Jill Biden's Comments on Her Divorce from Bill Stevenson, Who Is Charged in Connection with the Death of His Wife

A decades-old divorce has reentered public conversation following serious criminal charges against the former spouse of a former first lady of the United States.

Authorities have charged a man formerly married to a former first lady of the United States, Jill Biden, in connection with a homicide case in Delaware.

The charges have drawn renewed attention to public comments she made years earlier about that marriage.

As reported by CNN, William "Bill" Stevenson, Biden's former husband, has been indicted on a murder charge in connection with the death of his current wife, Linda Stevenson. Authorities said the 64-year-old was found unresponsive in December at their home in New Castle County, Delaware.

Police responded to a call reporting a domestic dispute, but have not released details about the cause or manner of death. Stevenson, 77, was arraigned and is being held at Howard Young Correctional Institution on a $500,000 bond. It is unclear whether he has legal representation.

Biden was married to Stevenson from 1970 until their divorce in 1975. Her post-presidential office declined to comment on the arrest and charges.

Years earlier, Biden reflected on the end of that marriage in her 2019 memoir "Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself," describing the emotional fallout of divorce at a time when it felt rare and deeply stigmatized. The text read:

"I'm not sure if I knew anyone who was divorced back then. The very idea horrified me. It meant failure, and in my still-young life, I had never failed at anything serious. I had let down my parents—especially my dad. I had let down myself. I felt ugly and inadequate; I was embarrassed and ashamed."

Those words were written as a reflection on youthful heartbreak. They have resurfaced amid renewed attention following the criminal case.