What Happened on the Night Jill Biden's Ex-Husband Allegedly Took the Life of His Wife, Linda – Details

It began with a late-night emergency call that demanded immediate police intervention, and now, after a criminal charge, the chilling words used over dispatch have taken on new meaning.

On December 28, 2025, police officers were rushed to a home in Delaware connected to Bill Stevenson, the ex-husband of former First Lady Jill Biden, after a dispute was reported.

At the time, the details were unclear. But more than a month later, with Bill now facing a first-degree murder charge, the events of that night are being reexamined under a far more horrifying light.

The Night That Changed Everything

Just after 11:15 p.m. on that quiet Sunday night, a 911 call came in from Oak Hill, Delaware. The caller reported a domestic incident taking place inside a private residence, and dispatchers wasted no time. This was not treated like a routine check.

When the New Castle County Police arrived, they entered the home and headed straight for the living room. That's where they found Linda Stevenson, Bill's wife, lying unresponsive.

Officers began life-saving measures immediately, but despite their efforts, Linda was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 64.

In those early hours, the home was full of flashing lights and hushed voices as officers tried to piece together what had happened. But a detail in the dispatch audio may have shed light during the investigation.

A Single Sentence That Still Lingers

A recording was obtained and released by TMZ on December 30, and although much of the emergency communication was redacted, one clear sentence made it through.

"Station 16, C14, medic 7, redirect, cardiac arrest, 2337."

The words, clipped and clinical, may have sounded like protocol in the moment. But in hindsight, they were the first official sign that something inside that home had gone terribly wrong.

The Investigation Has Shifted

In the hours following Linda's death, police confirmed that no charges had been filed. Still, something about the scene raised red flags.

Detectives from the New Castle County Police Division's Criminal Investigations Unit took over the case, and Linda's body was sent to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy.

At the time, authorities described the case as an open investigation, but there was already a growing sense that this was far from over.

Bill was married to Jill long before she entered public life. Their relationship began in the early 1970s, when she was still a student at the University of Delaware. The young couple built a life closely tied to campus culture and its thriving social scene.

During their marriage, Bill opened The Stone Balloon, a bar just off campus that quickly became one of the most popular nightlife spots in the area. But when the marriage unraveled, the business was a major source of conflict during what would become a tense and deeply emotional divorce.

Eventually, Jill moved on, marrying Joe Biden in the summer of 1977 while he was serving as a senator from Delaware. Meanwhile, Bill stepped out of the spotlight… until now, as he has been formally charged with first-degree murder more than a month after Linda was discovered.

As previously reported, authorities have not released details about Linda's cause or manner of death, and investigators have not disclosed additional information about the evidence supporting the charge.

Bill, 77, was arraigned on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, and is being held at Howard Young Correctional Institution on a $500,000 bond.

It remains unclear whether Bill reportedly has legal representation. The post-presidential office of the ex-U.S. president declined to comment on his arrest and the charges against him.

Years before the investigation, Bill's ex-wife had already documented her own perspective on the marriage.

What She Said in Her Book

Jill later wrote about the marriage in her 2019 memoir, "Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself."

In the book, she described the end of the relationship as a gradual realization that it was no longer sustainable, writing, "Before long, I began to see that the breaks were beyond repair. I wouldn't settle for a counterfeit love."

She also detailed the emotional toll of divorce at the time:

"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."

After the divorce, Jill wrote that she chose not to return to her parents' home. Instead, she moved to Pennsylvania, focused on completing her education, and lived independently.