A quiet Delaware neighborhood became the center of a homicide investigation that now includes a figure tied to a former first lady’s past.
According to Fox News, authorities say William Stevenson, 77, was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his current wife, Linda Stevenson.
Police in New Castle County confirmed the arrest on Tuesday following what they described as an extensive investigation.
Officers were first called to the couple’s home on Dec. 28 after receiving a report of a domestic dispute. When police arrived, they found Linda Stevenson unresponsive inside the residence.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, and her body was later transferred to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy. As of Tuesday, authorities had not publicly disclosed a cause of death.
For several weeks, investigators worked the case behind the scenes. Police said the arrest followed a “weeks-long investigation,” though they did not release details about what evidence led them to Stevenson.
A grand jury returned an indictment Monday, clearing the way for Stevenson’s arrest. He was taken into custody and transported to the Howard Young Correctional Institution.
Court records show Stevenson failed to post $500,000 in cash bail and remains incarcerated.
The case has drawn national attention due to Stevenson’s past marriage to former first lady Jill Biden.
According to reports, Jill Biden married Stevenson in 1970 while she was attending the University of Delaware. She was 18 at the time, and Stevenson was 23.
Their marriage lasted five years before ending in divorce. Jill Biden later married then-Senator Joe Biden, who would go on to become president of the United States.
Police emphasized that the current charges stem solely from the death of Linda Stevenson and said no additional suspects have been identified. Investigators have not indicated whether more charges could follow.
Authorities have released few details about the circumstances surrounding Linda Stevenson’s death, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Stevenson’s next court appearance has not yet been announced.
