Delaware Man Pleads Not Guilty to Murdering His Second Wife

A man from Delaware, who was once married to Jill Biden years ago, entered a not guilty plea on Tuesday regarding the murder of his second wife. William Stephenson, 77, faces charges in connection with the death of 64-year-old Linda Stephenson, who was found unresponsive at her home in Wilmington on December 28.

He was formally charged with murder on February 3 and is currently being held on a $2 million bail.

Linda ran a bookkeeping business and was remembered in her obituary as a dedicated mother and grandmother, with a noted passion for the Philadelphia Eagles. Interestingly, her husband isn’t mentioned in the obituary despite their 40-year marriage.

Reflecting on the Past

Stevenson, known for founding the popular Delaware music venue Stone Balloon, appeared in court via video on Tuesday.

Linda’s daughter, Christine Vettori, shared her grief on Facebook, expressing, “The pain of losing her is numbing and the emptiness in my heart is rock bottom. Most days I can barely breathe.”

Stevenson had been married to Jill Biden for five years, starting in 1970 when she was just 18. Their marriage ended in divorce, and while Stevenson has voiced some criticisms of his ex-wife over the years, he insists he holds no bitterness about their split. “I’m not bitter,” he stated in a 2020 interview, attributing his happiness to finding love with his current wife, Linda.

Jill Biden later went on to marry Joe Biden, who served as President from January 2021 until January 2025.

As this case develops, many are left wondering how the past relationships intertwine with the present situation. It raises quite a few thoughts about how things can shift dramatically over time.