Donna Adelson, 75, was sentenced in Tallahassee on October 13, 2025, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for orchestrating the 2014 murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel. Leon Circuit Judge Stephen Everett imposed additional consecutive terms—30 years each for conspiracy and solicitation—following her recent convictions after a weekslong trial. Adelson maintained her innocence in court and indicated plans to appeal. The case stemmed from a protracted custody battle between Markel and his ex-wife, Adelson’s daughter.
Local outlets reported the sentencing occurred Monday afternoon, making Adelson the fifth person imprisoned in the plot; prior convictions include her son, Charlie Adelson. Coverage noted the proceedings followed extensive public interest in the decade-old case and detailed the court’s rejection of defense arguments about insufficient evidence. Reports also highlighted that Markel was shot in his Tallahassee garage in July 2014 and that prosecutors depicted Adelson as a key organizer of the scheme.
