On July 18, 2014, Dan Markel – a respected Canadian-born law professor at Florida State University – was shot in the head in broad daylight outside his home in Tallahassee, Florida.
Eleven years later, on September 4, 2025, a Florida jury convicted his former mother-in-law, Donna Adelson, of first-degree murder for orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot that ended his life.
What began as a bitter divorce and custody dispute ended in a calculated execution, involving hired gang members, layers of conspiracy, and ultimately, the destruction of multiple families.
This case is not only a tragedy – it is a stark and chilling reminder that marriage and divorce are among the most emotionally volatile life experiences people can endure. If not handled with care, the emotional uproar can push some people to unimaginable extremes.
Dan Markel’s marriage to Wendi Adelson, like many, began with promise. But when the relationship soured and the couple separated, the dispute over custody of their two young sons became toxic. Wendi wanted to move back to South Florida to be near her family; Markel objected, and the courts agreed, ordering the children to stay in Tallahassee.
What followed was an 11-year saga of conspiracy, manipulation and revenge. Prosecutors argued that members of Wendi’s family, frustrated by legal obstacles and enraged by Markel’s resistance, sought a final – and fatal – solution: eliminate him.
Gang members were hired to carry out the hit. By 2025, four people had been convicted: the gunmen, the intermediaries, and finally, Donna Adelson, the matriarch.
This was not a crime of passion. It was premeditated, financed, and plotted over months. But it was born out of emotions – resentment, desperation, bitterness – that spiraled out of control when the legal system didn’t give one party what they wanted.
The legal system often treats divorce as a contractual uncoupling. But beneath the surface lies grief, rejection, fear and sometimes vengeance. In high-conflict divorces, the need to “win” – custody, property, even reputation – can override rational thinking.
In the Markel case, the desire to control the future of the grandchildren reportedly outweighed all other considerations, including human life. Prosecutors described Donna Adelson as “a calculated and controlling matriarch” who viewed her former son-in-law as an obstacle to be removed.
Not all divorces end in violence, of course. But even in everyday cases, the emotional damage to parents and children can be immense if conflict is not properly managed.
The lesson here is not just about criminal justice, but about emotional awareness and self-regulation.
The Dan Markel case offers a painful but necessary warning:
- If you’re in a contentious divorce, seek not just legal representation, but emotional and psychological support. Therapists, mediators, and coaches are vital – not optional.
- If you’re a lawyer or family court judge, recognize the psychological terrain beneath the surface. Legal decisions, especially around custody, carry immense emotional weight.
- If you’re a family member watching a loved one go through divorce, resist the urge to escalate the conflict. Support should never turn into manipulation.
Marriage can be a profound bond; and divorce, an emotionally wrenching rupture. Both are crucibles for human emotion – love, loss, fear, anger, and sometimes, irrationality. The lesson from the Dan Markel case is clear: these life transitions must be handled with extreme care. Not just by the people directly involved, but by the entire system surrounding them – family, courts, lawyers, counselors, and society at large. Because when they’re not, the cost isn’t just emotional. It can be deadly.
P.S. Dan Markel’s parents, Ruth Markel and Phil Markel, have spent the past decade fighting for justice. They gave moving victim impact statements at Donna Adelson’s trial. Ruth offered a deeply Jewish blessing – that Donna should “live to 120… alone in her jail cell.” They also hold out hope that their grandchildren, now teenagers, might one day come to live in Canada, free from the trauma of the past.
This article was recently published in LexisNexis’ LAW360 at:
Steve Benmor, B.Sc., LL.B., LL.M. (Family Law), C.S., Cert.F.Med., C.Arb., FDRP PC, is the founder and principal lawyer of Benmor Family Law Group, a boutique matrimonial law firm in downtown Toronto. He is a Certified Specialist in Family Law, a Certified Specialist in Parenting Coordination and was admitted as a Fellow to the prestigious International Academy of Family Lawyers. Steve is regularly retained as a Divorce Mediator/Arbitrator and Parenting Coordinator. Steve uses his 30 years of in-depth knowledge of family law, court-room experience and expert problem-solving skills in Divorce Mediation/Arbitration to help spouses reach fair, fast and cooperative divorce settlements without the financial losses, emotional costs and lengthy delays from divorce court.
Editorial note: This article was first published on LinkedIn in October 2025 and is republished here for reference.
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