Jury convicts Florida matriarch in murder-for-hire killing of her former son-in-law

AP ^ | 9/5/2025

[Presbyterian Reporter]

“””It’s also despicable that she tried to blame her “new boyfriend” for the murder (which she KNEW about):”””

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Yes. Jeff Lacasse’s testimony was disastrous for Wendi. He said Wendi was a narcissistic psychopath. And Jeff is a Professor of Social Work so he would be very knowledgeable regarding mental illness.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Well, that's the question - what kind of tree is this? On paper, at least, the Adelson family has achieved a great deal. Harvey established a very successful business, and the kids are a doctor, a dentist, and a lawyer. But there must have been some sick sense of drive that allowed most of them (not the eldest son, he broke away) to countenance murder.

Wendi has minimal incentive to plead. In her 40s, the best she could get in saving the prosecution the effort required to rerun this sordid mess one more time would be at least 30 years. She should swing for the fences, reveal what the family's internal dynamics were, and hope for sympathy from a jury. Unfortunately, the ground has been so well developed in 4 prior trials (the hit men, the retrial of Mangabuna(sp?), Charlie Adelson, and now Donna) that she has minimal playing field to work with. It is a thick matrix of communication and surveillance evidence. I would say she is cooked.

There is usually a point in time at which you can say - the whole world is henceforth on notice of X, where X is often some technology that allows tracking or recording that can be used in the prosecution of a criminal act. I always thought that the killing of Michael Jordan's father and the monitoring of the killers by their stupid use of his cell phone was a notice to the world of the easy availability of cell phone location tracking. You see that and think, 'Well, criminals will never make that mistake again.' Au contraire, they have continuously been making that mistake ever since. In this trial, the absurdity reaches its peak when Donna discusses the upcoming "vacation" to Vietnam with Charlie on a prison phone, no doubt bolted to the wall right under a large font warning: "All calls are monitored and recorded."

Harvey is getting old enough to avail himself of the Junior Soprano defense. I do not know what to think of his culpability in the actual conspiracy. Other than shaping the awful family that carried it out.

[Albion Wilde]

God hates divorce. So many people get hurt. No excuse for murder, but it does lead some into temptation.

[ncalburt]

Looks like the
evil S Fla 75 yr old grannie
kept her regular botox and filler appointments .
Fl needs to remove those kids from that demonic daughter now .

[Presbyterian Reporter]

“””Harvey is getting old enough to avail himself of the Junior Soprano defense. I do not know what to think of his culpability in the actual conspiracy. Other than shaping the awful family that carried it out.””””

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Great summation on your entire post. I would say this about Harvey. Harvey was very busy as the principal person making the millions of dollars that the family enjoyed. In contrast to Charlie, who seemed from the wire taps and text messages, worked just enough to enjoy the high life. Just the fact that Charlie was a ‘roving periodontist’ without having his own office was telling.

Harvey is 81 years old so the prosecutors may give him a pass because of his age or convict him for being an accessory after the fact just to for completeness.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

Thanks for posting Donna’s booking photo.

If I were more capable, I would post the comparison photos of Donna in 2014, her booking photo in 2023, and today’s photo.

Donna’s conspiracy gambit has not been good to her over the past 11 years.

[BenLurkin]

“His [Markel] law review articles included an argument for the abolition of the death penalty... He also wrote opinion pieces for The New York Times, Slate, and the Atlantic...”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Markel#Work

[Presbyterian Reporter]

Now that Donna has been convicted, the Markel family could now file Wrongful Death Lawsuits against Donna and Harvey Adelson.

So Harvey could find himself in Civil Court defending such a lawsuit.

[KevinB]

In this trial, the absurdity reaches its peak when Donna discusses the upcoming "vacation" to Vietnam with Charlie on a prison phone, no doubt bolted to the wall right under a large font warning: "All calls are monitored and recorded."

Didn't the discussion about Vietnam occur after she thought the jail call with Charlie had been terminated?

[ridesthemiles]

THEN SHE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER

[KevinB]

The only conclusion a future jury could reach is that Wendi wanted to make sure the hit-job had been done.

Knowing a crime is going to be committed without doing anything to contribute to it is not enough. They'll need more than than her just driving by the crime scene. Wendi providing details about Dan's schedule would probably be sufficient to implicate her, though.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

As I wrote-—”One of the major mistakes by Wendi”

One mistake will not convict Wendi. Just like Donna, when Wendi is indicted and tried in court we will learn about her many other mistakes that will tank her just like the many mistakes tanked Donna.

[Albion Wilde]

Eleven years at that stage of life will age almost anyone terribly! I’m on a road trip, so no more photo posting tonight!