Wendi Adelson and Dan Markel - Part 1 of 3

About this episode

On paper, they looked like the perfect couple — a Harvard-educated law professor and a passionate immigration attorney, both brilliant, driven, and devoted to their two little boys. But behind closed doors, their differences were driving them apart. Throw in a mother-in-law who needed to control everything, and a protective older brother with a tough-guy image, and it was a recipe for things to get very ugly. Eventually, it would end with murder. But would there ever be justice?<br /><br /><b>Today’s snack</b>: Assorted Taiwanese snacks (thanks Grace!)<br /><br /><b><a href="https://patreon.com/lovemarrykill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Join us on Patreon to hear parts 2 and 3 today!</a></b><br /><br />Sources:<br /><ul><li>Alas, J. "Donna Adelson Convicted of Murder: What Did She Do and What Was the Sentence?" International Business Times UK, 5 Sept. 2025,<a href="https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/donna-addelson-convicted-murder-what-did-she-do-what-was-sentence-1743191" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/donna-addelson-convicted-murder-what-did-she-do-what-was-sentence-1743191</a>.</li><li>"Can Wendi Adelson's Limited Immunity In The Dan Markel Case Be Broken?" Audioboom, True Crime Today, 6 June 2026,<a href="https://audioboom.com/posts/8912858-can-wendi-adelson-s-limited-immunity-in-the-dan-markel-case-be-broken" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://audioboom.com/posts/8912858-can-wendi-adelson-s-limited-immunity-in-the-dan-markel-case-be-broken</a>.</li><li>CBS News / AP. "Donna Adelson Sentenced to Life in Prison for Orchestrating 2014 Murder of Ex-Son-In-Law, FSU Professor Daniel Markel." CBS News, 14 Oct. 2025,<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/donna-adelson-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-in-2014-murder-for-hire-of-ex-son-in-law-fsu-professor-daniel-markel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/donna-adelson-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-in-2014-murder-for-hire-of-ex-son-in-law-fsu-professor-daniel-markel/</a>.</li><li>"Charlie Adelson Prosecutor Delivers Intense Closing Argument in Hitman Conspiracy Murder Trial." YouTube, uploaded by Law&amp;Crime Trials, Nov. 2023,<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wQeZF4lnpA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wQeZF4lnpA</a>.</li><li>"Charlie Adelson Tells His Story of Dan Markel's Murder." YouTube, uploaded by Court TV, Nov. 2023.</li><li>Dan Markel Case Archive — Trial Transcripts. Leon County Circuit Court, Court Daemon,<a href="https://markel.courtdaemon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://markel.courtdaemon.com/</a>.</li><li>"Dan Markel's Divorce Attorney, Stephen Webster, Reveals Motive for Why Adelsons Planned Dan's Murder." YouTube, uploaded by Surviving The Survivor, 2023.</li><li>"Dolce Vita Recording Exposed: Charlie Adelson's Panic After FBI Contact." YouTube, uploaded by Justice Is A Process!!!!, 2024.</li><li>"Donna Adelson Sentencing Dramatic, Defiant, Remorseless: Body Language Analysis." YouTube, uploaded by Dr. G Explains, Oct. 2025.</li><li>Epstein, Steven. Extreme Punishment: The Chilling True Story of Acclaimed Law Professor Dan Markel's Murder. Rowman &amp; Littlefield, 2021.</li><li>"FL v. Donna Adelson | Trial Day 2 - Wendi and Rob Adelson Testify." YouTube, uploaded by Emily D. Baker, Aug. 2025.</li><li>Laidlaw, Katherine. "Murder-in-Law: The Twisted Story of a Domestic Contract Killing." Toronto Life, 14 Sept. 2026.</li><li>Lat, David. "The Dan Markel Case: Charlie Adelson, Convicted." Original Jurisdiction, Substack, 7 Nov. 2023,<a href="https://davidlat.substack.com/p/the-dan-markel-case-charlie-adelson-95d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://davidlat.substack.com/p/the-dan-markel-case-charlie-adelson-95d</a>.</li><li>Lat, David. "The Dan Markel Case: Wendi Adelson Finds A New Job." Above the Law, 21 July 2017,<a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2017/07/the-dan-markel-case-wendi-adelson-finds-a-new-job/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://abovethelaw.com/2017/07/the-dan-markel-case-wendi-adelson-finds-a-new-job/</a>.</li><li>Lat, David. "The Murder Of Dan Markel: Wendi Adelson Speaks (Part 3)." Above the Law, 9 June 2016,<a href="https://abovethelaw.com/2016/06/the-murder-of-dan-markel-wendi-adelson-speaks-part-3/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://abovethelaw.com/2016/06/the-murder-of-dan-markel-wendi-adelson-speaks-part-3/</a>.</li><li>Schorsch, Peter. "Charlie Adelson Trial Day 3 Part 1: Accomplices Tell the Truth." Florida Politics, 30 Oct. 2023,<a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/641942-charlie-adelson-trial-day-3-part-1-accomplices-tell-the-truth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://floridapolitics.com/archives/641942-charlie-adelson-trial-day-3-part-1-accomplices-tell-the-truth/</a>.</li><li>Schorsch, Peter. "Dan Markel Trial: Katherine Magbanua Gets Life + 60 Years; Charlie Adelson Trial Early 2023; Tara Kawass Opens Up." Florida Politics, 29 July 2022,<a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/542700-dan-markel-trial-katherine-magbanua-gets-life-60-years-charlie-adelson-trial-early-2023-tara-kawass-opens-up/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://floridapolitics.com/archives/542700-dan-markel-trial-katherine-magbanua-gets-life-60-years-charlie-adelson-trial-early-2023-tara-kawass-opens-up/</a>.</li><li>State of Florida. Summary of Offense and Probable Cause Affidavit: Donna Sue Adelson (Case No. 2023CF3226A). Leon County Circuit Court, 13 Nov. 2023.</li><li>The ABA Journal. "'Bump' Operation Led to Phone Calls, Restaurant Meeting, Jurors Told in Trial for Murder of Law Prof Markel." ABA Journal, American Bar Association, 1 Nov. 2023.</li><li>The ABA Journal. "Prosecutors' Pursuit: A Timeline of the Dan Markel Murder Trials and Convictions." ABA Journal, American Bar Association, Aug. 2025.</li><li>"The 8-Minute Call That Proves Donna Adelson's Guilt | Wire Evidence." YouTube, uploaded by Justice Is A Process!!!!, 2024.</li><li>"The 'UNREDACTED' Interview of Jeffrey Lacasse." YouTube, uploaded by True Crime Metrix, 2024,<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab_9BORwlJc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab_9BORwlJc</a>.</li><li>"Top Five Reasons Wendi Adelson Could Be Charged Next." Apple Podcasts, Hidden Killers / True Crime Today, 8 Oct. 2025,<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/top-five-reasons-wendi-adelson-could-be-charged-next/id1724041714" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/top-five-reasons-wendi-adelson-could-be-charged-next/id1724041714</a>.</li><li>"Undercover Agent Reveals THE BUMP That Ended Donna Adelson." YouTube, uploaded by Justice Is A Process!!!!, 2024, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io1AvDVXwjE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io1AvDVXwjE</a>. </li><li>"UNEDITED &amp; UNINTERRUPTED: Wendi Adelson's Full Police Interview Hours After Dan Markel's Murder." YouTube, uploaded by Surviving The Survivor, 2024,<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7n8CkJfUMA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7n8CkJfUMA</a>.</li><li>Wikipedia Contributors. "Dan Markel." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2025,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Markel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Markel</a>.</li></ul>