DOMINO EFFECT

Florida Law Professor’s Former Mother-in-Law Now Arrested in His Murder

Donna Adelson was heading to Vietnam on a one-way plane ticket. Her son, Charlie, was convicted of the murder last week.

The mother of a Florida dentist convicted last week of killing his former brother-in-law has now been charged in the law professor’s murder. Donna Adelson—who was allegedly fleeing to Vietnam with her husband on a one-way ticket—was arrested Monday night on murder, conspiracy, and solicitation charges at Miami International Airport. The 73-year-old is now the fifth person to face charges in the death of Florida State professor Dan Markel, who was in the midst of a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, when he was killed in his driveway in 2014. Prosecutors said Charlie Adelson, Donna Adelson’s son, arranged a hit on Markel to get him out of the way in the custody battle. Police evidence allegedly showed that Donna was very invested in Wendi’s divorce and had told her daughter to “coerce” Markel into altering their custody arrangement.