Donna Marie Roberts was born on May 22, 1944, in Youngstown, Ohio. She grew up in this city and attended Austintown Fitch High School. After high school, she went to Youngstown State University for two years. In 1966, she married her first husband, William Raymond, and they moved to Miami, Florida. The couple welcomed their son, Michael Raymond, in 1969. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1971.

In 1972, she married her second husband, Burton Gelfand. They divorced in 1980. While living in Miami, Roberts converted to Judaism. She then worked as a surgical assistant for over 20 years in North Miami Beach. In 1980, she met Robert Fingerhut. The couple married in 1983 and bought a home in Miami, near Miami Gardens and Ives Estates.

After a few years, they sold their home and moved to Richmond, Virginia, for one year. In 1993, they returned to Roberts' hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. Roberts purchased a home in Warren, Ohio, on Fonderlac Avenue in 1994. During this time, she and Fingerhut managed the Avis Car Rental franchise at the Youngstown–Warren Regional Airport. They were successful in managing both the Youngstown and Warren Greyhound bus stations.

For a short while, Roberts also operated a small restaurant called "Just the Ticket," located within the Youngstown Bus Terminal.

Donna Marie Roberts was convicted in 2003 for her role in the murder of her ex-husband, Robert Fingerhut. She was charged with complicity in aggravated murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Before the crime, Roberts was having an affair with Nathaniel E. Jackson. At the time of the murder, Jackson was in prison for a different crime.

On December 11, 2001, Jackson killed Fingerhut in the house that Roberts and Fingerhut shared. In the months leading up to the murder, Jackson communicated with Roberts through letters and phone calls. During these communications, he stated his intention to kill Fingerhut. Investigators later found evidence that Roberts purchased a mask and gloves for Jackson to use in the murder. Additionally, she allowed Jackson into the home where the crime occurred.

After the murder, Jackson was arrested and confessed to the crime. He claimed that Roberts was unaware of his plan. However, the evidence against Roberts included the nature of her communications with Jackson and her actions leading up to the murder. Jackson was sentenced to death for his involvement in the crime.

Roberts appealed her conviction, claiming that the police had conducted an illegal search of her car without a proper warrant. On June 25, 2020, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled to put a hold on her execution until all state post-conviction processes, including appeals, were completed. As of the latest updates, Roberts remains incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.