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Estranged son of Donna Adelson, charged with…
Felony Justice
Estranged son of Donna Adelson, charged with legislation prof’s homicide, known as as a authorities witness
By Debra Cassens Weiss
August 27, 2025, 12:47 pm CDT
Authorities exhibit from the homicide trial of Donna Adelson. (Photograph by the Tallahassee Democrat by way of the Related Press)
New York doctor Robert Adelson, the estranged son of homicide defendant Donna Adelson, testified about an uncommon telephone name throughout his mom’s trial this week in Tallahassee, Florida, for the homicide of a legislation professor who was her former son-in-law.
It was the primary time Robert Adelson testified in any prosecutions within the case, certainly one of which led to the November 2023 conviction of one other of Donna Adelson’s sons, dentist Charlie Adelson.
Donna Adelson is accused of looking for the homicide of Florida State College Faculty of Regulation professor Dan Markel to permit her daughter Wendi Adelson, a lawyer who was Markel’s ex-wife, to relocate with the couple’s two kids from Tallahassee to be close to the household in Miami.
Robert Adelson testified Monday that his mom known as on his marriage ceremony anniversary, which was two days after the arrests of two alleged hit males, the primary arrests within the case. Publications overlaying the testimony embrace the Tallahassee Democrat (right here and right here) and WCTV.
Robert Adelson stated he thought of the arrests “massive information” however his mom didn’t convey it up through the telephone name. He lastly broached the subject, in accordance with the Tallahassee Democrat’s protection. “I stated it a minimum of two or 3 times—that they made an arrest, they bought the man who killed Danny,” Robert Adelson testified. “And her response was, ‘I’ve bought to go.’ ”
“That was the final time I spoke along with her,” he stated.
Robert Adelson additionally testified concerning the household dynamic, in accordance with a information evaluation by the Tallahassee Democrat that labeled him “essentially the most credible witness on the stand.”
“He testified Donna is controlling and inflexible with fastened concepts concerning her kids and their lives,” the newspaper studies. “He described his sister Wendi as appearing like a ‘damsel in misery’ through the divorce.”
Donna Adelson authorized of Markel till Wendi Adelson left him, Robert Adelson testified. Donna Adelson helped her daughter and the kids depart whereas Markel was away for a talking engagement and was gleeful when her daughter instructed Markel she had left simply earlier than he went on stage.
Wendi Adelson, who has not been charged, denied any involvement within the homicide, the Tallahassee Democrat studies in a separate story. In testimony on Monday, she described the authorized custody battle with Markel and her incapacity to get a choose to agree that she needs to be allowed to relocate with the kids. She additionally stated her brother Charlie Adelson had joked about hiring successful man to kill Markel.
Earlier within the day, an investigator testified that Markel had filed a March 2014 movement to stop Donna Adelson from having unsupervised visits with the kids after they reportedly instructed Markel that “Grandma says she hates you.”
A listening to on the movement by no means occurred as a result of Markel was killed beforehand.
Donna Adelson is the fifth individual prosecuted within the case. The final individual convicted was her son, Charlie Adelson. The alleged triggerman, Sigfredo Garcia, was convicted, and his alleged confederate, Luis Rivera, pleaded responsible to second-degree homicide. An alleged go-between accused of hiring the hit males for Charlie Adelson, Katherine Magbanua, was additionally convicted.
See additionally:
‘Can a killer appear like a granny?’ Prosecutor poses questions as mother-in-law of slain legislation prof goes on trial
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