{"id":196503,"date":"2023-11-22T09:42:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T13:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=196503"},"modified":"2023-11-22T09:52:27","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T13:52:27","slug":"donna-adelson-arrested-on-charges-of-first-degree-murder-as-she-attempted-to-flee-to-vietnam-with-one-way-ticket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=196503","title":{"rendered":"Donna Adelson arrested on charges of first-degree murder as she and husband attempted to flee to Vietnam with one-way ticket"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><em>Who is Donna Adelson?<\/em> Evidence against latest person charged in Dan Markel murder-for-hire<\/h1>\n<h3>Affidavit claims Adelson spoke of suicide, fleeing to non-extradition country<\/h3>\n<p><!--more-->C. A. Bridges<br \/>\nUSA TODAY NETWORK &#8211; Florida<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"TALLAHASSEE-Embed Player\" src=\"https:\/\/uw-media.tallahassee.com\/embed\/video\/71595269007?placement=snow-embed\" width=\"540\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<article class=\"gnt_pr\">\n<div class=\"gnt_ar_b\">\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">On Monday night in Miami, one week after Fort Lauderdale periodontist\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/07\/dan-markel-murder-hire-charlie-adelson-guilty-tallahassee-florida-conspiracy\/71487731007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Charlie Adelson was found guilty<\/a>\u00a0in a murder-for-hire plot to kill his ex-brother-in-law Dan Markel, his parents\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/13\/donna-adelson-arrested-days-after-sons-conviction-in-dan-markel-murder\/71572257007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Donna and Harvey Adelson were stopped<\/a>\u00a0at Miami International Airport before they could board a one-way flight to Vietnam.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Donna Adelson, 73,\u00a0was arrested on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in the 2014 killing of the renowned FSU law professor in the latest bombshell twist in a nearly decade-long investigation that captured the attention of the nation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/15\/grand-jury-indicts-donna-adelson-dan-markel-murder-plot-charlie-wendi-harvey-miami-airport-arrest\/71595048007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Donna Adelson was indicted<\/a>\u00a0by a grand jury on Wednesday on the same charges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">In the\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/14\/arrest-records-donna-adelson-talked-suicide-fleeing-country-jail-calls-with-son-charlie-dan-markel\/71579446007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">arrest affidavit<\/a>, investigators said that Donna was complicit and a flight risk, citing jailhouse calls she made to Charlie after he was found guilty saying she was putting her financial affairs in order and planning to leave, either through self-harm or by getting out of the country.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img gnt_em_img__inset\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/11\/14\/PTAL\/71576350007-donna-photo.jpg?width=300&amp;height=375&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Donna Adelson\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Donna Adelson\" data-c-credit=\"Miami-Dade County Corrections And Rehabilitation\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">&#8220;Donna discusses plans for a suicide,&#8221; the affidavit says, &#8220;but also discusses plans to flee to a non-extradition country. Donna Sue Adelson has considerable financial resources to do this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Here&#8217;s what we know.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">Who is Donna Adelson?<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/11\/01\/PTAL\/71414599007-exhibit.jpg?width=660&amp;height=318&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"A state exhibit in the murder trial of Charlie Adelson.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"A state exhibit in the murder trial of Charlie Adelson.\" data-c-credit=\"Special To The Democrat\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Donna Sue Adelson, is married to Dr. Harvey Adelson, retired dentist and founder of the Adelson Institute for Aesthetics and Implant Dentistry in Tamarac, Florida. She has three children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Adelson is the second member of her family and the fifth person to be charged in connection to the Dan Markel contract killing.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">What happened to Dan Markel?<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/09\/20\/PTAL\/fc44493e-d136-443c-bf42-4bba76b55283-dan-markel-1.jpg?width=660&amp;height=434&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/09\/20\/PTAL\/fc44493e-d136-443c-bf42-4bba76b55283-dan-markel-1.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=868&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"Dan Markel\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Dan Markel\" data-c-credit=\"Special To The Democrat\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Daniel Eric Markel, 41 at the time of his death, was a Canadian-born Florida State law professor, author and prominent legal scholar. He was married to fellow FSU professor Wendi Adelson and they had two young sons, but they separated in 2012 and battled through an extremely acrimonious and bitter divorce in 2013. Wendi and her family were determined to move her and the boys to South Florida where the rest of the Adelsons lived, prosecutors said, but Markel refused and successfully fought it in court.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-fl-tallahassee-C1558-native-article_link-news-local-2\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Markel pulled into his garage in Tallahassee after\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2019\/07\/18\/anniversary-dan-markel-murder-gunned-down-journey-justice-continues\/1746763001\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">running errands<\/a>\u00a0on July 18, 2014 when\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2019\/10\/01\/dan-markel-murder-luis-rivera-points-to-sigfredo-garcia-shooter\/3833852002\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">two men approached him and shot him<\/a>\u00a0twice in the head. He\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2014\/07\/19\/fsu-law-professor-dies-shooting\/12891513\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">died the next day<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Over nearly ten years of investigations, wiretapping, and testimony, prosecutors have said Markel&#8217;s killing was the result of a murder-for-hire plot involving Donna Adelson, her son Charles, a.k.a. Charlie (a periodontist at the family business), Charlie&#8217;s girlfriend at the time\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2022\/11\/16\/dan-markel-murder-katherine-magbanua-may-testify-against-charlie-adelson\/10713968002\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Katherine Magbanua<\/a>, and the hitmen\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2016\/06\/24\/documents-shed-light-markel-case\/86338168\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Luis Rivera<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2016\/06\/02\/document-sigfredo-garcia-probable-cause\/85287260\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Sigfredo Garcia<\/a>, who is also the father of Magbanua&#8217;s children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">How it all began:<\/strong><a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2014\/07\/19\/fsu-law-professor-dies-shooting\/12891513\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|spike click:18|${u}\">FSU law professor dies in shooting<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">How many people have been found guilty in the Dan Markel murder?<\/h2>\n<p><a class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_gl gnt_em__el\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/picture-gallery\/news\/2023\/11\/06\/charlie-adelson-verdict-reached-murder-trial-jury-found\/71477692007\/\" data-t-l=\":l|l|c|view gallery:inline promo\" aria-label=\"View Gallery - Jury reaches guilty verdict in the Charlie Adelson murder trial | PHOTOS\" data-g-r=\"nav_mo\" data-g-tn=\"pgcss\" data-g-mtn=\"pg71477692007\" data-g-moh=\"hpgm\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-expanded=\"false\" data-c-id=\"71477692007\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_gl_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/11\/06\/PTAL\/71480644007-adelson-verdict-005.JPG?crop=3851,2166,x0,y0&amp;width=660&amp;height=372&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/authoring\/authoring-images\/2023\/11\/06\/PTAL\/71480644007-adelson-verdict-005.JPG?crop=3851,2166,x0,y0&amp;width=1320&amp;height=744&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"372\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_t gnt_em_t__hb\" data-c-et=\"Jury reaches guilty verdict in the Charlie Adelson murder trial | PHOTOS\" aria-label=\"The case went to the jury Monday afternoon, which will decide if dentist Charlie Adelson is guilty of the murder of Dan Markel.\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">To date, four people have been found guilty in the conspiracy.\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2016\/10\/10\/rivera-we-were-coming-up-here-kill-somebody\/91847004\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Rivera<\/a>, who was already doing time on an unrelated charge, took a deal and received a 19-year sentence.\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2019\/10\/11\/trial-verdict-dan-markel-murder-katherine-magbanua-sigfredo-garcia-found\/3929787002\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Garcia<\/a>, who Rivera said pulled the trigger, was sentenced to life in prison in 2019, as was\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2022\/07\/28\/dan-markel-murder-katherine-magbanua-charlie-adelson-sentenced-trial-murder-livestream-live\/10161450002\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Magbanua<\/a>\u00a0in her 2022 trial. This month Charlie Adelson was found guilty and is awaiting sentencing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><strong class=\"gnt_ar_b_al\">Dan Markel murder:<\/strong><a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/10\/23\/charlie-adelson-murder-trial-breaking-down-the-witness-list-dan-markel-wendi\/71168319007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|spike click:22|${u}\">Walkthrough of witnesses making the case for, against Charlie Adelson<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">What was Donna Adelson charged with and was she wearing an anti-suicide vest?<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_img_i\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/10\/20\/PFSU\/87f70606-25df-4169-95db-fa125594be2f-TLH2Brd_07-18-2019_Democrat_1_A00520190717IMG_636023715263267678_G_1_1_SUOVCSLR_L1396432596IMG_636023715263267678_G_1_1_SUOVCSLR.jpg?width=660&amp;height=441&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/10\/20\/PFSU\/87f70606-25df-4169-95db-fa125594be2f-TLH2Brd_07-18-2019_Democrat_1_A00520190717IMG_636023715263267678_G_1_1_SUOVCSLR_L1396432596IMG_636023715263267678_G_1_1_SUOVCSLR.jpg?width=1320&amp;height=882&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"Dan Markel's car, still parked in his Trescott Drive home's garage, where he was found July 18, 2014, with two gunshot wounds to the head. Markel was slumped over the steering wheel when first responders arrived.\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_img_ccw gnt_em_img_ccw__cap gnt_em_img_ccw__crd\" data-c-caption=\"Dan Markel's car, still parked in his Trescott Drive home's garage, where he was found July 18, 2014, with two gunshot wounds to the head. Markel was slumped over the steering wheel when first responders arrived.\" data-c-credit=\"State Attorney's Office, State Attorney's Office\"><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Donna Adelson was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in Markel&#8217;s murder, the same charges her son Charlie\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2023\/11\/06\/charlie-adelson-jury-returns-guilty-verdict-2014-murder-for-hire-killing-of-dan-markel-tallahassee\/71478420007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">was found guilty of by a jury in just three hours<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">A grand jury on Wednesday returned an indictment of Donna Adelson on the same charges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Adelson\u00a0was booked into the Miami-Dade Turner\u00a0Guilford\u00a0Knight Correctional Center, where she is being held without bond. She is expected to be transported to the Leon County Detention Facility, where her son is incarcerated while he awaits sentencing, within the next couple of weeks. The U.S. Sun reported that Adelson appeared in court wearing\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/news\/9627515\/donna-sue-adelson-arrested-where-now\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">an anti-suicide vest<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">A court date has yet to be set for Adelson&#8217;s sentencing.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">What is the evidence against Donna Adelson?<\/h2>\n<aside class=\"gnt_em gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el\" aria-label=\"Video - 2019 trial: Wendi Adelson on custody and her mother's alleged offer during Dan Markel trial testimony\">\n<div class=\"gnt_em_vp_w\" data-g-r=\"vp_tp\" data-c-vt=\"teal\" data-t-pl=\"teal-storyinline\"><button class=\"gnt_em_vp_a gnt_em_vp__tp_a\" data-g-r=\"vp_tg\" data-c-vpattrs=\"{&quot;muted&quot;:false,&quot;bContent&quot;:false,&quot;an&quot;:&quot;fl-tallahassee-C1558&quot;,&quot;pn&quot;:&quot;Tallahassee Democrat&quot;,&quot;vidNum&quot;:2}\" data-c-vpdata=\"{&quot;adsEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;awsPath&quot;:&quot;news&quot;,&quot;byline&quot;:&quot;Nate Chute&quot;,&quot;canonicalURL&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;contentSourceCode&quot;:&quot;PTAL&quot;,&quot;createDate&quot;:&quot;2019-09-30T20:22:42Z&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Nate Chute, Tallahassee Democrat&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:123000,&quot;headline&quot;:&quot;2019 trial: Wendi Adelson on custody and her mother's alleged offer during Dan Markel trial testimony&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;3823513002&quot;,&quot;image&quot;:{&quot;opto&quot;:true,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/09\/27\/PTAL\/1beec4dd-6774-44f4-b889-9b9718929f99-Wendi_Adelson037.JPG&quot;},&quot;initialPublishDate&quot;:&quot;2019-09-30T20:22:42Z&quot;,&quot;keywords&quot;:&quot;Dan Markel,Markel,Testimony,Fear,Overall Negative,Repulsion,Overall Very Negative,Hearings and Trials&quot;,&quot;mp4URL&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/downloadmedia.gannett-cdn.com\/authoring\/video-renditions\/f8345b9e-cd9c-41d9-905e-a2cb199e88eb\/1080p_30fps.mp4&quot;,&quot;origin&quot;:&quot;Tallahassee Democrat&quot;,&quot;pageURL&quot;:{&quot;long&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/videos\/news\/2019\/09\/30\/wendi-adelson-testimony-dan-markel-trial\/3823513002\/&quot;},&quot;promoBrief&quot;:&quot;After her ex-husband was killed, Wendi Adelson said she was \\&quot;terrified\\&quot; that someone would come after her and her children.&quot;,&quot;propertyName&quot;:&quot;Tallahassee&quot;,&quot;publishDate&quot;:&quot;2022-05-19T15:10:26Z&quot;,&quot;series&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;ssts&quot;:{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;news&quot;,&quot;subsection&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;topic&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;subtopic&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;tags&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;18378e26-6990-4bde-b45e-da543b5ced4f&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Dan Markel&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;3e630bfd-4d78-4593-85b5-1ebaac290f75&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Markel&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;1253ed08-d043-4bfc-986c-719e79ac070d&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Testimony&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;88b509b4-2bd8-4152-9aea-b89cb1183b9e&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Fear&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;987bb855-cc8e-4ce9-9335-08fbba5e6fa6&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Overall Negative&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;1904d19e-d63b-46da-b17b-ce44dd4c2ce1&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Repulsion&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;3d309c09-63e7-4fe6-8a03-775bb5bd7936&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Overall Very Negative&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;d75d02f8-fbb0-441e-af85-0294bb5f607d&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Hearings and Trials&quot;}],&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Wendi Adelson testimony Dan Markel trial testimony&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;\/videos\/news\/2019\/09\/30\/wendi-adelson-testimony-dan-markel-trial\/3823513002\/&quot;}\" aria-label=\"Play video\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"gnt_em_vp_img\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/09\/27\/PTAL\/1beec4dd-6774-44f4-b889-9b9718929f99-Wendi_Adelson037.JPG?width=660&amp;height=371&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp\" srcset=\"\/gcdn\/presto\/2019\/09\/27\/PTAL\/1beec4dd-6774-44f4-b889-9b9718929f99-Wendi_Adelson037.JPG?width=1320&amp;height=742&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp 2x\" alt=\"\" data-g-r=\"lazy vp_po\" \/><\/button><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_vh\" data-c-et=\"2019 trial: Wendi Adelson on custody and her mother's alleged offer during Dan Markel trial testimony\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_em_vb gnt_em_vb__he\" aria-label=\"After her ex-husband was killed, Wendi Adelson said she was &quot;terrified&quot; that someone would come after her and her children.\" data-c-credit=\"Nate Chute, Tallahassee Democrat\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">The Tallahassee Police Department suggested that Donna Adelson was a prime suspect in the Markel murder back in 2016, when TPD initially presented\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2016\/09\/08\/police-markels-ex-brother--law-looked-into-hitman\/90093878\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">probable cause affidavits<\/a>\u00a0to the State Attorney&#8217;s Office. At the time, State Attorney Willie Meggs dismissed them as speculation. Investigations over the next 9 years revealed:<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-fl-tallahassee-C1558-native-article_link-news-local-3\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"2\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<ul class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul\">\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">Prosecutors say Donna and Harvey Adelson repeatedly tried to convince Wendi to coerce Markel into allowing her to move their sons to South Florida, with Donna suggesting they\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2016\/06\/02\/documents-connect-markel-family-murder-plot\/85286088\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">offer Markel $1 million<\/a>\u00a0to change his mind.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">Donna suggested that Wendi threaten to\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/floridapolitics.com\/archives\/519063-motives-codewords-wiretaps-and-persistence-backstory-of-charlie-adelsons-arrest\/?fbclid=IwAR0kEWrQACi5-xE3B7drBn3vkY77NLpeqmW_DoJ0xVoWj8O4kQTywBaEkS8\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">enroll the children of the devoutly Jewish Markel in a Catholic school<\/a>, according to Donna Adelson&#8217;s arrest affidavit. Markel also filed a motion to\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2016\/06\/04\/markel-adelson-sparred-up-end\/85381422\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">prevent Donna from having unsupervised time with the children<\/a>\u00a0after hearing about disparaging remarks she was making about him to the children.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">According to the arrest affidavit,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2016\/09\/08\/police-markels-ex-brother--law-looked-into-hitman\/90093878\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">cellular records<\/a>\u00a0show &#8220;numerous contacts&#8221; between Magbanua, Charlie Adelson and Garcia before and after the killing, and contact between Garcia and a phone registered to Harvey Adelson. Charlie also frequently contacted Donna before and after the death.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">Wendi Adelson told investigators the day of the murder that her brother had joked it would be\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2016\/08\/26\/wendi-adelson-brother-joked-hiring-hitman\/89437110\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">cheaper to buy her a TV as a divorce gift<\/a>\u00a0than hire a hitman. From roughly 460 miles away, Donna arranged a television repair appointment for Wendi the morning of the homicide.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">At Charlie Adelson&#8217;s trial, Magbanua testified that when she went to his home the night of the killing he told her his parents had just left, leaving behind money &#8220;that his mom had washed,&#8221; the affidavit said. She said\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/10\/30\/charlie-adelson-murder-trial-live-livestream-dan-markel-tallahassee-luis-rivera\/71372584007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">the money was damp and moldy<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">After the murder, Magbanua received\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/10\/25\/dan-markel-florida-murder-case-brother-in-law-charlie-adelson-tallahassee-homicide-trial\/71298187007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">more than $17,000<\/a>\u00a0in paychecks from the Adelson&#8217;s practice, handwritten and signed by Donna, from September 2014 to at least April 2016, prosecutors said, on top of her portion of the money for the killing and over $56,000 in cash. She also was sold Charlie Adelson&#8217;s Lexus, which was registered to Harvey Adelson, for $1,700.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">In 2016,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2022\/04\/22\/dan-markel-murder-case-charlie-adelson-audio-recording-transcript\/7399707001\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">an undercover agent<\/a>\u00a0contacted Donna Adelson with a letter about the murder and demanded $5,000. She contacted Charlie to discuss the threat. In a later call, when Charlie asked what the letter was for, she said, &#8220;This TV is probably about five,&#8221; meaning $5,000, according to the affidavit. After he visited both his parents for a huddled conversation, Charlie took Magbanua to the Dolce Viota restaurant where\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2022\/04\/22\/dan-markel-murder-case-charlie-adelson-audio-recording-transcript\/7399707001\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">their conversation was recorded<\/a>\u00a0to complain about the would-be blackmailer, what he knew, and what Charlie would do about it. That recording became\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2022\/04\/22\/dan-markel-murder-charlie-adelson-video-evidence-transcript\/7399463001\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">key evidence<\/a>\u00a0in Charlie&#8217;s trial. One of the things he told Magbanua was &#8220;if they had any evidence we would have already gone to the airport.&#8221; After the meeting, Charlie called Donna to report that he was handling everything.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">After another letter and a text was sent to Donna Adelson by investigators, there were multiple calls and meetings between Charlie and his parents. Donna called the agent and denied all knowledge.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">Another of Charlie Adelson&#8217;s girlfriends,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/10\/27\/dan-markel-murder-luis-rivera-testimony-charlie-adelson-trial-watch-live\/71317684007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">June Umchinda<\/a>, told the FBI that after Rivera and Garcia were charged with murder Charlie and Donna Adelson both seemed more stressed, and Donna told her that she felt &#8220;Dan Markel was haunting her from the grave,&#8221; the affidavit said.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">After Charlie Adelson&#8217;s guilty verdict,\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/13\/donna-adelson-arrested-days-after-sons-conviction-in-dan-markel-murder\/71572257007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">Donna called him in jail several times<\/a>\u00a0and told him she was &#8220;getting things in order, creating trusts, and making sure her grandchildren are taken care of,&#8221; the affidavit said. She also discussed plans for a suicide and plans to flee to a non-extradition country.<\/li>\n<li class=\"gnt_ar_b_ul_li\">On Nov. 7, Donna and Harvey Adelson booked flights to Vietnam with a stop in Dubai, less than 48 hours before a grand jury was scheduled to meet that might have taken up her case. The U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with Vietnam. The grand jury returned an indictment of Donna Adelson on Wednesday.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"gnt_ar_b_mt\">Have Harvey or Wendi Adelson been charged?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">Wendi Adelson, who has denied involvement with the murder and testified under immunity at several trials, has not been charged.<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">State Attorney Jack Campbell told the Tallahassee Democrat that the state did not have the evidence to arrest Harvey\u00a0Adelson, but\u00a0<a class=\"gnt_ar_b_a\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/13\/donna-adelson-arrested-days-after-sons-conviction-in-dan-markel-murder\/71572257007\/\" data-t-l=\":b|e|k|${u}\">had enough to arrest Donna Adelson<\/a>. Her attempted flight overseas sped things up and pushed law enforcement \u201cto make a decision quickly,\u201d Campbell said.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al\" aria-label=\"advertisement\">\n<div id=\"ad-slot-7103-fl-tallahassee-C1558-native-article_link-news-local-4\" class=\"gnt_x_sl gnt_x_al\" data-g-r=\"lazy\" data-gl-method=\"llx\" data-x-c=\"3\"><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\">\u201cThat\u2019s what forced our hand,\u201d Campbell said. &#8220;We started talking to some of our law enforcement partners about the complexities of trying to bring someone back from either Dubai or Vietnam. And that might be a very complicated and lengthy process. So that\u2019s why we had to make a decision quickly.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"gnt_ar_b_p\"><em>Tallahassee Democrat reporter Jeff Burlew contributed to this article.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>___<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/15\/donna-adelson-latest-arrest-in-florida-family-evidence-contract-killing-case\/71592182007\/\">https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/15\/donna-adelson-latest-arrest-in-florida-family-evidence-contract-killing-case\/71592182007\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"gnt_ss\" data-g-r=\"base_sc\" data-ss-u=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/11\/15\/donna-adelson-latest-arrest-in-florida-family-evidence-contract-killing-case\/71592182007\/\" data-ss-t=\"Who is Donna Adelson? Evidence against latest person charged in Dan Markel murder-for-hire\" data-ss-d=\"A week after her son Charlie was found guilty of the murder of her former-son-in-law, Donna Adelson was arrested trying to board a flight to Vietnam.\"><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"gnt_rr\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Who is Donna Adelson? Evidence against latest person charged in Dan Markel murder-for-hire Affidavit claims Adelson spoke of suicide, fleeing to non-extradition country<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-196503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=196503"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196503\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=196503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=196503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=196503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}