Dan was a prominent Florida State law professor murdered by hired killers back in 2014. The authorities think the killers were hired by the mother and brother of Dan's ex-wife Wendi Adelson, who wanted Dan out of the way so Wendi would have full custody of their two kids. The authorities are waiting to charge the Adelsons until they secure a conviction of Katie Magbanua (the woman charged with being the contact person between the hired guns - both of whom have already been convicted - and the Adelson family).
In the years since, Wendi (who is not herself suspected of complicity in the crime), has changed the boys' last names from Markel to Adelson, and has cut them off from contact with Dan's parents (their grandparents). This is her right under state law, and indeed under the Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Troxel v. Granville (a case striking down a law that would have permitted visitation by grandparents even when the parents forbid it). Even if the other Adelsons do get charged and convicted, Wendi will still have full custody of the boys, and will still be able to deny visitation rights to Dan's parents, if she so chooses.
The Florida state legislature is now considering passing a law narrowly focused on the highly unusual situation that comes up in a case where the the surviving spouse is a "person of interest" in the murder of the other one. There have also been proposals focused more specifically on cases where relatives of the surviving spouse are suspects in the case. I am not convinced that this circle can be squared in a way that will survive judicial review, however.
Whatever you think of the legal issues, the whole situation is maddening and tragic. Sooner or later, the two boys (who are aged 10 and 11 at this point) will learn of what happened to their father, that their grandmother and uncle are suspected of arranging the murder, and that they have grandparents who their mother is preventing them from seeing.
This murder case is so sensitive. I've heard about it from the Personal injury lawyer who has been working on this case.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit