Jill Biden’s ex-husband William “Bill” Stevenson charged in wife Linda Stevenson’s death

William “Bill” Stevenson, the first husband of Jill Biden, was charged this week with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Linda Stevenson, after a weeks-long investigation in Delaware. The case has drawn national attention because of Stevenson’s past connection to the former first lady, even as investigators have described the matter as a domestic homicide case centered on events inside the couple’s home.

Stevenson’s arrest and indictment also arrives during a busy political news cycle involving Joe Biden and other prominent figures, intensifying public interest in older biographical details about Jill Biden’s early life and marriage history.

What prosecutors say happened

Court filings and statements from local authorities describe a timeline that begins with a late-night police response and ends, so far, with a grand jury indictment.

Key dates (ET):

• Dec. 28, 2025 (late night): Police responded to a reported domestic dispute at the Stevensons’ Delaware home and found Linda Stevenson unresponsive in the living room. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful.

• Feb. 2, 2026: William Stevenson was taken into custody.

• Feb. 3, 2026: Authorities announced a first-degree murder charge following an investigation and grand jury action.

Officials have not publicly laid out a full narrative of motive in a single, detailed briefing. Some elements—such as the precise cause-of-death determination, any forensic findings referenced in court, and whether additional charges could follow—remain unclear at this time.

Who is William Stevenson

William Stevenson, often referred to as “Bill” Stevenson, is a Delaware businessman known locally for operating a long-running college-town bar and music venue in Newark, Delaware. That detail has resurfaced because it places him in the same regional orbit where Jill Biden lived and studied in the early 1970s.

In recent years, Stevenson has occasionally been referenced in political profiles and biographies because he was Jill Biden’s first husband before she married Joe Biden. Beyond those biographical mentions, he has largely remained out of national view until the December death investigation became public and, now, the murder charge.

Jill Biden’s first marriage and the Joe Biden timeline

Jill Biden married William Stevenson in 1970, shortly after she finished high school. The marriage ended in divorce in 1975. Within that same year, she met Joe Biden, who was then a U.S. senator from Delaware. Jill Biden and Joe Biden married in 1977.

The criminal case is not tied to Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, or the wider “Clintons” political world beyond the fact that the name “Jill Biden” is inherently newsworthy. Still, search interest has spiked in “jill biden ex husband,” “jill bidens ex husband,” “jill biden first husband,” and “william stevenson,” as people try to understand the basic relationships and timeline.

What’s known about Linda Stevenson

Linda Stevenson, 64, was found dead in the Stevensons’ home after police responded to the late-night call in late December. Public information about her life has been limited compared with the attention on her husband’s famous former spouse. Recent coverage has described her as a mother and grandmother, with a work background that included bookkeeping, and as someone close to family.

Investigators have emphasized that their work focused on the December incident and subsequent evidence gathering. Authorities have not released detailed autopsy findings publicly. A formal cause of death can be a key turning point in cases like this, especially when prosecutors must show intent elements consistent with first-degree murder.

What happens next in court

With a first-degree murder charge filed, the next milestones typically include initial court appearances, bail decisions, and a process for evidence disclosure between prosecutors and defense counsel. At the time of the charge announcement, it was not publicly confirmed whether Stevenson had retained a lawyer.

The case will likely hinge on a combination of forensic evidence, the sequence of events that led to the police call, and any statements or digital records investigators believe are relevant. As in many domestic violence-related prosecutions, the timeline and the credibility of minute-by-minute reconstruction can matter as much as any single dramatic piece of evidence.

For now, the most concrete point is procedural: William “Bill” Stevenson faces a murder charge connected to Linda Stevenson’s death, and the matter is moving from investigation into the court system.

Sources consulted: Associated Press, The Guardian, ABC News, People