Former First Lady Jill Biden's Ex-Husband Faces Murder Charges in Delaware Case
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that William Stevenson, the first husband of former First Lady Jill Biden, has been formally charged with murdering his wife at their Delaware home in late December. The Associated Press reported the development, which has drawn significant attention due to the high-profile connection.
Details of the Arrest and Charges
William Stevenson, 77, from Wilmington, was arrested on Monday and charged with first-degree murder for the alleged killing of Linda Stevenson, 64, on December 28. He remains in custody after being unable to post $500,000 bail following his arrest. The charges stem from a week-long investigation by detectives in the Delaware Department of Justice, leading to a grand jury indictment.
Caroline Harrison, a spokesperson for the Delaware Attorney General, confirmed in a phone call that Stevenson is indeed Jill Biden's former husband, as reported by AP. Stevenson was married to Jill Biden from 1970 to 1975, before she later married U.S. Senator Joe Biden in 1977, who served as president from January 2021 to January 2025.
Incident and Investigation
Police were called to the home after 11 pm for a reported domestic dispute and found a woman unresponsive in the living room. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful, according to a prior news release. The victim, Linda Stevenson, ran a bookkeeping business and was remembered in her obituary as a family-oriented mother and grandmother and a Philadelphia Eagles fan, with no mention of her husband.
Background and Reactions
In a 2024 interview with conservative outlet Newsmax, Stevenson spoke critically of Jill Biden, describing their divorce as contentious and calling her "bitter" and "nasty." Jill Biden declined to comment on the current charges, according to an emailed response from a spokesperson at the former president and first lady's office, as reported by AP.
Stevenson was known in the early 1970s for founding a well-known Newark music venue called the Stone Balloon. It is not yet known whether he has legal representation for the murder charges.
The case continues to unfold as legal proceedings advance, with authorities emphasizing the seriousness of the first-degree murder allegations in this Delaware-based incident.
