🚨 A grandma turned mastermind? 💀 “Grandma Gotti” plotted a chilling murder-for-hire to wipe out her ex-son-in-law in a custody war gone wrong! 😱 Her twisted scheme shocked Florida—want the jaw-dropping details? Tap the link to unravel this deadly drama! 🔍

In a courtroom drama that has captivated true crime enthusiasts and legal watchers alike, 75-year-old Donna Adelson, the matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family, was convicted on September 4, 2025, of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder in the 2014 killing of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel. Adelson, often derisively nicknamed “Grandma Gotti” in media coverage for her alleged mob-like orchestration of the hit, broke down in tears and shouted “Oh my God!” as the guilty verdicts were read, prompting the judge to admonish her for the outburst. This conviction marks her as the fifth person held accountable in a decade-long saga of family feuds, custody battles, and cold-blooded calculation that has rocked Tallahassee and beyond.

The roots of this deadly scheme trace back to a bitter divorce between Markel and Adelson’s daughter, Wendi Adelson, finalized in 2013. Markel, a 41-year-old Harvard-educated tenured professor known for his scholarly work in legal philosophy, shared custody of their two young sons with Wendi, who was also a law professor at Florida State University. Tensions escalated when Wendi sought to relocate the boys more than 370 miles south to Miami, closer to her family, including her parents Donna and Harvey Adelson. Markel opposed the move, citing the need for the children to maintain proximity to both parents and their established life in Tallahassee. A judge denied the relocation petition, fueling resentment within the Adelson clan.

Prosecutors painted Donna Adelson as the driving force behind the plot, a domineering figure who “hated” Markel for blocking her access to her grandsons. Evidence presented at trial included emails showing Donna’s aggressive involvement in Wendi’s divorce strategy, such as suggesting a $1 million bribe to Markel or even taunting him about converting the children from Judaism to Catholicism. Four months before the murder, Markel filed a motion to bar Donna from unsupervised visits with the boys, alleging she disparaged him to them, with the children reportedly saying, “Grandma says you’re stupid” and “Grandma says she hates you.” This “Grandma Motion,” as it became known, never reached resolution because Markel was dead.

On July 18, 2014, Markel was ambushed in his Betton Hills garage, shot twice in the head at point-blank range as he returned from dropping the boys at preschool. The hitmen, Sigfredo “Tuto” Garcia and Luis Rivera, drove from Miami to Tallahassee to carry out the execution-style killing. Rivera, a Latin Kings gang member who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2016 in exchange for testimony, detailed how Garcia recruited him for the job, which paid over $100,000 total – funds prosecutors linked to the Adelsons’ thriving family dentistry practice. Katherine Magbanua, Charlie Adelson’s then-girlfriend and mother of Garcia’s children, served as the intermediary, convicted in 2022 of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation after a mistrial.

Donna’s son, Charlie Adelson, a Fort Lauderdale periodontist, was convicted in November 2023 of the same charges and sentenced to life plus 60 years. Trial evidence revealed a pattern of coded phone calls: Donna to Charlie, Charlie to Magbanua, Magbanua to Garcia, and back in reverse. On the day of the murder, Donna texted Charlie “outside your house” before dropping off damp, moldy cash – allegedly laundered by her – at his Fort Lauderdale home, which Magbanua later collected to split with the hitmen. Prosecutors also pointed to Donna’s planner, which contained Markel’s car details, suggesting she provided targeting information.

The investigation dragged on for years, unraveling through an FBI sting operation dubbed “The Bump” in 2016, wiretaps, and jailhouse informants. Two inmates who shared a cell with Donna while she awaited trial testified she admitted guilt and offered bribes like a grand piano or $10,000 to lie for her. Wendi Adelson, testifying under immunity, detailed her mother’s push for relocation “at any cost,” though she denied knowledge of the plot. Donna’s estranged son Robert also took the stand, recounting her matter-of-fact reaction to Markel’s death and warnings not to speak to police.

Donna’s arrest came dramatically in November 2023 at Miami International Airport, where she and husband Harvey – considered an unindicted co-conspirator – attempted to board a one-way flight to Vietnam, a non-extradition country, just days after Charlie’s conviction. In a recorded jail call with Charlie, she mentioned “getting things in order” for the grandchildren. Prosecutors argued this flight attempt showed consciousness of guilt, a point her defense unsuccessfully contested.

The two-week trial before Leon County Circuit Judge Stephen Everett featured 12 days of testimony, including from convicted co-conspirators like Magbanua and Rivera. Defense attorneys, including Jackie Fulford, argued no direct evidence tied Donna to the planning or funding, blaming Charlie and emphasizing her character through friends’ testimonies. They claimed her post-murder payments to Magbanua were legitimate employment at the family dental practice. Donna opted not to testify after clashing with the judge over preparation time.

After closing arguments, the jury deliberated for just three hours – mirroring Charlie’s trial – before convicting on all counts. Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman called it a “day of reckoning,” noting Donna’s “code” language in wiretaps and her role in erasing Markel from the equation. Markel’s parents, Phil and Ruth, delivered emotional impact statements, with Ruth labeling Donna “the curse” on their family, describing 11 years of “unimaginable pain.”

Facing a mandatory life sentence, Donna’s defense filed for a new trial, citing juror interviews and lack of direct evidence, but Judge Everett denied it on September 25, affirming the convictions with “overt actions” by Donna. Sentencing is pending, with a case management hearing set for October 14. Harvey and Wendi remain uncharged but have denied involvement; speculation swirls about potential further probes.

This case, featured on Dateline, 20/20, and podcasts, underscores the perils of unchecked family vendettas and the long arm of justice. Markel’s murder not only shattered lives but exposed how wealth and influence can fuel tragedy, serving as a stark reminder that no one is above the law. As one prosecutor noted, “Innocent people do not talk in code.” The Adelson saga may not be over, but for Dan Markel’s family, this verdict brings a measure of closure after years of heartbreak.