The murder trial of Donna Adelson, accused of planning a murder-for-hire targeting her daughter’s former husband, began with opening statements on Friday morning.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Adelson, 75, is on trial in Tallahassee, accused of planning the murder of her former son-in-law, Dan Markel.

She’s facing first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation charges, for the 2014 contract killing.

Those already convicted in the case include Donna’s son, Charlie Adelson, his former girlfriend Katherine Magbanua, and the hired hitmen Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera.

On July 18, 2014, police discovered Markel, a law professor at Florida State University, shot in the garage of his Tallahassee home. He was the ex-husband of Wendi Adelson.

Wendi is Donna Adelson’s daughter.

Investigators believe the motive behind Markel’s killing was the Adelson family’s wish for Wendi and her two young sons to relocate from Tallahassee to South Florida, where the Adelson family resided.

In 2013, Wendi and Dan’s divorce resulted in a 50/50 custody agreement. However, the Adelson family, dissatisfied with this arrangement, continued efforts to secure greater custody.

Since her arrest after trying to flee the country in November 2023, Donna Adelson has been held without bail.

[Feature Photo: Dan Markel/FSU College of Law faculty biographies; Donna Adelson/AP]