Jill Biden’s Ex-Husband William Stevenson Charged With First-Degree Murder in Wife’s Death
Wilmington, Delaware — The ex-husband of former U.S. First Lady Jill Biden has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of his wife, police and prosecutors said Tuesday.
William “Bill” Stevenson, 77, was charged Monday after a New Castle County grand jury returned an indictment accusing him of intentionally causing the death of his 64-year-old wife, Linda Stevenson, according to authorities.
Police were called to the couple’s home in the Oak Hill area of Wilmington shortly after 11 p.m. on Dec. 28, 2025, following reports of a domestic dispute. Officers found Linda Stevenson unresponsive in the living room and attempted life-saving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Stevenson was arrested at his residence without incident in early February after an extensive week-long investigation by the Delaware Department of Justice and the New Castle County Police Department. He was taken into custody and held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution after failing to post $500,000 bail.
Stevenson was married to Jill Biden from 1970 until their divorce in 1975, decades before she became first lady. The couple did not have children together. Jill Biden has declined to comment on the case, a representative said.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive, and the official cause and manner of Linda Stevenson’s death are pending the results of a forensic examination by the Delaware Division of Forensic Science.
Linda Stevenson was described in her obituary as a family-oriented woman, mother, grandmother and small business owner, with no mention of her husband, according to local reports.
Stevenson is expected to appear in court as the case proceeds, and prosecutors said the first-degree murder charge is a felony that could carry a life sentence if he is convicted.
The case has drawn international attention because of Stevenson’s historical link to Jill Biden, though experts noted the events in question are unrelated to her current work or status and date back several decades.
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