Donna Adelson, the matriarch of a wealthy Florida family who was convicted of murder for the death of her former son-in-law, has been sentenced to life in prison.
The 75-year-old was sentenced on Monday, Oct. 13, for her role in the 2014 murder-for-hire plot against Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel, who was shot and killed by hitmen in Tallahassee, Florida, the Associated Press and Tallahassee Democrat reported.
The sentencing comes after Donna was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation of murder in the for-hire killing on Sept. 4.
She was arrested over the crimes in November 2023.
Donna appeared in the Tallahassee courtroom on Monday, Oct. 13, shackled in a purple jumpsuit.
Before the sentencing, Donna gave a statement in court in which she maintained her innocence in Markel’s murder and accused the state of not being able to make up its mind about who “the mastermind” was behind the murder in their case.
“If I had become aware of this plan before Danny was murdered, I would have stopped it,” she insisted.
“What happened to Danny is unforgivable. But I am an innocent woman convicted of this terrible crime without evidence,” she said.
“I swear to you on my life I was not involved in any way with Danny’s murder. I was not,” she concluded.
Circuit Judge Stephen Everett accused Donna of having an “utter lack of remorse” for the crime during her statement.
“You certainly can choose to deny your involvement and maintain innocence.
The court finds the evidence in this case is clear,” Everett said in court.