Grandmother, 75, sentenced to life in prison for hiring hitman to kill daughter's former husband

A 75-year-old grandmother has been sentenced to life behind bars after hiring a hitman to kill her daughter's ex-husband.

Donna Adelson was arrested in November 2023 at Miami International Airport while attempting to leave for Vietnam with her husband, Harvey.

And last month, Adelson was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy after Daniel Markel, 41 was shot in his garage in Tallahassee in July 2014 by hitmen hired by the grandmother.

His death came amid a divorce and custody battle with Adelson's daughter, Wendi.

Adelson was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on Monday (October 13) for the murder charge, on top of an additional 30 years for conspiracy and solicitation.

The charges will be served consecutively, while Adelson has said she will appeal the decision. Ahead of the sentencing in a Tallahassee courtroom, the grandmother expressed her innocence.

Dan Markel was killed in 2014 (FSU College of Law)

"What happened to Danny is unforgivable. But I am an innocent woman convicted of this terrible crime without evidence," she said.

"I’ve always respected the law. I’ve never gotten a parking ticket, But I’m going to prison for a murder I did not commit."

Circuit Judge Stephen Everett was forced to interrupt Adelson on multiple occasions, telling her as he hander down the sentence: "You certainly can choose to deny your involvement and maintain innocence. The court finds the evidence in this case is clear."

Alongside Adelson, her son Charles Adelson and his former girlfriend Katherine Magbanua had already been handed a life sentence.

The grandmother has been sentenced to life behind bars (Local 10)

Hitman Luis Rivera, who already had a 12-year federal prison sentence, is serving seven years - concurrently with his other sentence - as part of a plea deal for the crime.

Meanwhile, the other hitman involved, Sigfredo Garcia, ex-husband of Magbanua, is serving life behind bars.

Prior to Adelson being found guilty last month, prosecutors argued that she plotted the murder of Markel after Wendi planned to move 300 miles away with their children to be closer to her parents and the rest of the family, following the divorce.

Prosecutor Georgia Cappleman told jurors that there was 'no smoking gun' in the case, 'because she was too smart for that'.

“Don’t let the way she thought she’d get away with this be the way she gets away with this," she told the jury.

Adelson's husband, Harvey and daughter, Wendi have denied any involvement in the murder and have not been charged in any form.

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