We, the undersigned, urge State Attorney Jack Campbell to bring charges against Charlie and Donna Adelson, based on investigators’ probable cause to believe that they were responsible for the murder of Dan Markel.

Six years ago, on July 18, 2014, Markel, an FSU professor and father of two young boys, was executed in broad daylight in his garage in Betton Hills. Investigators have clearly shown who is responsible: members of the family of Markel’s ex-wife, Wendi Adelson, and the three accomplices they hired to carry out the act.

One accomplice pled guilty and confessed everything; one was convicted of first degree murder; and one faces retrial. Prosecutors presented overwhelming evidence of brother Charlie and mother Donna Adelson’s responsibility and motives at the 2019 trial of two co-conspirators. While we understand that prosecutors have released the most information about Charlie and Donna, other members of the Adelson family may also have been involved.

Charlie and Donna Adelson should be arrested, charged and tried as soon as possible to finally achieve some measure of justice for Markel and his family. At a time of considerable attention to the racial inequities in our criminal justice system, the State Attorney’s Office can show that white, wealthy people are indeed held to account.

According to recent surveys, local voters care far more about suspected murderers being prosecuted than they do about whether the case wins or loses at jury. 

We don’t want our elected State Attorney to act like the South Florida prosecutors who were lenient with Jeffrey Epstein, another wealthy and well-connected man who had committed well-documented crimes. 

For the sake of justice in this tragic case that shook a community, robbed parents of a son, and robbed two children of a loving father and his loving family, we urge the State Attorney’s Office to finally charge Charlie and Donna Adelson for Dan Markel’s cold and calculated murder.

Justice for Dan Markel    Contact the author of the petition