Grand Jury Charges Alleged First-Degree Murder Following 2025 Domestic-Dispute Response In New Castle County

Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 2:00 P.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor & Art Fletcher, Executive Editor: Englebrook Independent News,

WILMINGTON, DE.- Delaware authorities confirmed that William Stevenson, 77, the former husband of former First Lady Jill Biden, was taken into custody on Monday, February 2, 2026, after a Delaware grand jury returned an indictment charging him with Murder in the First Degree in connection with the death of his wife, Linda Stevenson, 64.

     According to New Castle County Police, the charge stems from a late-night response on Sunday, December 28, 2025, when officers were dispatched to a residence on the 1300 block of Idlewood Road in the Oak Hill community near Wilmington following a report of a domestic dispute.

     Police said that upon entering the residence, officers located Linda Stevenson unresponsive inside the home. Life-saving measures were attempted, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities stated.

     Investigators described the case as the result of an extensive, weeks-long investigation, culminating in the presentation of evidence to a grand jury. Once the indictment was secured, detectives responded to the residence and took Stevenson into custody without incident, police said.

     Stevenson was subsequently transported to police headquarters, where he was formally charged with one felony count of Murder in the First Degree.

Court Processing And Detention;

     Following his arrest, Stevenson was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 2, where bail was set at $500,000 cash. Authorities confirmed he was committed to the Howard Young Correctional Institution after failing to post bail.

     As of publication, law enforcement officials have not publicly released specific details regarding the cause or manner of death, nor have prosecutors outlined a motive in publicly available court materials.

Background And Public-Profile Connection;

     Stevenson is best known for his prior marriage to Jill Biden, formerly Jill Jacobs. The two were married in 1970 and divorced in 1975, years before Jill Biden later married President Joe Biden.

     Beyond his past personal connection to the former First Lady, Stevenson has long been associated with Delaware’s nightlife and business scene, including past ownership ties to The Stone Balloon, a well-known Newark music venue. Authorities emphasized, however, that the investigation and charges are entirely unrelated to Stevenson’s past public or business profile.

What Is Known, And What Remains Undisclosed;

     As of Tuesday:

• A Delaware grand jury indictment charging Stevenson with first-degree murder has been returned.
• Stevenson remains incarcerated after failing to post $500,000 cash bail.
• Prosecutors and police have not released detailed forensic findings, timelines of the alleged altercation, or additional evidentiary summaries beyond the charging documents and police confirmation.

     The case will now proceed through Delaware’s criminal court system, where additional details are expected to emerge through pre-trial hearings and motions.

Editor’s Note:

This article was written by Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor & edited by Art Fletcher, Executive Editor. Englebrook Independent News prepared this report using confirmed law-enforcement statements and court-processing information available as of publication. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This article will be updated as additional court records and official statements are released.