ABC 20/20 “Meddler or Murderer?” January 2 2026

ABC’s 20/20 revisits the headline-grabbing murder of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel in a new two-hour special, Meddler or Murderer? The episode, airing Friday, January 2, 2026, digs into a chilling case of family conflict, legal battles, and a long-unfolding murder-for-hire plot that stunned Florida and reverberated across the nation. Reporter Ryan Smith leads the broadcast, which includes the latest courtroom developments and exclusive insight into the alleged mastermind: Donna Adelson, the victim’s former mother-in-law.

In July 2014, Dan Markel was shot outside his Tallahassee home in what first appeared to be a random attack. But investigators quickly uncovered signs that the shooting was anything but coincidental. The father of two was in the middle of a contentious custody dispute with his ex-wife Wendi Adelson, and detectives began to explore the idea that someone in her family may have had motive to make the problem disappear permanently.

Over years of investigation, a tangled web emerged. Three individuals — Sigfredo Garcia, Luis Rivera, and Katherine Magbanua — were arrested and convicted for their roles in the murder. The plot appeared to be orchestrated through a chain of intermediaries, but the trail pointed higher. Prosecutors now allege that 75-year-old Donna Adelson played a central role, financially supporting and helping coordinate the killing of her daughter’s ex-husband.

“Meddler or Murderer?” features never-before-seen interviews, surveillance footage, and courtroom moments that bring viewers into the heart of the legal drama. The episode also covers Donna Adelson’s arrest, her recent plea, and how the Adelson family’s secrets unraveled over time. With decades of history between the families, the broadcast examines whether this was a controlling grandmother desperate to keep her family together — or a woman capable of plotting a brutal murder.

With exclusive interviews and detailed reporting, 20/20 delivers the most comprehensive televised account yet of the Dan Markel case and the latest on Donna Adelson’s legal battle. The program also highlights the ongoing efforts of Markel’s friends and family, who have pushed for justice and worked to protect his children in the wake of tragedy.