Jill Biden's ex-husband William Stevenson charged with murdering wife at Delaware house — here's what happened

William Stevenson, the ex-husband of Jill Biden, has been charged with the murder of his wife, Linda, in Delaware. Stevenson, 77, remains in custody after failing to post bail. 

Written By Mausam Jha
Published4 Feb 2026, 09:31 AM IST
This undated photo released by New Castle County Police, Del., on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, shows William Stevenson. (New Castle County Police via AP)
This undated photo released by New Castle County Police, Del., on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, shows William Stevenson. (New Castle County Police via AP)(AP)

Authorities said Tuesday (local time) that the first husband of former First Lady Jill Biden has been charged with murdering his wife at their Delaware home in late December, as reported by the Associated Press.

William Stevenson, 77, from Wilmington, was married to Jill Biden from 1970 to 1975.

Caroline Harrison, a spokesperson for the Delaware Attorney General, confirmed in a phone call that Stevenson is indeed Jill Biden’s former husband, AP reported.

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Jill Biden declined to comment, according to an emailed response from a spokesperson at the former president and first lady’s office, as reported by AP.

Stevenson remains in custody after being unable to post $500,000 bail following his Monday arrest on first-degree murder charges. He is accused of killing Linda Stevenson, 64, on December 28.

Police were called to the home for a reported domestic dispute after 11 pm and found a woman unresponsive in the living room, according to a prior news release. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful, AP reported.

Who was Linda Stevenson?

Linda Stevenson ran a bookkeeping business and was remembered as a family-oriented mother and grandmother and a Philadelphia Eagles fan, according to her obituary, which makes no mention of her husband.

Stevenson was charged in a grand jury indictment after a week-long investigation by detectives in the Delaware Department of Justice.

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It is not yet known whether Stevenson has legal representation. In the early 1970s, he founded a well-known Newark music venue called the Stone Balloon.

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 later married U.S. Senator Joe Biden in 1977, who went on to serve as president from January 2021 to January 2025.

(With inputs from AP)

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