A Mother’s Plea for Justice: Remembering Dan Markel
By Ruth Markel
September 10, 2025
To: The Honorable Stephen Everett, Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge, Leon County Courthouse, 301 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32301
Re: State of Florida vs. Adelson, Donna Sue, Case No. 2023CF3226
Dear Judge Everett,
My name is Ruth Markel, and I am Dan Markel’s mother. I stand before you to express the profound sadness and grief that Dan’s family and I have endured since his tragic murder. We have lost a treasure—a devoted father, son, brother, and scholar whose life was cut short at just 41 years old. For eleven years, my husband Phil, daughter Shelly, and I have lived with unimaginable pain and heartbreak, a sorrow that extends to Dan’s friends, students, and the Tallahassee community he cherished.
A Life of Devotion and Impact
Dan’s life was marked by his dedication to family, education, and community. He was a loving, caring, and inspiring person whose academic journey took him from studying politics and philosophy at Harvard University to earning a master’s degree in political theory from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and finally obtaining his law degree from Harvard Law School. His career culminated in a teaching position at Florida State University College of Law, a role he deeply loved. As a prolific scholar in criminal law and punishment, Dan co-founded the influential blog PrawfsBlawg, enriching the FSU College of Law, the Tallahassee community, and the lives of the students he taught, mentored, challenged, and loved. His passion for music, dance, sports, travel, and people filled his personal life with joy.
Above all, I am most proud of the devoted father Dan was to his two sons, Lincoln and Benjamin. He was present, loving, and supportive, always putting their well-being first. Dan regularly attended their daycare, reading with them, eating with them, and leading holiday programs for all the children. His office and home were adorned with their drawings, and their living room overflowed with their toys. Lincoln and Ben adored their father—he was their hero. Tragically, they have been forced to grow up without him.
A Heinous and Senseless Crime
Dan’s murder was a particularly heinous and senseless act. It was not revenge for or related to any crime—Dan was a law-abiding, respectful citizen, an active father, and a loving son whose life was devoted to teaching and helping others. The pain and suffering caused by this crime ripple far beyond our immediate family, affecting countless individuals who loved and respected Dan.
In my unrelenting grief, I turned to writing and advocacy, authoring The Unveiling: A Mother’s Reflection on Murder, Grief, and Trial Life to find purpose and share lessons from this tragedy in the hope they may help others. I have found meaning and comfort in connecting with those who share a passion for justice and work to preserve Dan’s memory. To the community of journalists, TV programs, the Tallahassee community, and allies who have kept Dan’s story alive, we are full of thanks. To law enforcement and prosecutors, our gratitude is beyond profound for their dedicated, careful perseverance in seeking justice for Dan and our family.
A Murder Orchestrated by Greed
The brutal truth of our family’s story is that Dan’s murder was orchestrated by his former mother-in-law, Donna Adelson, and other co-conspirators—a crime of heinous cruelty driven by greed and selfishness. This was a murder for convenience, so one grandmother could live closer to her grandchildren by killing their father and ripping their other grandparents from their lives.
Donna’s crimes against Dan began long before his murder. She belittled him in front of his children, spread lies about him, and contributed to a brutal separation between Dan and his ex-wife, Wendi. Her subterfuge involved secretly renting a new home for Wendi, then waiting until Dan was out of town at a conference to serve him divorce papers moments before a presentation—a calculated move meant to inflict pain. When Dan returned home, he found Wendi and the boys gone, along with most of their belongings. He called this devastation his “Pearl Harbor.”
When Donna’s efforts to relocate Wendi and the boys to South Florida failed through legal means—because the court ruled that Wendi could not move the boys away from their loving father—she resorted to orchestrating Dan’s murder. She plotted, planned, and paid for this heinous act.
The Ripple Effects of Devastation
Donna’s actions have caused devastation far beyond our family. Her middle son, Charlie, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for facilitating Dan’s murder-for-hire. Her eldest son, Rob, an honest and decent man, is estranged from the family. Her youngest child, Wendi, has relocated the boys to another state, allegedly due to the fallout from these crimes. The tragedy extends to other families as well—children of Katherine Magbanua, Sigfredo Garcia, and Charlie Adelson, all convicted for life, have lost their parents due to their roles in this horrific crime. Donna’s actions have torn apart families, leaving children without parents and causing immense suffering.
Prior to her arrest, Donna’s recorded phone calls with Charlie revealed a complete lack of moral compass or self-reflection. She blamed external forces for her family’s “curse” and lashed out at witnesses who bravely testified truthfully. Her pattern has always been to run—from urgently leaving Tallahassee after Dan’s murder to attempting to flee to Vietnam following Charlie’s conviction. For our family, there is no escape. Dan’s absence is an ever-present hole in our lives, no matter where we go.
Erasing Dan’s Legacy
Dan’s murder was not enough for Donna—she sought to erase him entirely from his sons’ lives. The boys’ last name was changed, excising the Markel name from Phil’s only grandsons. After the first arrests in this case drew attention to Donna and her family’s role, we were pushed even further away, going six years without contact with Benjamin or Lincoln. Only after I advocated for grandparent rights, culminating in the passage of Florida’s Markel Act, did the door crack open, allowing limited, highly choreographed visits. Yet we remain excluded from significant moments like their Bar Mitzvahs and graduations. We long for Benjamin and Lincoln to visit Dan’s grave in Toronto and build relationships with their father’s family.
A Call for Justice
The facts of Dan’s murder are known and difficult to swallow. As homicide survivors, Phil, Shelly, her husband Ian, Dan’s nieces and nephews, and I have endured endless hearings and trials. My maternal uncle, who shared a special bond with Dan, passed away just three months after his murder, overwhelmed by grief. Benjamin and Lincoln, only preschoolers when their father was killed, now confront the unthinkable crime of murder and the Adelsons’ involvement.
Our lives will never return to normal. For those who loved Dan and whom he loved, there is no escape from the wicked effects of what Donna Adelson set in motion, carried out, paid for, and for many years, enjoyed the aftermath of. Her lack of cooperation and remorse throughout this case demands justice—the justice that Dan’s life and memory fully deserve.
I respectfully ask the Court to impose the maximum sentence on Donna Adelson for her role in this heinous crime. While no trial or verdict can heal the profound wounds caused by Dan’s murder, justice must be served. We are immensely grateful to the Court for its careful and compassionate deliberation.
Respectfully,
Ruth Markel
