Jill Biden’s first husband pleads not guilty to murdering second wife

A Delaware man, once married to former First Lady Jill Biden, entered a plea of not guilty on Tuesday in the case of his second wife’s murder.

William Stevenson, aged 77, faces charges related to the death of his wife, Linda Stevenson, 64, who was discovered unresponsive at their Wilmington residence on December 28.

Currently, Stevenson is held on a $2 million bail following his arrest on February 3 for the murder charge.

Linda Stevenson, remembered for her bookkeeping business, was cherished as a devoted mother and grandmother. She was also a passionate Philadelphia Eagles fan. Notably, her obituary does not mention William, despite their four-decade-long marriage.

sign reading "Justice for Linda" in the snow with an inset of William Stevenson's mugshot

William Stevenson, who is notable for establishing the well-known Delaware music venue, Stone Balloon, made his court appearance via a remote link on Tuesday.

William Stevenson, founder of the popular Delaware music venue Stone Balloon, ,appeared remotely in court Tuesday. 

“The pain of losing her is paralyzing and the emptiness in my heart is an abyss,” Linda’s daughter, Christine Vettori, wrote in a Facebook post after her death. “Most days I can barely breathe.”

Joe and Jill Biden

Then-President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive on Air Force One at Cornwall Airport Newquay, near Newquay, England. (Phil Noble/Pool Photo via AP)

Stevenson married Jill Biden in 1970 when she was an 18-year-old University of Delaware student and he was 23. The nuptials lasted five years before they divorced. 

Stevenson remained a critic of his ex-wife, but said he wasn’t “bitter” about the way things ended. 

“I’m not bitter because, if it wasn’t for my divorce, I would never have met my wife Linda and she’s the greatest thing in my life,” Bill told the Daily Mail in a 2020 interview. 

Jill Biden went on to marry former President Joe Biden, who served in the White House from January 2021 to January 2025.

exterior of home of William Stevenson with snow on the ground

The home of William Stevenson, the ex-husband of former first lady Jill Biden, is shown in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Stevenson has been charged in the killing his current wife at the home. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau) (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

Fox News Digital has reached out to the office of Joe and Jill Biden. 

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