules that Bailey will be allowed to testify over the prosecution's objections.
Defense witness cont'd: Linda Bailey [in front of jury]. Marissel Descalzo, Donna’s former defense lawyer. Sara Newhouse from the Tallahassee Police Dept. [used to be a victim advocate for Wendi].
Donna says she will not testify to Judge Everett.
*The defense rests without calling another witness. The State said they will not be offering a rebuttal.
Closing arguments to begin on Thursday, 9/4/25.
*After lunch will find out whether or not Donna Adelson will testify.
[see post #649, page 33, thread 27 for Day 7 updates]. Trial continues on Thursday, 9/4/25.
9/4/25 Thursday, Trial day 9: Closing argument by Prosecutor Georgia Cappleman & defense attorney Jackie Fulford. And rebuttal by Cappleman.
Judge is reading the jury instructions to the jurors.
*Jury deliberated for 3 hours - Verdict: Guilty of first degree murder. Guilty conspiracy to commit. Guilty of solicitation.
Sentencing hearing on 10/14/25.

Thank you, Niner, for everything that you do for us here on Websleuths!

 

[Knitpicker]

The best part of yesterday's proceedings was hearing both Ruth & Phil’s victim impact statements immediately following the verdict and that it was delivered within a few yards of Donna who had seemingly just lost all hope of beating the system. Its hard to tell by Donna’s verdict reaction if she is truly convinced she is a victim and in no way accountable and thought she’d walk OR it was an act and has already thought this through and has another stupid plan in place. I’d bet the latter, her reaction did not appear genuine and I honestly believe because she lived a such a life of privilege the reality that she can’t buy or scheme her way out of this hasn’t fully sunk in with her. What a despicable person she is.

God bless the entire Markel family. In Donna’s words – I bet she has a lot to think about.

There wasn’t one tear. She put on “the performance of her life”, knowing her photo would be on every news outlet today.
Narcissists are good at projecting an image others expect of them.
If she had tears I would think otherwise.

Yes, Very sad but I felt real victory this time for Ruth. With every conviction she seems to get more strength. Donna was an especially sharp thorn in her side. Donna’s wrath-mother to mother was unlike any other co-conspirator. It was the sharpest stab.
If you read her book you would feel the pain of what Donna put her through that weekend Phil and Ruth attended the memorial. Not even 48 hours after her son’s death the Adelsons are ghosting Ruth and Phil. Heartless people. And Wendi did the same.as if punishing them. Their guilt was so apparent.

The Q to you is, are you any closer to believing Wendi is next?