The Trial Of Donna Adelson | The Murder Of Dan Markel

Everything we covered this week on the Adelson case — Charlie's appeal heading to oral arguments, Donna's transfer to South Florida, and the question that won't go away.On February 3rd, 2026, Florida's First District Court of Appeal will hear oral arguments in Charlie Adelson's bid to overturn his life sentence. His 91-page brief makes four main arguments, but the numbers tell the story: of 130 potential jurors interviewed, 96 had heard of the case. Of the 54 who formed an opinion, 53 believed Charlie was guilty before the trial started. His attorneys argue pretrial publicity made a fair trial impossible. They also claim defense attorney Dan Rashbaum was compromised by a conflict of interest — the same conflict that blew up Donna's trial when Charlie revoked his waiver the morning jury selection was set to begin.Donna Adelson has been transferred from the Ocala reception center to Homestead Correctional Institution in Miami-Dade County — exactly where her defense requested at sentencing, close to her husband Harvey. She's filed her own notice of appeal. Mother and son, both serving life, fighting through the same appellate court, neither willing to testify for the other. This is the quiet phase of justice. No cameras. No jury. Just paperwork, precedent, and a five percent success rate.Charlie is in South Dakota after a 2024 security transfer. Katherine Magbanua remains at Lowell Annex. Five people convicted. Eleven years from murder to final judgment.And Wendi Adelson — identified by prosecutors as an unindicted co-conspirator, testified under limited immunity at every trial, consistently denied involvement, never charged. State Attorney Jack Campbell said decisions would come "in the coming weeks." Months later, the Markel family still waits.#CharlieAdelson #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #WendiAdelson #AdelsonAppeal #HomesteadPrison #MurderForHire #FloridaCrime #WeekInReview #JusticeForDanMarkelJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

Charlie Adelson will be back in a Florida courtroom on February 3rd, 2026 — but this time, it's not a trial. It's an appeal. His attorneys have filed a 91-page brief with Florida's First District Court of Appeal arguing that his conviction for the murder of Dan Markel should be reversed. The core claims: Leon County was so saturated with pretrial publicity that an impartial jury was impossible; potential jurors were caught discussing the case after being instructed not to; text messages that could have supported his defense were improperly excluded; and his attorney Dan Rashbaum operated under a conflict of interest that compromised his representation. That conflict is the same one Charlie invoked to blow up his mother Donna Adelson's trial in September 2024 — when he revoked his waiver on the morning jury selection was set to begin, forcing Rashbaum to withdraw and Donna to find new counsel. Now Charlie is arguing the conflict hurt him too. Donna, convicted in September 2025 and sentenced to life, has filed her own notice of appeal. Her full brief hasn't been submitted yet. Both Adelsons are now fighting through the appellate system — separately, silently, and with slim odds of success. This episode covers the legal arguments, the timeline, and what realistically happens next in the final legal chapter of the Markel case.#CharlieAdelson #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #AdelsonCase #MarkelMurder #FloridaAppeal #MurderForHire #AdelsonFamily #TrueCrime #JusticeForDanJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

In this 2025 Year-in-Review Hidden Killers special, we bring together the two most explosive pillars of the case against Donna Adelson: the alleged long-term orchestration of a murder-for-hire plot — and the undercover “bump” that may have exposed her entire operation in a single moment. Tony Brueski sits down with defense attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis, along with retired FBI Behavioral Analysis Program Chief Robin Dreeke, to deliver the most complete psychological and legal breakdown of Donna Adelson we’ve produced yet. We start with the big question hanging over the entire trial: Was Donna Adelson the mastermind — or a woman unraveling under the weight of her own control? From her children’s emotionally distant testimony, to the 44 paychecks she allegedly signed for the intermediary, to the one-way ticket to Vietnam waiting in her drawer, the case is stacked with bizarre behavior, shifting loyalties, and damning digital evidence. Then we go to the moment everything cracked: the undercover FBI “bump.” When investigators handed Donna a flyer implying someone “knew everything,” she didn’t panic. She didn’t break. She didn’t even call her husband. Instead — just 22 minutes later — she quietly phoned her son Charlie. The money flow to the alleged conspirators stopped instantly. Robin Dreeke dissects this reaction, explaining why the lack of visible fear might be the most incriminating behavior of all. A normal grandmother would freeze. Donna recalibrated. And that, he says, is the psychological tell investigators look for. Together, these revelations paint a portrait of a woman who prosecutors claim coordinated, concealed, and controlled every variable — until the moment one piece of paper hit her lap and her mask slipped. Is Donna Adelson a misunderstood mother caught in chaos? Or the architect of a conspiracy now collapsing around her? #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #RobinDreeke #EricFaddis #MurderTrial #TrueCrime #BehavioralAnalysis #CourtroomDrama #FamilyCrime

In today’s explosive Hidden Killers breakdown, we examine the testimony that has completely reshaped the Donna Adelson trial — testimony not from police, not from experts, but from Donna’s own children, whose words now carry some of the greatest weight in the courtroom. First, we turn to Wendi Adelson, whose strategy has the courtroom buzzing. While her brother Robert delivered blunt, precise answers, Wendi leaned heavily on one phrase: “I don’t remember.”  Again. And again. And again. But is this selective memory a trauma response from years of family pressure, manipulation, and emotional control?  Or is it a carefully crafted shield — a strategic fog meant to protect herself, the family, and possibly Donna? Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott joins Tony Brueski to dissect Wendi’s demeanor in real time, explaining how adult children of dominant or narcissistic parents often split — one breaking free and telling the truth, the other staying entangled in loyalty, denial, or fear. Jurors watch every pause. Every hesitation. Every dodge. And Shavaun breaks down exactly what those signals mean. Then we shift to Robert Adelson, whose testimony landed like a hammer. Clinical. Direct. Brutally honest. He described Donna’s controlling tendencies, her intrusion into major life decisions, and her eerie lack of concern after Dan Markel’s murder. His words were not defensive. They were revelatory. Defense Attorney Eric Faddis joins Tony to analyze how jurors absorb testimony when it comes straight from a defendant’s own children — one distancing herself through “I don’t remember,” the other stepping into the sunlight with uncomfortable truth. Is this character evidence — or is it motive crystallized? Are we watching a family fracture, or a family finally telling the truth about its own internal gravity? This isn’t just testimony. This is the Adelson family dynamic cracked open in front of a jury — loyalty, fear, denial, resentment, and survival all colliding in real time. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #DanMarkel #AdelsonTrial #TrueCrime #CourtroomDrama #ShavaunScott #EricFaddis #FamilyDynamics #HiddenKillers 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

The façade of the “sweet grandmother in a cardigan” shattered today. In this hard-hitting Hidden Killers breakdown, we walk through nine of the most devastating revelations from Sergeant Christopher Corbett’s testimony — evidence so precise, so digital, and so tightly woven that it left the courtroom stunned. These weren’t theories. These weren’t assumptions. These were time-stamped movements, call patterns, incriminating texts, and Donna Adelson’s own words, laid out with forensic clarity. Among the biggest blows: • The “Outside your house” text. A message sent at the exact moment prosecutors say Donna was tracking Dan Markel’s movements. • “Erase this after you read it.” A chilling instruction no innocent person casually sends. • Charlie’s perfectly timed calls — aligning almost to the minute with rental car pickups tied to the hit. • Donna’s movements minutes after the murder, including a route that conveniently took her past Charlie’s house. • Calling the Markel children “Adelsons” two weeks before Dan was killed, revealing a mindset prosecutors say exposes motive. • A 2013 email laying out a coordinated plan involving Donna, Harvey, and Charlie — to corner, pressure, and financially squeeze Dan. A blueprint prosecutors argue became the DNA of the murder plot. Corbett’s testimony destroyed any illusion that this was mere “family conflict.” The jury saw a digital trail of coordination, secrecy, and intent — breadcrumb after breadcrumb pointing straight toward Donna. This episode breaks down each bombshell moment in plain language, showing how the prosecution connected Donna’s texts, location data, phone records, and long-running resentments into a narrative that’s now impossible to ignore. Listen closely. These weren’t harmless family conversations. They were signals, timing cues, and cover stories — the anatomy of a conspiracy unraveling in real time. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #AdelsonTrial #MurderForHire #CharlieAdelson #TrueCrime #WiretapEvidence #CourtroomDrama #HiddenKillers #PhoneRecords #CrimeAnalysis 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

In this 2025 Year-in-Review Hidden Killers special, we break down one of the most significant moments to emerge from the Donna Adelson trial: the testimony of Jeffrey LaCasse, Wendi Adelson’s former boyfriend, whose words added a new layer of depth — and danger — to the State’s narrative. LaCasse took the stand with a calm, steady presence, recounting conversations he had with Wendi in the months leading up to Dan Markel’s murder. His testimony struck the courtroom when he recalled Wendi telling him that Charlie Adelson had “looked into all options” to fix the family’s custody frustrations. In 2014, it sounded cryptic. In 2025, inside a courtroom where three co-conspirators have already been convicted, those words land like a thunderclap. LaCasse also addressed the infamous “TV repair story,” which prosecutors say was a pre-planned narrative used by members of the Adelson family after the murder. According to LaCasse, Wendi relayed the story to him in a way that felt strangely packaged — a detail prosecutors argue suggests the family crafted alibis and talking points before suspicion even existed. What makes LaCasse’s testimony so powerful isn’t just what he said — it’s how it fits into the broader family pattern prosecutors have spent all of 2025 laying out. His recollections connect personal moments to the alleged conspiracy:  • Wendi sharing unsettling comments about relocation.  • Charlie floating “options” to solve the conflict.  • Donna’s influence echoing behind the scenes.  • The family aligning on explanations before anyone asked questions. LaCasse’s testimony doesn’t point fingers — it illuminates the conversations and dynamics prosecutors say reveal the motive behind Dan Markel’s murder. It gives jurors a candid glimpse into how the Adelson family discussed their problems behind closed doors — and how those conversations may tie directly to Donna’s role at the center of this case. This testimony wasn’t just impactful — it was foundational. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #JeffreyLaCasse #DanMarkel #TrialCoverage #TVRepairStory #CharlieAdelson #CourtroomDrama #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime 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

In this 2025 Year-in-Review Hidden Killers special, we break down two of the most devastating developments in the Donna Adelson trial — the explosive emails prosecutors say reveal her true motives, and the jaw-dropping testimony from her own children and Wendi’s ex-boyfriend that shattered the family narrative she’s tried to control for more than a decade. First, we examine the emails Donna sent to Wendi during the custody battle, messages prosecutors use to peel back the “sweet grandmother” facade. These emails — strategic, emotional, manipulative — show Donna instructing Wendi how to behave in court, urging her to use psychological tactics, floating a $1 million bribe to Dan Markel, and making relocation “non-negotiable.” As defense attorney Bob Motta explains, emails are powerful because they don’t stutter, they don’t forget, and they don’t rewrite history. They sit in black-and-white, revealing a matriarch prosecutors say was accustomed to controlling every variable. Then we turn to the testimony that rocked the courtroom.  Wendi Adelson, testifying under subpoena and immunity, admitted her mother coached her relentlessly during the divorce and custody battles — everything from religion to courtroom performance. Robert Adelson followed, describing Donna as controlling, intrusive, and disturbingly detached after Dan’s murder. He recalled her saying, “I don’t know and I don’t care,” when asked what she thought happened to Markel. And then came Jeffrey Lacasse, whose testimony lit the courtroom on fire. He recounted Wendi telling him: “The only way I’ll ever relocate is if something happens to Danny.”  He also described Charlie discussing “all options,” including hiring a hitman. Prosecutors argue this trio of testimony exposes Donna not as a passive parent, but as the architect of a conspiracy powered by resentment, control, and entitlement — with her own family now delivering the evidence. This is the most revealing window yet into the Adelson family's internal dynamics — a portrait of loyalty cracking under the weight of truth. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #BobMotta #CourtroomDrama #MurderForHire #TrialCoverage #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

The Trial of Donna Adelson took an even more complex turn today as Robert “Rob” Adelson, Donna’s eldest son, stepped into the witness box. Unlike the investigators and outside witnesses, Rob brought jurors a deeply personal perspective, one that intersects family loyalty with the gravity of a murder trial. Rob’s testimony centered on family communications and interactions around the time of Dan Markel’s murder. He fielded questions about his mother’s involvement, the family’s frustrations over Wendi’s custody battle, and whether Donna ever spoke openly about solutions to “fix” the problem. While carefully measured in his answers, his presence underscored that even those closest to Donna cannot escape the courtroom spotlight. This testimony matters because it highlights how prosecutors are drawing a circle of influence around the Adelson family. By calling Rob, the State aimed to show that this wasn’t just a distant plot—it was something that touched the entire household. His words gave the jury insight into how family conversations may have shaped Donna’s state of mind, and whether her alleged desperation was evident to those closest to her. For the jury, Rob’s appearance added another dimension. Seeing a son testify while his mother faces life-altering charges creates a powerful visual: a family divided by allegations of murder, betrayal, and conspiracy. His testimony may not have been explosive, but it painted another piece of the picture prosecutors want jurors to see—a family dynamic steeped in pressure, resentment, and control. The trial is no longer just about evidence and timelines; it’s about family bonds unraveling in front of the world. #DonnaAdelson #RobAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #CourtroomDrama #FloridaJustice #MurderTrial #AdelsonTrial #FamilyTestimony #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

In one of the most emotionally charged moments of the Donna Adelson trial, Wendi Adelson took the stand — and the courtroom shifted. This wasn’t just another witness testifying about timelines and documents. This was the daughter of the accused, the ex-wife of the victim, and the woman whose family turmoil prosecutors say fueled a murder-for-hire plot that stunned the nation. Wendi walked jurors through her bitter divorce from FSU law professor Dan Markel, the custody battles that stretched on for years, and the deep frustration her parents felt about her being “stuck” in Tallahassee instead of living near them in South Florida. She acknowledged how often her mother — defendant Donna Adelson — expressed resentment about the situation. Prosecutors seized on those statements, arguing they reveal the emotional pressure cooker they say ignited the plan to eliminate Markel. Her testimony didn’t just support the prosecution’s theory; it humanized it. While investigators like Jason Newlin brought the evidence, Wendi brought the context — the conversations, the tension, the unspoken expectations inside a family prosecutors allege was willing to cross unthinkable lines to get what it wanted. For jurors, this wasn’t just information. It was a window into the dynamic the State says became the motive. And then there was the emotional weight: Wendi, testifying under oath, while her mother sat only feet away. Every pause, every careful wording, every sideways glance carried a gravity no piece of paper could ever convey. This was a daughter navigating loyalty, truth, and survival — all with the eyes of the courtroom locked on her. Wendi Adelson’s testimony may ultimately be remembered as a turning point. It exposed fractures in the family, added credibility to the State’s narrative, and placed jurors squarely inside the Adelson home — a place where prosecutors claim resentment and desperation led to murder. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #DanMarkel #TrialCoverage #AdelsonTrial #FamilySecrets #MurderForHire #TrueCrimeCommunity #CourtroomDrama #HiddenKillers 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

In this powerful Hidden Killers special, we bring together two of the most revealing conversations ever recorded about the Adelson family — the psychological roots of the crime and the stunning courtroom collapse that followed. This is the full story behind the guilty verdict, built from expert behavioral insight and razor-sharp legal analysis. Retired FBI Special Agent Robin Dreeke returns to break down what he calls one of the most disturbing dynamics he’s ever studied: the enmeshed, codependent, emotionally fused relationship between Donna Adelson and her son, Charlie. This wasn’t maternal affection — it was psychological domination. Dreeke explores how Donna’s patterns of guilt, fear, and emotional punishment shaped Charlie into an unquestioning extension of her will, even into his 40s. This is the framework, he argues, that made him the perfect participant in a murder-for-hire plot he may never have fully challenged. We discuss emotional incest (not sexual, but psychological), the roles Wendi and Harvey played in Donna’s internal hierarchy, and how decades of control can warp judgment, loyalty, and identity. The result? A generational collapse — a family built on dependency now crumbling in the glare of national scrutiny. Then, defense attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis joins Tony, Todd, and Stacey for a complete breakdown of what happened when the jury returned its decision: • Donna’s courtroom outbursts and unraveling demeanor • The jailhouse informants who helped secure the conviction • Devastating testimony from Wendi, Robert, and Jeffrey LaCasse • Whether Wendi Adelson could now be facing legal danger • What Charlie may try to bargain — and what Harvey’s future may hold • And Donna’s grim reality inside a Florida women’s prison It took jurors just three hours to convict her. But the story of why it happened — and what led to this moment — is far deeper. This episode exposes the psychology, the evidence, and the family rot that prosecutors say fueled one of Florida’s most notorious murder conspiracies. #DonnaAdelson #CharlieAdelson #WendiAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #RobinDreeke #EricFaddis #FamilyDynamics #CourtroomDrama 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

In this 2025 Year-in-Review Hidden Killers special, we examine one of the most explosive family implosions in any modern true-crime case: the unraveling alliance between Donna Adelson and her daughter Wendi, and why that break may define the future of the Dan Markel murder trial. This combined episode covers two of the biggest developments of the year. First: the seismic moment when Wendi Adelson refused to testify for her mother. Donna’s defense team attempted a high-risk maneuver by subpoenaing her to the stand — but Wendi fought back, and the judge quashed it. Her refusal is more than a legal decision; it marks a profound fracture in a family once united by control, privilege, and secrecy. While Charlie Adelson — already convicted — remains fiercely loyal to his mother, Wendi has stepped away, choosing her own survival over Donna’s defense. Then there’s Donna herself. Unlike most defendants facing overwhelming evidence and three prior co-conspirator convictions, Donna insists she will testify. Against the strong advice of her attorneys, she believes she can charm, persuade, or out-talk the jury. But is that confidence grounded in strategy — or in denial, ego, and the need to maintain control at all costs? Psychotherapist Shavaun Scott and defense attorney Bob Motta join Tony Brueski to analyze what these decisions reveal psychologically: • Why Wendi’s silence may be the loudest message of the entire trial. • Why Charlie’s loyalty may be more about identity than innocence. • How Donna’s need for dominance could lead her to self-destruct on the stand. • And what this intergenerational collapse means for the Markel children, now old enough to understand the tragedy woven into their family name. This is not just a trial update — it’s the psychological autopsy of a family once built on unity and now shattered in the public eye. Loyalty, silence, betrayal, survival — all playing out in real time. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #MurderTrial #FamilyPsychology #BobMotta #ShavaunScott #CourtroomDrama 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

The verdict dropped — and the courtroom snapped to attention. In this full, uncut Hidden Killers upload, you’ll see the exact moment Donna Adelson reacted to being found guilty, followed immediately by the judge warning her she would be removed from the courtroom if the behavior continued. No edits, no cuts, no commentary layered over the moment itself — just the raw courtroom footage exactly as it unfolded. After the clip, Tony Brueski breaks down the legal mechanics behind what you just witnessed:  • Why judges issue removal threats  • What qualifies as disruptive courtroom conduct  • How jurors interpret emotional outbursts at the precise moment of a verdict  • And how the defense may attempt to frame her reaction later We also walk through the critical evidence and themes emphasized during closings — the motive, the timeline, the financial trail, the digital patterns — and how those elements likely connected to the jury’s decision. If you’ve followed this case since day one, this gives you the final puzzle piece. If you're joining now, this is the clearest entry point into understanding why the verdict unfolded the way it did. Finally, we look ahead to what happens next:  • Post-verdict motions  • The path to sentencing  • What grounds (if any) exist for appeal  • How the court handles a defendant who reacts poorly at critical procedural moments This is a clean, factual, legally grounded explainer — no speculation, no dramatization, no graphic content. Just the reality of what happens when a high-profile defendant hears the verdict that will shape the rest of her life. Drop your questions below — we’re pulling viewer comments for the next live breakdown. #DonnaAdelson #AdelsonTrial #DanMarkel #Verdict #CourtroomDrama #HiddenKillers #TrialAnalysis #Justice #TrueCrime #LegalCommentary 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

In this 2025 Year-in-Review Hidden Killers special, Tony Brueski breaks down one of the most talked-about courtroom moments of the year: the opening statements in the high-stakes murder-for-hire trial of Donna Adelson. From the prosecution’s meticulously crafted narrative to the defense’s chaotic stumble out of the gate, this episode captures the full shockwave of a trial Florida—and the nation—can’t stop watching. Prosecutors came out swinging, painting Donna not as a grieving grandmother swept into family conflict, but as the driving force behind the plot to kill Florida State law professor Dan Markel. They laid out motive, money, resentment, and years of escalating family turmoil. Emails revealed Donna’s relentless pressure to relocate her daughter Wendi and the grandchildren to South Florida—pressure she once described as something she would “never, never, never give up” on. When persuasion failed, the State argues, she turned to a six-figure murder contract. The prosecution previewed phone records, financial trails, incriminating communications, and Donna’s attempted one-way trip to Vietnam—presented not as coincidence, but as a calculated escape once the walls began to close in. Then came the defense. Their opening statement—highly anticipated after the State’s precision—landed with a thud. Instead of offering a coherent counter-narrative, the defense drifted, circled, and repeated the same hollow refrain: “There is no evidence.” Attorney Jackie Fulford attempted to cast Donna as an innocent grandmother caught in her son Charlie’s orbit, but the argument lacked structure, clarity, and force. Jurors appeared disengaged. Moments meant to reassure instead highlighted inconsistencies the prosecution is eager to exploit. This unified breakdown captures the full scope of a pivotal moment in the 2025 trial landscape: a prosecution ready for battle and a defense already fighting to regain footing. Is Donna Adelson the mastermind prosecutors claim—or is the defense simply outmatched from day one? #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #MurderTrial #CourtroomDrama #TrialCoverage #FloridaCrime #TrueCrimeCommunity #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

Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman took center stage in the Donna Adelson trial and delivered one of the most consequential closing arguments of the entire case — a summation built on motive, timing, and a digital trail prosecutors say Donna cannot outrun. Cappleman told jurors the path to the truth was simple: “Follow the evidence and find her guilty.” And with that, she walked them step by step through the 2014 murder-for-hire plot that left FSU law professor Dan Markel dead in his driveway. Her message was direct. For Donna Adelson, relocation wasn’t a hope — it was a mission. Years of emails, texts, and phone calls revealed that she viewed Wendi’s move to South Florida as non-negotiable. When the courts refused to give her what she wanted, prosecutors argue Donna and her family turned to a criminal solution, with Charlie acting as the conduit to the hitmen. Cappleman emphasized patterns, not speculation:  • Coordinated timing across phone calls  • Code-like phrasing in text messages  • Shifting money between family members  • The language of control and urgency embedded in Donna’s communications  • A timeline that aligns motive, opportunity, and movement “Innocent people don’t talk in code,” she reminded jurors — a line that cut through the courtroom. Using clear, memorable visuals, she tied every exhibit back to the same through-line: motive → method → meaning. Each piece of evidence reinforced the last, forming the narrative prosecutors want jurors to carry into deliberations: Donna Adelson wasn’t on the periphery — she was at the center. The defense insists Donna is merely a “meddling mother-in-law,” not a murderer. But Cappleman argued the pattern is unmistakable: when legal avenues failed, Donna allegedly chose the illegal one. This clip matters because it captures the prosecution’s final roadmap — the distilled narrative the jury will confront as they decide Donna Adelson’s fate. #DonnaAdelsonTrial #GeorgiaCappleman #DanMarkel #ClosingArguments #TrueCrime #FloridaJustice #CourtroomDrama #MurderForHire #HiddenKillers 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

In this full-length Hidden Killers special, Tony Brueski brings together the complete story of Donna Adelson, the woman prosecutors say sat at the center of one of Florida’s most cold-blooded murder-for-hire conspiracies. With three co-conspirators already convicted—including her son Charlie—Donna is now the final alleged architect heading toward trial, and this episode lays out the entire case: the family pressure, the money trail, the coded prison calls, and the psychology of a matriarch accused of pulling the strings. We begin with the internal dynamics of the Adelson family, where prosecutors argue Donna exercised powerful influence over major decisions, including the bitter custody dispute with Dan Markel. We examine the alleged $1 million relocation offer, the threatening language about religious upbringing, the burst of phone calls on the day of the murder, and the suspicious financial pipeline prosecutors say flowed from the Adelsons to Katherine Magbanua—all pieces the state will use to argue Donna wasn’t a bystander, but a driving force. Tony, alongside legal analyst Eric Faddis, breaks down the prosecution’s likely strategy: emphasizing the established conspiracy convictions of others, introducing Donna’s coded language on jail calls, highlighting the abrupt Vietnam one-way ticket, and showing jurors a pattern of decisions that point to intent. At the same time, we explore how the defense may try to reframe Donna as a sympathetic grandmother swept into chaos she didn’t create. We also dive into Donna’s public and private narrative control—interrogating her recorded jail calls, emotional shifts, strategic omissions, and the way she shapes conversations with family members still outside the system. Even from behind bars, her influence continues. Finally, we look ahead to the fallout: the psychological toll on the Markel children, the Adelson grandchildren’s future, the long-term identity fracture of carrying a notorious last name, and the intergenerational trauma that will ripple long after the verdict is read. This is more than evidence. This is a story of power, manipulation, loyalty, and the catastrophic consequences of a single decision that changed two families forever. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #TrueCrime #CharlieAdelson #KatherineMagbanua #FloridaCrime #ProsecutionStrategy #EricFaddis #FamilyDynamics 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

Donna Adelson is officially back in South Florida — just not the way she planned. According to Florida Department of Corrections records, the convicted mastermind behind the Dan Markel murder-for-hire has been transferred from the Ocala reception center to Homestead Correctional Institution in Miami-Dade County. It's the exact placement her defense team requested at sentencing, when Judge Stephen Everett recommended she be housed close to her husband Harvey. The woman who allegedly funded a contract killing because she couldn't accept her grandchildren living in Tallahassee is now thirty miles from her former life, behind razor wire, serving life without parole. Her son Charlie Adelson is serving his own life sentence in South Dakota after being transferred in 2024 over security concerns. Katherine Magbanua remains at Lowell Annex in Ocala.  The hitmen are locked up. Five people convicted. Eleven years from murder to final judgment. But one question refuses to go away: What about Wendi? Prosecutors identified Dan Markel's ex-wife as an unindicted co-conspirator in court documents. She testified at every trial under limited immunity. She has repeatedly and consistently denied any involvement in or knowledge of the plot. She has never been charged. State Attorney Jack Campbell said his office would "make decisions in the coming weeks" after Donna's conviction — and months later, no decision has been announced. Meanwhile, Donna's "jailhouse daughter" has been talking publicly about the family fractures behind bars, the strain between mother and daughter, and Donna's fears about Harvey's deteriorating health. The Markel family is still fighting for access to their grandchildren under the Markel Act — the law that exists because of this case. This is where the story sits. For now. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #WendiAdelson #HomesteadPrison #MurderForHire #TrueCrime #AdelsonFamily #FloridaCrime #JusticeForDanMarkel #TrueCrimeNews 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

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we revisit the shocking moment that shattered the illusion of Adelson family unity — Wendi Adelson’s refusal to testify for her mother, Donna, in one of Florida’s most explosive murder-for-hire trials. In a stunning pretrial twist, Donna’s defense team tried to subpoena her daughter, Wendi, hoping her testimony might humanize Donna or counterbalance the prosecution’s narrative. But Wendi’s lawyers fought back, arguing that testifying could incriminate her — and the judge agreed. The subpoena was tossed, meaning Wendi will not be forced to take the stand. It’s a moment that speaks volumes without a word being spoken. While Charlie Adelson, already convicted and serving life for his role in the 2014 murder of Florida State law professor Dan Markel, steps forward to testify for his mother, Wendi stays silent. In a case built on loyalty, control, and manipulation, this silence may say more than any testimony ever could. Tony Brueski and psychotherapist Shavaun Scott break down what this fracture reveals about the psychology of the Adelson family — how fear, guilt, and self-preservation drive behavior when the walls close in. They analyze how jurors are likely to interpret the sibling contrast: one child taking the stand for loyalty, another staying quiet to save herself. Does Wendi’s silence protect her, or does it make her look complicit? Then, defense attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis joins Tony to explore how this new dynamic could shift courtroom strategy. Could Donna’s team now push harder to put her on the stand herself, hoping to fill the emotional vacuum left by Wendi’s absence? And what will the state do with a family now publicly divided — a daughter refusing to help her mother, a son defending her from a prison cell? This isn’t just a trial about murder. It’s about the collapse of a dynasty built on influence and image, where loyalty has finally given way to self-preservation. 🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Cases That Exposed the Truth Behind the Facades. #DonnaAdelson #WendiAdelson #CharlieAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #ShavaunScott #EricFaddis #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderTrial #CourtroomDrama #FamilyBetrayal #HiddenKillersYearInReview 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

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, this full-length special brings together all four parts of our deep investigation into the case of Donna Adelson — the grandmother, mother, and alleged mastermind at the center of one of Florida’s most shocking murder-for-hire conspiracies. This is the complete, unbroken story — from the private family dynamics that prosecutors say sparked a deadly plot, to the public trial that could end with Donna spending the rest of her life behind bars. We begin inside the Adelson family, where Donna’s influence allegedly shaped everything — including her children’s decisions and the years-long feud with Florida State law professor Dan Markel. The state claims Donna’s control and obsession with family “image” turned toxic, driving the financial schemes, the $1 million relocation bribe offer, and the custody-fueled resentment that ultimately led to murder. Next, we break down Donna’s public and private narrative control — from the coded language in her jail calls to her tone-shifting conversations designed to manipulate both family and public perception. Even behind bars, her words carry weight, painting herself as a misunderstood matriarch while sidestepping accountability. Then comes her biggest gamble yet — the possibility of testifying in her own defense. Alongside Defense Attorney Eric Faddis, we explore the psychology, confidence, and potential ego behind that decision. Could Donna’s instinct for control be the very thing that exposes her to devastating cross-examination? We also examine how prosecutors plan to connect the dots — from the financial transactions to Katherine Magbanua, to Luis Rivera’s testimony about “the lady” ordering the hit, to the one-way ticket to Vietnam that speaks louder than words. Finally, we look at the aftermath: the intergenerational trauma facing the Adelson grandchildren, the moral collapse of a family once built on privilege and perception, and the lasting stain this case leaves on every name attached to it. 🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Cases That Defined a Year of Power, Psychology, and Justice. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #CharlieAdelson #KatherineMagbanua #EricFaddis #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #FloridaCrime #MurderForHire #CourtroomDrama #JusticeForDanMarkel #HiddenKillersYearInReview #AdelsonTrial #FamilyCrime 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

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re breaking down the most calculated—and sometimes downright desperate—moves by Donna Adelson, the matriarch at the center of Florida’s most infamous murder-for-hire case. In one of the year’s most revealing episodes, Tony Brueski exposes how Donna’s defense team has spent months trying to slow, stall, and spin the inevitable. From filing motions to disqualify the judge, to claiming Tallahassee’s residents are too “emotionally informed” to serve on a jury, to arguing that routine evidence is somehow “prejudicial,” this has become a masterclass in delay tactics. And it’s not working. We unpack six of the most aggressive attempts Donna’s lawyers have made to derail the prosecution—from re-deposing witnesses based on so-called “new evidence” to claiming the court of public opinion makes a fair trial impossible. The result? A defense strategy that’s running out of time and credibility, one filing at a time. Then, Tony dives into the next looming spectacle: the possibility of Donna taking the stand in her own defense. It’s a high-risk, high-ego move that could either humanize her or expose her as the manipulative force prosecutors say she’s always been. Could her trademark confidence charm jurors—or will it read as arrogance under pressure? We break down the evidence she’d have to face if she testifies: The million-dollar bribe offer to relocate Dan Markel closer to the Adelsons. Her alleged plan to use religion as leverage in custody disputes. The stream of checks to Katherine Magbanua, a convicted go-between in the murder plot. And the FBI “bump” recording, hinting at Donna’s knowledge of the crime. This episode reveals the anatomy of a defense that seems more focused on optics than outcome—and a defendant whose belief in her own brilliance may be her final undoing. 🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Cases Where Justice Refused to Wait. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #TrueCrimePodcast #MurderForHire #CourtroomDrama #FloridaCrime #LegalStrategy #CharlieAdelson #KatherineMagbanua #YearInReview #JusticeForDanMarkel #HiddenKillersYearInReview 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

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we’re revisiting the case that dominated headlines, divided families, and exposed the darkest corners of privilege and power — the unraveling of Donna Adelson. Just weeks before jury selection was set to begin, Donna’s long-awaited murder trial imploded into chaos. Prosecutors dropped a stunning bombshell: a massive cache of new evidence — more than 80,000 emails, months of wiretap recordings, and what insiders say could include jailhouse informant testimony. Suddenly, Judge Stephen Everett had no choice but to halt the trial, citing an avalanche of discovery that left even seasoned defense attorneys blindsided. In this episode, Tony Brueski breaks down the extraordinary chain of events that forced the June 3rd trial date off the calendar — and what the 16 sealed court filings in a single month might really mean. From a mysterious late-2024 tip that reignited the investigation, to whispers of newly uncovered recordings featuring Donna’s own words, this is the inside story of how a decade-old murder-for-hire case keeps expanding instead of ending. Then, we zoom out to the broader conspiracy — a tangled web of lies, cash, and cover-ups connecting the Adelson family to the 2014 murder of Dan Markel, a Florida State law professor gunned down in his driveway. We revisit the evidence that prosecutors say ties Donna directly to the plot: Luis Rivera’s claim that “the lady” ordered the hit. Katherine Magbanua’s testimony about a moldy envelope of cash delivered to Charlie Adelson. Donna’s own jailhouse calls discussing “plans” and “escape routes.” And, of course, the one-way plane ticket to Vietnam — a country with no U.S. extradition treaty — purchased days after Charlie’s conviction. It’s not just a case anymore. It’s a reckoning — the culmination of years of investigation, privilege, and denial collapsing in real time. 🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Cases That Shattered Illusions and Redefined Justice. #DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #MurderForHire #CourtroomDrama #TrueCrimePodcast #FloridaCrime #WiretapEvidence #VietnamEscape #LuisRivera #KatherineMagbanua #JusticeForDanMarkel #HiddenKillersYearInReview 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