William Stevenson, the former husband of Jill Biden, has been arrested on charges of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife, Linda Stevenson. The 64-year-old was discovered unresponsive at their Delaware residence in December. On Monday, authorities apprehended William, 77, at the same location. According to a press release by the New Castle County Police Department, officers had responded to a call late at night on December 28, 2025, regarding a ‘reported domestic dispute’ at the Stevensons’ Wilmington home. Linda was declared dead the following day, December 29. Her obituary noted her unexpected passing without mentioning her spouse.

On December 31, investigators revisited the couple’s home to probe the circumstances surrounding Linda’s suspicious death. Prior to his marriage to Linda, William (known as Bill) was married to Jill Biden. The two tied the knot in 1970, during Jill’s college years, and parted ways in 1975. Jill later married future President Joe Biden in 1977. Her biographer has described how Jill needed to ‘compartmentalize’ her initial marriage as it failed to meet her expectations, leading to disillusionment. In a 2022 interview with People Magazine, Julie Pace explained, “She had these expectations of what that marriage was going to be, and it did not live up to those expectations.”

Pace further elaborated that Jill, being very young at the time, was somewhat naive about life’s realities, which left a lasting sting and prompted her to question many things. Bill and Linda Stevenson share a daughter, Christina Vettori, who has a daughter named Ciara. Both are noted as survivors in Linda’s obituary, which omits mention of her husband. The cause and manner of Linda’s death remain undisclosed, with her obituary simply stating she “passed away unexpectedly.” The domestic dispute at their Idlewood Road residence was reported to New Castle County Police at 11:16 p.m. on December 29, 2025.

Police found Linda unresponsive on the living room floor when they entered the home, and , despite life-saving measures, was declared dead at the scene in the early morning hours of December 30. Investigators were seen at the house in the Oak Hill development of Wilmington, Delaware on December 31, 2025 regarding the suspicious circumstances surrounding the domestic dispute call and the ensuing death of Linda. Bill was taken into custody on February 2, charged with first-degree murder of his wife and, after failing to meet the $500,000 cash bail, was committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution.

Speaking with the Daily Mail during Joe Biden’s run for president in 2020, Bill alleged that Jill cheated on him with the future president in August 1974 – the same year they separated. Bill detailed how the two were working on then-New Castle County Councilman Joe Biden’s campaign together when he started to suspect the affair. ‘One of her best friends told me she thought Joe and Jill were getting a little too close. I was surprised that she came to me,’ he told the Daily Mail.

Bill said his suspicions were confirmed after a man told him Joe had been driving his wife’s car when they were involved in an accident together. ‘I asked Jill to leave the house, which she did,’ he said. ‘Her father was begging me to take her back when he found out what was going on. He asked me to give her a second chance, but I wasn’t interested.’