Donna Adelson Could Spend the Rest of Her Life in Prison — What Has She Been Charged With?

"If you went along, things were fine; if you didn’t, things were not fine."

Jennifer Tisdale - Author
By

Published Aug. 26 2025, 1:24 p.m. ET

Back in November 2023, body cam footage of Donna Adelson getting arrested went viral. The Florida grandmother was taken into custody at Miami International Airport while attempting to board a one-way flight to Vietnam, which has no formal extradition treaty with the United States. Jack Campbell, Florida Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney, told ABC 7 that Adelson was "apprehended on the jetway."

Article continues below advertisement

The arrest occurred mere days after Adelson's son Charlie Adelson was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation of first-degree murder in connection to the death of Adelson's former son-in-law, Dan Markel. Nearly two years later, Adelson is standing trial. Let's take a look at the charges brought against her.

Article continues below advertisement

Donna Adelson is facing some serious charges.

Like her son, Adelson has been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and solicitation to commit first-degree murder. Adelson's arrest was precipitated by jailhouse phone calls between her and Charlie during which she revealed her plans to leave the United States, per ABC 7.

The calls occurred after Charlie was convicted but before Adelson was taken into custody. Adelson revealed to her son that she and his father had done some research regarding their options. She told Charlie they had been looking at places where there is no extradition to the United States. The couple was considering fleeing to Korea, China, or Vietnam. Ultimately, they decided to go to Vietnam.

Article continues below advertisement

Adelson's trial began Aug. 19, 2025, and in the first week included testimonies from her two other children, Robert Adelson and Wendi Adelson. The motive behind Markel's murder allegedly stemmed from his difficult divorce from Wendi. The former couple was locked in a contentious custody dispute. This begs the question, Was Wendi involved in the murder-for-hire plot?

Article continues below advertisement

Will Wendi Adelson be charged in connection to the death of her ex-husband?

Wendi has never been charged in connection with the death of her ex-husband and received immunity in exchange for testifying against her mother. Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman asked Wendi outright if she was involved in the planning, reports WCTV. "I did not know it was going to happen and I did not know any details," replied Wendi.

The crux of the custody issues between Wendi and her ex-husband were rooted in Wendi's desire to move from Tallahassee to Southern Florida, to be closer to her family. Markel wanted her to remain in Tallahassee. When a judge ruled that Wendi would have to stay, this reportedly upset Adelson. "My mom thought my life in Tallahassee wasn’t good," Wendi testified.

Wendi also testified that her mother was extremely involved in the divorce proceedings, and went as far as saying she felt micromanaged by Adelson. She also admitted to telling police that her parents had more reason to dislike Markel than anyone else. Robert, Wendie's brother and Adelson's other son, was estranged from his mother but confirmed that she was controlling. "If you went along, things were fine; if you didn’t, things were not fine," he testified.

Advertisement
More from Distractify

Latest Human Interest News and Updates

    © Copyright 2025 Engrost, Inc. Distractify is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.