TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Court TV) – It’s been more than 11 years since FSU law professor Dan Markel was gunned down in his own home, and the woman alleged to have masterminded the killing heads to trial this week.
Donna Adelson reacts to a statement made in the courtroom during a hearing for a motion filed by her defense attorney Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat/Pool)
Donna Adelson, 75, faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in what prosecutors call a family-driven murder-for-hire plot. Four people are already locked up on murder and other convictions connected to Markel’s death, including Donna’s son, Charlie Adelson.
MORE | Timeline of events: The murder of Dan Markel
Currently, there are 61 names on the State’s witness list for Donna’s trial, although not all will necessarily be called to testify. Many names overlap with Charlie’s list, but here are some of the most anticipated witnesses who we didn’t hear from during Charlie’s trial.
FAMILIAR NAMES
Donna Adelson: The Defendant
Prosecutors say Donna Adelson was the driving force behind the plan to have Dan Markel killed in 2014. She’s been in custody since she was arrested at Miami International Airport one week after Charlie’s conviction. Donna is not on the State’s witness list, but she is expected to testify in her own defense.
Charlie Adelson: The Convicted Son
In 2023, South Florida periodontist Charlie Adelson was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation for arranging Markel’s murder. Prosecutors claim he helped execute the plan for the benefit of his mother, who wanted her grandsons to live closer to her in the Miami area. He is currently serving life without parole.
Wendi Adelson: The Daughter at the Center of the Custody Battle
FILE – Donna Adelson (L), Wendi Adelson (R), (POOL)
Markel’s ex-wife and Donna’s daughter, Wendi Adelson, was engaged in a heated custody dispute with Markel at the time of his death. Although she has not been charged, her name has been repeatedly mentioned in witness testimony. Prosecutors say the motive behind the murder was Donna’s desire to move the children to Miami, which Markel had opposed. Wendi is also Charlie’s little sister.
Katherine Magbanua: The Go-Between
Katherine Magbanua was the link between the Adelsons and the hitmen. She was dating Charlie on and off at the time Markel was killed. Magbanua is serving life without parole for her role in the murder.
MORE | Who’s who in FL v. Donna Adelson: Matriarch Mastermind Murder Trial
Attorneys Who Could Return in Donna’s Case
David Markus: Charlie’s First Defense Attorney
David Markus represented Charlie until just after his 2022 arrest, right before Dan Rashbaum took over the case.
Tara Kawass: Katherine Magbanua’s defense attorney
Tara Kawass represented Katherine Magbanua at both murder trials: The one that ended in a mistrial and the retrial in which she was convicted.
NEW NAMES
Rob Adelson: The Estranged Son
Rob Adelson is the estranged son of Donna and Harvey Adelson. He is the older brother of Charlie and Wendi, and was on the witness list for Charlie’s trial, but never got called to testify. Rob, who is a physician in upstate New York, sat for an on-camera deposition in 2024, the transcript of which was briefly made public because the clerk of court failed to seal it. Donna’s defense filed a motion in limine concerning Rob’s testimony because, according to Donna’s then-attorney Dan Rashbaum, Rob made a series of “admissions.” Court TV obtained a copy of the now-sealed deposition in which Rob described his mother as very sharp, and not someone who is gullible or could have the wool pulled over their eyes easily. Rob also made mention in his deposition of an unnamed racial slur that Donna made. Rob also stated that Donna puts her interests ahead of everyone else’s.
Scott Radius: The Friend Who May Have Tipped Off Authorities
Scott Radius was a friend of Charlie’s who invested in a timeshare with Charlie in Vietnam. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Donna called Radius for travel advice when planning her trip to Vietnam in the days after Charlie’s conviction. It has been speculated that Radius tipped off law enforcement about Donna’s travel plans.
Sara Yousef: The Family Friend
Sara Yousef was a friend of Wendi Adelson’s who knew her before Markel’s death. Wendi showed motions Markel had filed during their custody battle to Yousef. Earlier this year, Donna’s defense filed a motion in limine to exclude Yousef’s testimony. Court TV obtained a copy of the deposition. In it, Yousef recalled a 2014 birthday party held for one of the kids, not long after Markel’s death, during which she overheard Donna say, “They’re talking about him like he was a beloved professor. But you know something, he was a jerk.” Yousef thought it was odd because Markel had just died and believed Donna’s statement “conveyed an outsized and inappropriate anger considering that he (Dan) would never bother anyone again.” Yousef also said that she believed Donna, Charlie, and Wendi were guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and soliciting somebody to kill Markel.
Francis Magbanua: The Go-Between’s Brother
Katherine Magbanua’s older brother, Francis Magbanua, is reportedly raising the two children she shares with triggerman Sigfredo Garcia.
WHAT’S NEXT? DON’T EXPECT DONNA’S TRIAL TO BE CHARLIE 2.0
L to R: Donna Adelson, Charlie Adelson. (Leon County Sheriff’s Office)
Donna is facing the same charges as Charlie; her trial will be held at the same courthouse, she’ll face the same prosecutor, and she’ll even stand before the same judge, but the trials of mother and son will be far from carbon copies of one another. For one thing, Donna has a new defense team.
MORE | Body camera footage reveals Adelson family’s behavior behind bars
Donna had wanted Dan Rashbaum to represent her, despite the fact that he unsuccessfully defended Charlie. Rashbaum, however, recused himself from the case last September when Charlie refused to waive attorney-client privilege.
With dozens of witnesses and a personal motive at the center, Donna’s trial is expected to shed even more light on the long-running saga of the Adelson family.
