Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Donna Adelson Trial Moves Forward in Murder of Son-in-Law |Crime Alert Recap Saturday 08.22.25

Episode Date: August 23, 2025

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert Here's some of our top stories this week: Jury now set in Donna Adelson's murder trial. She is accused of being one of the orchestrators in the murder-for-hire of Dan Markel, her former son-in-law and a beloved Florida State University law professor. His phone got taken away, so he shot & killed his dad. Now, this teen is walking free, thanks to his mom.  More than 20 years after her murder, the husband of Melissa Wolfenbarger is on trial.  The chilling last message 18-year-old Kylee Monteiro sent her sister before she vanished. Two weeks later, police found her body buried on her boyfriend’s property. Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.”  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crime Alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Jackie Howard. A jury is now set in Donna Adelson's murder trial. She's accused of being one of the masterminds behind the murder for hire of Dan Markell, her former son-in-law and a beloved Florida State University law professor. Authorities alleged Donna Adelson conspired with her son Charlie and his then-girlfriend. They were both convicted and now serving life in prison, along with two other high. hitmen. After Charlie Adelson's conviction, police swarmed in and arrest his mother at Miami Airport, as she and husband Harvey are trying to board a one-way ticket to Vietnam, a non-extradition country. This, after being caught during a jailhouse phone call. Investigators caught wind that Charlie Adelson's conviction was pushing his mom to do something drastic. During one of the calls, Donna Adelson tells her son Charlie that they are looking at places to see if they have extradition, and she mentioned. And she mentions extradition from Vietnam.

We've been looking it up over and over. If things change if there is extradition from Vietnam, because we've looked at all the places, I mean, I could go to Korea and China, but there's no extradition. But we're looking for places where there's no extradition. One week after that call, Donna and Harvey Edelson book a one-way ticket to Vietnam and are waiting for their flight at Miami International Airport

when officers arrive and handcuffed the 73-year-old grandmother and escort her out of the airport into a waiting squad car. Donna Edelson is facing first-degree murder and solicitation of murder charges. When Dan Markle was killed in his driveway, authorities believed there was a conspiracy involving several people, including Donna Adelson, who got the money and paid the killer. More than 10 years have passed since two Miami gang members traveled to Tallahassee to murder Dan Markell in his garage. The dedicated father of two boys succumbed to his injuries the following day. Prosecutors claimed the hit occurred shortly after a court ruling,

in Markell's favor, stating that his ex-wife Wendy Adelson was denied relocation with their two young boys from Tallahassee to South Florida, where Wendy's wealthy family resides. If convicted, Donna Adelson faces first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation. More crime and justice news after this. I'm Drew Nelson. Quote, If I die, it was Greg. That was the last message Kylie. Montero sent her sister before she vanished on August 7th. Two weeks later, police found her body buried on her boyfriend's property. Gregory Groom, age 22, is now charged with murder. On Tuesday, investigators return to Groom's home in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. After days of

search efforts and interviews, they found human remains near a shed on his 25-acre property. Groom confessed. He stabbed Ms. Montero twice in the neck and once in the chest. The stabbing to the chest actually broke the blade of the knife off. The prosecutor giving the narrative in court. Groom admitted he buried Montero in a five-foot hole. He covered her with brush and dirt and did the same to cover up the murder scene. Kylie's parents leaving court on Wednesday couldn't say much. We're devastated.

We're devastated. Thank you. Groom had first reported Montero missing on the 8th. He told police she left after an argument. At the time, Montero, age 18, was 11 weeks pregnant. She had taken a ride share to his house the day before and wanted to stay there. They argued and she texted her sister, Quote, he threw me on the ground, pulled my hair, strangled me.

My phone is at 4% and if I die, it was Greg. Police searched Groom's property last Thursday but found nothing. Days later, they brought him in for another interview. They said they would dig. Groom drew them a map. Officers found the body in the shallow grave, 20 yards from the shed. Groom has been charged with murder, assault and battery on a pregnant victim, domestic assault, and witness intimidation.

He pleaded not guilty in Taunton District Court. A judge ordered him held without bail. A probable cause hearing is set for the 10th next month. Kylie's family thanked the public on a go-fund-me page and said, quote, this is closure and we are so thankful for everyone's help in getting here. A candlelight vigil is planned for Saturday night in a local park. I'm Nicole Parton. A murder trial is underway in Atlanta almost three decades after the brutal murder and dismemberment of Melissa Wolfenbarger.

Her husband now stands trial facing charges in connection with her death. For over 20 years, the case remained a mystery until recent advancements in DNA technology enabled investigators to identify her remains and build a case against her husband, Christopher Wolfenbarger. In 2024, he was indicted in charge with murder related to the death of his wife, who was also the mother of their children. This week, the testimony of Melissa's mother, Norma Patton, took a prominent role in the Fulton County courtroom. Patton recounted her concern when Melissa failed to reach out or visit her on Christmas Day in 1998. Months later, Melissa was reported missing. The defense questioned Patton about her delay in checking on her daughter,

highlighting that Melissa did not have a cell phone or landline phone. They also suggested that Patton harbored a longstanding grudge against Christopher Wolfenbarger. Additionally, the defense raised doubts about Patton's reliability by referencing her previous marriage to Carl Patton, a convicted serial killer known as the Flint River serial killer who confessed to taking five lives in the 1970s. It was only after Carl's arrest in 2003 that his DNA was linked to remains found in Atlanta,

which were ultimately identified as belonging to Melissa. Initially, believed to be another of his victims, the DNA evidence turned out to be crucial in solving two cold cases. Norma testified that she assisted her husband in disposing of some of the victim's bodies, but avoided legal consequences by securing an immunity agreement in exchange for her testimony against her husband. Carl Patton passed away in prison in 2024. I helped him to dispose of the bodies.

Okay, okay. So you were involved? Yes. For some of the murders, you were not involved. Is that correct? That's correct. But you overheard Carl making plans for them. Yes.

I loved my husband. And you didn't go directly to the police when you overheard your husband discussing murdering somebody? No, I did not. You in fact helped Carl plan the killing of Joe and Liddy, didn't you? Yes. I was given immunity for my testimony against him. Prosecutors say Norma's past has absolutely nothing to do with her daughter's death. And prosecutors utilized Norma's testimony to illustrate the alleged abuse that Melissa endured at the hands of her husband.

They contended that Christopher Wolfenbarger murdered Melissa in late 1998 and discarded her remains in trash bags later discovered by investigators. Jurors also heard from a former Waffle House supervisor who claimed to have noticed signs of abuse on Melissa. During cross-examination, the defense revealed that the supervisor had an affair with Melissa. suggesting he might have ulterior motives and casting doubt on his credibility. The trial is set to proceed this week as jurors deliberate on the evidence and testimonies in a case that remained unsolved for over 20 years. I'm Jennifer Gould. A Las Vegas teen who gunned down his father after his cell phone was taken away is now walking

free and he has his mother to thank for it. The victim's own wife, seen smiling broadly in court, became the star witness for her son, helping him get a slap on the wrist for the slaying. The startling chain of events began with a common household punishment. Jeremy Peterson, 45, and his wife Abigail, confiscated their son Lincoln's electronics due to his poor grades. But what started as a simple act of discipline turned deadly on December 28, 2025. as the argument escalated a furious link in just 15 at the time grabbed a handgun from a nearby drawer with a single fatal shot he fired over his shoulder as he fled the room killing his father here's the 911 call made from his distraught sister listen who is he the person who shot your dad who is he my younger brother my he's bleeding a lot he shot and killed my dad this isn't real this isn't real now 16 lincoln pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with a deadly weapon at his sentencing in clark county district court

prosecutors fought hard for a prison term of six to fifteen years citing the unprovoked violence of the act and revealing a chilling detail from lincoln's own sister that her brother had weeks earlier waved an unloaded gun at the family and even pointed it at his own head. Yet the most powerful voice belonged to the woman whose life was shattered by her son's bullet. Abigail Peterson told the court, quote, nothing, nothing compares to losing the love of my life, my husband, and knowing that my own son's action was the cause, end quote. But her words of pain were immediately followed by a breathtaking display of forgiveness that left the courtroom reeling, despite the shocking violence of the crime. and the plea from prosecutors, Clark County District Judge Tierra Jones, handed down a stunningly lenient sentence, five years of probation.

The judge remarked that she had never seen a defendant with such overwhelming family support. As the lenient verdict was read, Abigail Peterson's broad smile became a final jarring image, sealing the boys' escape from prison and cementing the public's perception of a lenient punishment for such a violent act. His freedom comes with a few strings attached, a curfew, mandatory counseling, and the requirement to earn his GED. But a suspended prison sentence of three to seven and a half years hangs over him, a quiet threat that serves as the only reminder of. the life he took, leaving many questioning whether justice was truly served at all for the latest crime and justice news. Follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this Crime Alert, I'm Jennifer Gould. This is an IHeart podcast.