Ex-Husband of Jill Biden Charged with Murder in New Wife’s Death

William Stevenson, 77, the former spouse of Jill Biden, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his current wife, Linda Stevenson. Officials announced the charge on Tuesday after an extensive investigation. The grand jury indictment in Delaware comes after police responded to a domestic dispute on December 28 at a home in Wilmington.

According to the New Castle County police, Linda Stevenson was found unresponsive in the living room. Despite efforts from officers to save her, she passed away at the scene. Following her death, Linda’s body was handed over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science to undergo an autopsy.

In her obituary, the 64-year-old Linda Stevenson was remembered fondly by her family. She was described as a devoted family woman and an enthusiastic fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. She also established a small bookkeeping company in her later years.

The arrest statement for William Stevenson did not specify the cause of Linda’s death. It was noted that the grand jury’s decision to indict was based on a thorough investigation that spanned several weeks.

William Stevenson is currently detained at the Howard Young Correctional Institution due to his inability to post the $500,000 cash bail set by the authorities. Whether Stevenson has acquired legal representation remains unclear. Meanwhile, representatives for Joe and Jill Biden did not immediately respond to inquiries from NBC News.

Jill Biden, formerly Jill Tracy Jacobs, was married to William Stevenson in February 1970 when she was 18 and attending the University of Delaware. Stevenson opened The Stone Balloon Club, which grew to become a well-known college bar in Newark, drawing notable acts such as Bruce Springsteen and The Allman Brothers Band. The couple’s marriage lasted for five years, ending in a civil divorce in May 1975 after Jill met then-Delaware Senator Joe Biden in March of that year.