Donna Sentencing - Inside Donna Adelson’s Sentencing: Tears, Denial, and Zero Remorse

Donna Sentencing - Inside Donna Adelson’s Sentencing: Tears, Denial, and Zero Remorse

Donna Adelson’s story ends where it always seemed destined to — in control until the very last breath she could muster.

At 75 years old, the matriarch of the family that orchestrated the 2014 murder-for-hire of FSU law professor Dan Markel was officially sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in a Tallahassee courtroom today.

Judge Stephen Everett declined her attorneys’ plea for leniency, rejecting what they called a “downward departure.” He told the court he would not exercise discretion to reduce her punishment. Adelson will serve life for first-degree murder, plus two concurrent 30-year sentences for conspiracy and solicitation — meaning she will die behind bars.

In this special episode of Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski, retired FBI Special Agent and former Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program Robin Dreeke joins Tony to dissect the full sentencing: the courtroom dynamics, the failed bid for sympathy, and what her words — and body language — really revealed.

Adelson, sobbing as she addressed the court, maintained her innocence. “I had no knowledge of this plan,” she said. “I swear to you on my life I was not involved.”
Judge Everett interrupted twice, citing her “utter lack of remorse.” Her husband Dr. Harvey Adelson followed, lashing out at prosecutors and the Markel family before being cut off by the judge.

Robin and Tony break down every layer — how the matriarch tried to frame herself as victim, how her denial fits classic behavioral patterns of control and narcissism, and why her demeanor failed to sway the bench.

From a life of status in Miami’s upper circle to a prison cell in Florida, Donna Adelson’s fall is total. And the ripple effect continues — with the looming question: Will others in the Adelson family face consequences next?

#HiddenKillers #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #RobinDreeke #TonyBrueski #TrueCrime #AdelsonFamily #LifeSentence #BehavioralAnalysis #JusticeServed #CourtroomDrama #FloridaCrime #FSULaw

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Donna Adelson Trial: Friend Ryan Fitzpatrick Testifies on Charlie & Donna’s Close Bond

Donna Adelson Trial: Friend Ryan Fitzpatrick Testifies on Charlie & Donna’s Close Bond

Donna Adelson Trial: Friend Ryan Fitzpatrick Testifies on Charlie & Donna’s Close Bond The Trial of Donna Adelson turned deeply personal when Ryan Fitzpatrick, once a close friend of Charlie Adelson, stepped forward to testify. Fitzpatrick painted a picture of a son tightly bound to his mother and sister, describing Charlie’s family as unusually close-knit—sometimes to the point of dysfunction. He also corroborated testimony about Charlie’s odd cash-handling habits, recalling how Charlie would staple money in $1,000 bundles, echoing the same detail June Umchinda shared. Fitzpatrick’s testimony mattered because it reinforced the theme prosecutors are driving home: that the Adelson family operated as a unit, with Donna at the center of decision-making. His words added context to how influential Donna was over her children’s lives and how family loyalty could evolve into something darker when faced with challenges like custody battles and relocation disputes. The defense may try to frame this as nothing more than cultural or familial closeness, but Fitzpatrick’s account landed heavily in the courtroom. It gave jurors an insider’s view into Charlie’s priorities, his reliance on family approval, and how far that loyalty may have stretched. For a mother now on trial for orchestrating murder, that closeness is a double-edged sword. #DonnaAdelsonTrial #RyanFitzpatrick #CharlieAdelson #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #CourtroomTestimony #TrueCrime #FloridaJustice #AdelsonFamily #TrialCoverage Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

26 Aug 7min

​Donna Adelson Trial: Ex-Girlfriend June Umchinda Reveals Charlie Adelson’s Cash & Stress

​Donna Adelson Trial: Ex-Girlfriend June Umchinda Reveals Charlie Adelson’s Cash & Stress

​Donna Adelson Trial: Ex-Girlfriend June Umchinda Reveals Charlie Adelson’s Cash & Stress   June Umchinda, a former girlfriend of Charlie Adelson, took the stand in the Trial of Donna Adelson and opened a window into the Adelson family’s world behind closed doors. Her testimony centered on Charlie’s odd financial habits and his demeanor after the undercover FBI “bump” shook the family in 2016. She recalled Charlie keeping large amounts of cash at home, neatly stapled into $1,000 bundles—an unusual detail that prosecutors say lines up with testimony from others close to him. Umchinda described how Charlie appeared rattled and anxious after law enforcement made their presence known in the family’s orbit. These observations may seem like personal reflections, but in the context of this trial, they carry weight. Prosecutors are using her testimony to establish a pattern: that the Adelsons were fully aware of the danger closing in, and that their financial dealings hinted at something beyond normal business. Her words bring jurors closer to understanding how Charlie, and by extension Donna, operated when under pressure. If Charlie was keeping hidden cash, was it intended as an escape fund? Was it proof of payments in a criminal conspiracy? While the defense insists there are innocent explanations, Umchinda’s glimpse into Charlie’s life suggests that the Adelsons’ behavior was anything but ordinary. #DonnaAdelsonTrial #CharlieAdelson #JuneUmchinda #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #FloridaTrial #AdelsonFamily #CashBundles #CourtroomTestimony #JusticeForDan Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

26 Aug 25min

Donna Adelson's Children, Wendy & Robert TURN on Their Mother Court!

Donna Adelson's Children, Wendy & Robert TURN on Their Mother Court!

Donna Adelson's Children, Wendy & Robert TURN on Their Mother Court! The Donna Adelson murder-for-hire trial has taken a shocking turn — with two days of testimony that could change everything. On the stand, Donna’s daughter Wendy Adelson, her eldest son Robert, and Wendy’s ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Lacasse each delivered damning statements that prosecutors say tie the Adelson family directly to the 2014 killing of Florida State law professor Dan Markel. Wendy Adelson, testifying under subpoena with immunity, admitted that her mother pushed her relentlessly during the divorce — urging her to “put on a performance” in court, to fake a conversion of her children to Catholicism, even to use psychological tricks to “take control” of Markel. Emails shown to the jury revealed Donna calling Markel names, proposing a $1 million bribe, and demanding relocation as “non-negotiable.” Then came Robert Adelson, who described his mother as “controlling” and “overly involved.” He recalled Donna renting Wendy an apartment to escape Markel, working on court filings, and, most disturbingly, showing zero curiosity after the murder. When Robert asked Donna what she thought had happened, she told him, “I don’t know and I don’t care. It doesn’t concern me.” He also testified that she warned him not to speak with police. But perhaps the most devastating testimony came from Wendy’s ex, Jeffrey Lacasse. He described Wendy canceling a vacation just weeks before the murder with an odd explanation. He testified that Wendy told him “the only way I’ll ever relocate is if something happens to Danny” — and that Charlie had looked into “all options” to handle the “Dan Markel problem,” including hiring a hitman for $15,000. Lacasse said this was no joke — “it made my stomach flip.” With testimony like this, prosecutors are building a case that Donna Adelson wasn’t just a worried mother. She was the architect of a conspiracy. Watch as we break down every key moment from Wendy, Robert, and Jeffrey’s testimony — and what it could mean for Donna Adelson’s future. Hashtags #DonnaAdelson #WendyAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #MurderTrial #CourtTV #HiddenKillers #RobertAdelson #JeffreyLacasse #KarenReadTrial #TrueCrimeCommunity #CrimeNews Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

26 Aug 28min

Why It Took 11 Years To Bring Donna Adelson To Justice: The SHOCKING TRUTH REVEALED

Why It Took 11 Years To Bring Donna Adelson To Justice: The SHOCKING TRUTH REVEALED

Why It Took 11 Years To Bring Donna Adelson To Justice: The SHOCKING TRUTH REVEALED The road to the Donna Adelson trial has been long — 11 years long. Dan Markel was murdered in 2014, and since then, we’ve seen every other player in the conspiracy convicted: the hitmen, the middlewoman Katherine Magbanua, and Donna’s son Charlie. So why did it take more than a decade for Donna herself to finally face a jury? Prosecutors needed time. They had to lock down the other convictions, secure sworn testimony, and build the kind of airtight case you only get when every piece of the puzzle is in place. And now, just as Donna faces trial, her defense tried a bold move: subpoenaing her own daughter, Wendi Adelson, to testify. Wendi’s lawyers fought back, and the judge quashed it. Wendi will not be forced to testify for her mother’s defense. The symbolism here is powerful: Wendi refuses to take the stand for Donna. Charlie, already convicted, still wants to testify for his mother. Jurors will see that split. A daughter keeping her distance, a son with nothing left to lose still showing loyalty. It raises a haunting question: what does silence say when it comes from your own blood? Defense attorney Bob Motta joins to break down the legal chess match behind this decision. What did Donna’s team hope to gain by forcing Wendi on the stand? Why did Wendi fight so hard to avoid it? And how will jurors interpret the fractured family dynamic that’s been dragged into the open before opening arguments even begin? This trial is about more than evidence — it’s about loyalty, silence, and survival. Subscribe for more in-depth coverage as the Adelson trial unfolds. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #FamilyDrama #MurderTrial #Courtroom #Justice Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/ Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

26 Aug 16min

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