WILMINGTON, Del. (Diya TV) — Former first lady Jill Biden’s ex-husband, William Stevenson, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, authorities said. The charge follows a weeks-long investigation into a domestic incident at the couple’s Delaware home. Police arrested Stevenson, 77, on Monday. He remains in custody after a judge set bail at $500,000. Authorities have not released the cause or manner of death. The case has drawn national attention due to Stevenson’s past marriage to Jill Biden.
Officers from the New Castle County Division of Police responded to a reported domestic dispute late on Dec. 28. The call came from a home in Oak Hill, a neighborhood in Wilmington. Dispatch records show the call came in shortly before 11:15 p.m. When officers arrived, they found Linda Stevenson, 64, unresponsive in the living room. Police attempted life-saving measures at the scene. She died there, officials said. William Stevenson called 911 and cooperated with officers that night, according to police.
Dispatch audio referenced cardiac arrest. Police did not confirm a medical cause at that time. Investigators sent Linda Stevenson’s body to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy.
Police said a grand jury returned an indictment after an extensive investigation that lasted more than a month. Investigators reviewed evidence and interviewed witnesses before presenting the case to the grand jury, authorities said. The charging documents list first-degree murder. Police did not disclose details about the evidence that led to the charge. Officials also did not say whether the autopsy results played a role in the indictment.
Stevenson remains held at the Howard Young Correctional Institution. Police said he failed to post the required cash bail. Authorities said it remains unclear whether he has hired an attorney.
William Stevenson married Jill Biden in February 1970. She was 18 years old and a student at the University of Delaware. Stevenson was 23 at the time. Their marriage ended after several years. The couple separated in 1974. They finalized a civil divorce in May 1975. Jill Biden later married Joe Biden in June 1977, when he served as a U.S. senator from Delaware. Jill Biden has not commented publicly on the case. The White House also has not issued a statement.
After his marriage to Jill Biden, Stevenson founded The Stone Balloon Club in Newark, Del. The venue became one of the nation’s best-known college bars. It sat near the University of Delaware campus.
The Stone Balloon hosted many famous performers over the years. Artists included Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, and The Allman Brothers Band. The club built a reputation as a key stop for live music in the region. Stevenson and Jill Biden were married for about five years. Their relationship later became a matter of public record due to Jill Biden’s national profile.
