The narrative surrounding Donna Adelson is a compelling account of privilege and family loyalty concluding in a tragic legal downfall. As the leading figure in a wealthy South Florida family, she enjoyed a life of comfort centered around her husband, children, and their flourishing dental practice.

This carefully crafted facade drastically broke apart in 2025 when she received a life sentence for orchestrating a murder-for-hire against her former son-in-law, Dan Markel. Her deeply personal life, including her enduring marriage and family’s affluence, became focal points in a legal ordeal that unveiled intricate motives and deep-seated tragedy.

Donna Adelson’s Family Life and Marriage

Donna was the spouse of Harvey Adelson, a retired dentist who established the Adelson Institute for Aesthetics and Implant Dentistry in Tamarac, Florida. For many years, she not only fulfilled her role as a wife but was also a crucial member of the family enterprise, overseeing its financial management as the bookkeeper.

Together, they cultivated a secure and affluent environment in Coral Springs, bringing up three children: Wendi, a law professor; Charlie, a periodontist; and Robert, a doctor. Acquaintances often regarded her as a fiercely dedicated mother who maintained a strong bond with her family.

The Criminal Case and Life Sentence

In September 2025, Donna Adelson was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation to commit murder. These charges were linked to the 2014 contract killing of Dan Markel, a renowned FSU law professor embroiled in a contentious custody battle with Donna’s daughter, Wendi.

The prosecution successfully portrayed Donna as the “methodical and controlling matriarch” who orchestrated the scheme, driven by a wish to resolve the custody conflict and enable her daughter and grandchildren to move to South Florida. By October 2025, she was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, with an additional 30-year sentence to be served consecutively.

Donna Adelson sentenced to life without parole plus 30 years for her role in the murder of her ex-son-in-law, Dan Markel. pic.twitter.com/E4lsVj5uKm

— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) October 13, 2025

Donna Adelson’s Net Worth and Financial Standing

As of 2025, Donna Adelson’s estimated personal net worth is between $1–2 million. This fortune was primarily derived from her role as a bookkeeper for the family’s thriving dentistry practice and its associated profits. In contrast, the broader Adelson family’s overall net worth is estimated to be between $5–10 million.

Prosecutors argued that this financial comfort was a key enabler of the crime, providing the means to fund the murder-for-hire plot. Her wealth also played a role in her arrest, as she and her husband were apprehended at an airport while attempting to board a one-way flight to Vietnam, a country with no extradition treaty with the U.S.

Trial Details and Courtroom Outburst

During her sentencing hearing, Donna Adelson addressed the court and passionately maintained her innocence, stating, “I swear to you on my life, I was not involved in any way in Danny’s murder”. She questioned the evidence against her and pointed out that the state had alleged different people were the “mastermind” in various trials.

Circuit Judge Stephen Everett interrupted her multiple times, warning that her statements demonstrated an “utter lack of remorse” for the crime. The judge noted that this lack of remorse was a factor he considered in the sentencing process.

Financial Motive and Arrest Attempt

The family’s significant wealth was repeatedly cited as a central element of the case. Prosecutors contended that the murder-for-hire plot cost over $100,000. Following her son Charlie’s conviction, the extent of Donna’s financial resources became starkly evident.

She and her husband obtained rushed visas and booked one-way tickets to Vietnam. They were intercepted and arrested at Miami International Airport in November 2023, just steps from freedom on a jetway, with prosecutors citing her “considerable financial resources” as what made this escape attempt possible.