About this episode

The episode explores the psychological and legal aspects of Donna Adelson's alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire plot.

In this 2025 Year-in-Review Hidden Killers special , we bring together the two most explosive pillars of the case against Donna Adelson: the alleged long-term orchestration of a murder-for-hire plot — and the undercover “bump” that may have exposed her entire operation in a single moment. Tony Brueski sits down with defense attorney and former prosecutor Eric Faddis , along with retired FBI Behavioral Analysis Program Chief Robin Dreeke , to deliver the most complete psychological and legal breakdown of Donna Adelson we’ve produced yet. We start with the big question hanging over the entire trial: Was Donna Adelson the mastermind — or a woman unraveling under the weight of her own control? From her children’s emotionally distant testimony, to the 44 paychecks she allegedly signed for the intermediary , to the one-way ticket to Vietnam waiting in her drawer, the case is stacked with bizarre behavior, shifting loyalties, and damning digital evidence. Then we go to the moment everything cracked: the undercover FBI “bump.” When investigators handed Donna a flyer implying someone “knew everything,” she didn’t panic. She didn’t break. She didn’t even call her husband. Instead — just 22…

People in this episode

Host: Tony Brueski

Guests: Eric Faddis, Robin Dreeke

Topics covered

• murder-for-hire
• psychological analysis
• legal breakdown
• criminal behavior
• undercover investigation
• trial analysis

Keywords

• Donna Adelson
• Dan Markel
• murder-for-hire
• FBI
• psychological analysis
• trial
• evidence
• undercover investigation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FBI, Hidden Killers Podcast

More episodes of The Trial Of Donna Adelson | The Murder Of Dan Markel

• Charlie Adelson Appeal Hearing Recap: What the Judges Said and What Happens Next | Full Breakdown · February 5, 2026 · 15 min
• Adelson Case Week In Review: Charlie's Appeal Arguments, Donna's Prison Transfer, and the Wendi Question · January 11, 2026 · 43 min
• Charlie Adelson Appeal: February 2026 Oral Arguments — Everything You Need to Know · January 6, 2026 · 17 min
• Wendi Freezes, Robert Speaks: The Adelson Kids Break Silence | 2025 True Crime · January 2, 2026 · 35 min
• Inside the 9 Moments That Destroyed Donna’s Defense | 2025 True Crime · January 1, 2026 · 1h 24m
• Jeffrey LaCasse Testifies: Wendi Adelson’s Secrets Hit the Courtroom | 2025 True Crime · December 31, 2025 · 26 min

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