Police say the former first lady’s ex-husband faces a first-degree murder charge after a December call to the couple’s Wilmington home.
WILMINGTON, DE — William “Bill” Stevenson, 77, the first husband of Jill Biden, was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday in the death of his wife, Linda Stevenson, 64, following a Dec. 28 call for a domestic dispute at their Delaware home, authorities said.
Officials in New Castle County said officers found Linda Stevenson unresponsive after the late-December call and that life-saving measures failed. The Delaware Department of Justice presented the case to a grand jury, which returned an indictment this week. Stevenson was arrested without incident on Feb. 2 and is being held on $500,000 cash bail at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington. The case links a prominent Delaware entrepreneur, once married to Jill Biden, to a homicide investigation that unfolded quietly over several weeks and surfaced publicly with Tuesday’s charging announcement.
Police said they were called to the couple’s residence shortly before midnight on Dec. 28 after a report of a domestic dispute. Officers who entered the home found Linda on the floor and attempted CPR before medics took over. “Life-saving measures were unsuccessful,” police said. Investigators secured the scene, interviewed witnesses and gathered physical evidence as the medical examiner worked to determine cause and manner of death. The Delaware Department of Justice later reviewed the case materials and sought an indictment. A judge set Stevenson’s bail at $500,000 cash after his arrest, and records show he was booked into the Wilmington facility pending a court appearance.
Authorities identified the victim as Linda Stevenson, a mother and small business owner remembered in local notices for her work in bookkeeping. Officials said lab results and interviews were part of an “extensive weeks-long investigation.” The New Castle County Police Department said the Dec. 28 call was to a home on the west side of Wilmington; additional details about what happened inside the house have not been made public. Prosecutors did not release a suspected weapon or a formal autopsy finding Tuesday. The White House and representatives for Jill Biden declined comment. It was not immediately clear if Stevenson had retained a defense attorney.
Public records and prior news coverage show Stevenson founded the Stone Balloon, a well-known Newark music venue that drew touring acts for decades. He married Jill Jacobs, now Jill Biden, in 1970; they divorced in 1975, two years before she married Joe Biden. Linda and Bill Stevenson were married for more than three decades and lived in New Castle County. The area has seen several high-profile domestic violence cases in recent years, and Delaware officials have emphasized felony-level charging when intimate-partner deaths occur. Tuesday’s announcement put the case into the public eye after several weeks of standard investigative steps that included forensics, witness statements and prosecutorial review.
Court officials said Stevenson faces a first-degree murder count under Delaware law, which carries a potential life sentence. An initial court appearance is expected this week in Wilmington, where prosecutors could outline probable cause and detention arguments. If the case proceeds, a preliminary hearing would test the sufficiency of evidence before it moves to Superior Court for arraignment and scheduling. Prosecutors said additional charges could be filed as testing and interviews continue. The Delaware Attorney General’s office said next updates would come through court filings and routine docket notices.
Neighbors described a quiet street near parks and schools, with police lights crowding the block the night officers responded. One man who walks his dog past the house most evenings said he saw cruisers and an ambulance after 11 p.m. “It didn’t look like a routine call,” he said. A woman who has lived nearby for a decade said Linda was friendly and waved from the driveway, adding that she saw detectives return to the home several times in January. Police urged anyone with information from that night to contact investigators, a standard request when they rebuild timelines and confirm earlier accounts.
As of Tuesday evening, Stevenson remained jailed in Wilmington as detectives and prosecutors continued their work. A court hearing is expected within days, when a judge could address counsel, discovery and future dates.
Author note: Last updated February 3, 2026.