Donna Edalson Murder Trial Dan Merkel FSU starts in FSU Professor Killing Plot

Nearly 11 years after Florida State University’s law professor Dan Merkel was shut down in his driveway, his former mother -in -law, Donna Suk Edlson, is ready to face allegations of murder whether he has mastered the murder.

The 75-year-old grandmother accused the first-degree murder, conspiracy, and the urge to murder what the prosecutors called their daughter, Wendy Edalson to free from a bitter-blooded family to free them from a bitter custody. He has requested not to be guilty.

East Palm Beach County’s Attorney Dave Aaronberg, who was also a friend of Merkel, told Fox News Digital that there was a long weight long weight in trial for the trial.

He said, “Recking is here for Donna and justice has come slowly, but it is going to come.” “Prosecutors had to step step by step after starting with Hitman, then Catherine Magbanua [Adelson’s former girlfriend]Then Charlie Edalson [Markel’s former brother-in-law]Then he had enough to take Donna down. ,

Renting a Hitman: East of his sister, a prominent lawyer, killed inside the alleged conspiracy of Florida dentist

Since the 2014 murder, Charlie Edalson was convicted and sentenced to life in jail. Two people hired in this scheme, Louis Rivera and Sigfredu Garcia, as well as their Go-Bich Catherine [Katie] According to Magabanua, also serving long sentences associated Press.

The prosecutors argue that Donna was Matrosatta who orchestrated the murder behind the curtain.

Aaronberg said the strategy to stack the culprits was important: “I don’t think you reach Donna without going to Katie Magbanua and then Charlie Edelson. It’s a very successful strategy – and it has not been done yet.”

Follow Fox True Crime Team on X

Merkel was entangled in a controversial divorce and custody dispute with a growing legal scholar, Donna’s daughter, Wendy Edalson, when she was ambushed in July 2014.

Prosecutors say Donna and his son, Charlie Edalson, worked with a hitman at work to eliminate Merkel, so Wendy could move with her children to South Florida.

Donna, the prosecutors argue, there was a mother -in -law who orkstretating the murder behind the curtain.

Sign up to get a true crime newspaper

The selection of the jury started on Tuesday in Talhasi, Florida. Aaronberg said that the test would probably be faster than Charlie’s test as the prosecutors and judges now know the matter inside and outside.

“Donna will take the stand, they will examine him-it will have to watch TV,” he said. “And I think justice will be done.”

‘Consciousness of crime’

One of the fastest appliances of the prosecution, Aaronberg said, “Donna’s” consciousness of crime “, mainly from the US attempts to flee to Vietnam in 2023.” In particular, Vietnam has no extradition treaty with America

“The best evidence for the jury would be the consciousness of crime,” Aaronberg explained. “He tried to run away from the country on a one -way ticket for Vietnam. It’s not how an innocent person works.”

Florida woman sentenced the back of bars for murder.

‘Bump’ sting

In 2016, the FBI performed an undercover operation known as “The Bump” against Donna. An agent approached Donna in Miami and presented as a forced recovery tied to the killers.

“If you had nothing to do with this crime, you will throw the paper or call the police,” Aaronberg said. “She was not either. She called her son, who is now in jail for life, and talked about ‘TV’ in the code, which was her code for murder. It is not how an innocent person works.”

A 73 -year -old woman arrested for alleged murder at Miami Airport, which targets the former son -in -law

Aaronberg also noted the contradictions in Donna’s story: Edelson was asked to pay fake $ 5,000 during the sting, yet Magbanua later said the killers said the killers said that the killers said that the killers said that the killers said Charlie Edalson’s test.

“It’s no meaning,” he said.

Defense strategy

Aaronberg suggested that Raksha could bend as a grandmother and loving mother in Dona’s 75 -year -old position.

“She is going to say that she was just a good mother for her son – that’s why her money was found in the hands of the killers. But it did not work for Charlie, and it would not work for her,” he said. “Her better defense will be secondary after this fact, but she wants to completely exclude. She thinks that she can put on one on the jury. It did not work for Charlie, and it will not work for her.”

“She can expect the gamblers to see a grandmother, but she is not sympathetic,” she said. “She pre-trial to the stand, and it did not recover. She does not come sympathetically.”

‘Life sentence’: Florida’s lawyer murdered for murder

At the time of his assassination, Merkel was a growing legal scholar and got involved in a controversial divorce and custody controversy with his wife Wendy Edalson. The prosecutors allege that Donna and his son, Charlie arranged for murder so that Wendy could get complete custody of their children and start a new life in South Florida.

Go here for true crime more than Fox News Digital

Click here to get Fox News app

Wendy has not been accused, but has been repeatedly nominated in the filing in court. He has fought a sabpona battle to testify his mother’s trial, arguing that it could endanger its fifth modification rights. Aaronberg hopes that she will still take a stand under immunity when she is called by the prosecution.

“For Donna, he will also testify,” Aaronberg said. “She really believes her story. But like Charlie, she knows that the jury is not buying it.”

Donna Edalson’s defense team, Jackie Phulford and Joshua Zelman, have reached the Fox News Digital Comment.