Estranged son of Donna Adelson, charged with law prof’s murder, called as a government witness

Dwelling
Day by day Information
Estranged son of Donna Adelson, charged with…

Prison 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

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 wedding ceremony anniversary, which was two days after the arrests of two alleged hit males, the primary arrests within the case. Publications masking the testimony embrace the Tallahassee Democrat (right here and right here) and WCTV.

Robert Adelson mentioned he thought-about the arrests “huge information” however his mom didn’t carry it up in the course of the telephone name. He lastly broached the subject, in keeping with the Tallahassee Democrat’s protection. “I mentioned it at the very least two or thrice—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 mentioned.

Robert Adelson additionally testified concerning the household dynamic, in keeping with a information evaluation by the Tallahassee Democrat that labeled him “probably the most credible witness on the stand.”

“He testified Donna is controlling and inflexible with fastened concepts relating to her kids and their lives,” the newspaper studies. “He described his sister Wendi as appearing like a ‘damsel in misery’ in the course of the divorce.”

Donna Adelson accredited of Markel till Wendi Adelson left him, Robert Adelson testified. Donna Adelson helped her daughter and the kids go away whereas Markel was away for a talking engagement and was gleeful when her daughter informed 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 incapability to get a decide to agree that she must be allowed to relocate with the kids. She additionally mentioned her brother Charlie Adelson had joked about hiring a success man to kill Markel.

Earlier within the day, an investigator testified that Markel had filed a March 2014 movement to forestall Donna Adelson from having unsupervised visits with the kids after they reportedly informed 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 particular person prosecuted within the case. The final particular person 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 seem like a granny?’ Prosecutor poses questions as mother-in-law of slain legislation prof goes on trial

Write a letter to the editor, share a narrative tip or replace, or report an error.