WILMINGTON, Del. – William “Bill” Stevenson, the former husband of First Lady Jill Biden, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his current wife, Linda Stevenson, authorities confirmed Tuesday. Stevenson, 77, was indicted by a Delaware grand jury and taken into custody February 3 following what investigators described as a “weekslong” probe into a December domestic incident at the couple’s Wilmington-area home.
New Castle County police said officers were called to the residence on December 28 for a report of a domestic dispute. When they arrived, they found 64-year-old Linda Stevenson unresponsive in the living room. Officers performed lifesaving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her body was transferred to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for autopsy, though officials have not released a cause of death pending further review.
According to the indictment, evidence collected during the investigation led to Stevenson’s arrest on one count of first-degree murder. He is being held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution after failing to post $500,000 cash bail. Police did not disclose whether Stevenson has obtained legal representation.
From college-town fame to criminal charges
Before his arrest, Bill Stevenson was best known in Delaware as the founder of The Stone Balloon, a legendary Newark music venue that hosted major acts including Bruce Springsteen and The Allman Brothers Band during the 1970s and 1980s. He married Jill Jacobs—now First Lady Jill Biden—in 1970, when she was 18 and a student at the University of Delaware. The couple divorced in 1975, the same year she met then-Sen. Joe Biden.
Authorities said the case remains under active investigation. The office of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden has declined to comment on the arrest.
Linda Stevenson’s obituary described her as a “deeply family-oriented” woman with a passion for the Philadelphia Eagles. She owned a small bookkeeping business and was remembered by friends and family as kind, community-minded, and dedicated to her loved ones.
- Bill Stevenson, 77, charged with first-degree murder in wife’s death
- Linda Stevenson found unresponsive after reported domestic dispute Dec. 28
- Stevenson remains held on $500,000 bail as investigation continues
Grand jury indictment closes weeks of speculation
Police said the grand jury’s indictment came after an “extensive weekslong investigation” involving multiple agencies. While details of the alleged crime remain sealed, court filings indicate prosecutors believe sufficient evidence links Stevenson to his wife’s death. Officials have not commented on whether any prior domestic incidents occurred at the couple’s Wilmington home.
Stevenson’s next court appearance has not yet been scheduled. The Delaware Department of Justice said additional information will be released after preliminary proceedings are complete.