WILMINGTON, Del. – For decades, Bill Stevenson was known to the people of Delaware as a local legend—the man who founded The Stone Balloon, a Newark bar that hosted rock icons like Bruce Springsteen and defined the college experience for generations of University of Delaware students. To the rest of the world, he was a historical footnote: the first husband of former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
But on Tuesday, the 77-year-old businessman and author became the center of a far more somber narrative. Stevenson was arrested and indicted on charges of first-degree murder in the death of his current wife, Linda Stevenson.
The arrest follows a month-long investigation into a domestic incident that has sent shockwaves through the quiet Oak Hill neighborhood and reignited interest in a man whose life has been marked by both local fame and public bitterness.
The Fatal Night in Oak Hill
The investigation began on the night of December 28, 2025. At approximately 11:15 p.m., New Castle County police responded to a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute at the Stevenson residence on the 1300 block of Idlewood Road.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Linda Stevenson, 64, unresponsive in the living room. Despite immediate life-saving efforts by first responders, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
While initial reports remained vague, the case took a decisive turn this week. Following an extensive investigation and an autopsy conducted by the Delaware Division of Forensic Science, a grand jury returned an indictment charging William Stevenson with first-degree murder.
Current Legal Status
- Charges: First-degree murder (Felony).
- Bail: $500,000 cash-only bond.
- Location: Stevenson is currently held at the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution.
- Defense: It remains unclear if Stevenson has retained legal representation.
Remembering Linda Stevenson
In the wake of the arrest, those who knew Linda Stevenson have painted a picture of a woman deeply devoted to her community and family. A resident of Wilmington for decades, Linda was a mother and grandmother who ran a successful accounting business, BMB Bookkeeping.
Her obituary, which notably did not mention her husband, described her as a “fiercely loyal” Philadelphia Eagles fan who was “tenacious and kind-hearted.” In the Oak Hill neighborhood, a small sign reading “Justice for Linda” now sits on a lawn near the Stevenson home, a testament to the local grief.
“She was just as nice as can be,” said Patty Master, a neighbor who spoke to local media. “They always went out to dinner together. This is just a complete shock.”
A History of Public Bitterness
The arrest is a dramatic and dark chapter in what has been a tumultuous public life for Bill Stevenson. He and Jill Tracy Jacobs (now Dr. Jill Biden) married in February 1970 when she was just 18. Their marriage lasted five years, ending in a divorce that Stevenson would later describe in increasingly vitriolic terms.
In recent years, particularly during the Biden presidency, Stevenson frequently appeared in conservative media outlets to challenge the official narrative of how Jill and Joe Biden met. While Dr. Biden’s memoirs state she met Joe on a blind date in 1975 after her marriage had ended, Stevenson claimed the relationship began earlier, often using his platform to call the former First Lady “bitter” and “nasty.”
Despite these public outbursts, acquaintances from his Newark days expressed disbelief at the murder charge. Will Webber, a long-time friend of Stevenson from the Stone Balloon era, remarked, “I always thought he was an interesting guy. I never watched him mistreat anyone.”
What’s Next?
The Delaware Department of Justice has declined to release the specific cause of death or the evidence that led to the first-degree murder charge, citing the ongoing prosecution. However, a first-degree murder conviction in Delaware carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
The office of former President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden has stated they will not be providing a comment on the matter, treating it as a private legal issue involving a man she has not been associated with for over half a century.
As the legal process unfolds, the community is left to reconcile the image of the “Stone Balloon” entrepreneur with the man now accused of a clinical act of domestic violence.