Linda Stevenson, 64, was found unresponsive after a domestic dispute call at the couple’s Wilmington home.
WILMINGTON, DE — Police are investigating the death of Linda Stevenson, the 64-year-old wife of Bill Stevenson, who was previously married to Jill Biden, after officers responding to a reported domestic dispute late Dec. 28 found her unresponsive inside the couple’s home in the Oak Hill community.
New Castle County police said officers arrived around 11:16 p.m. and attempted lifesaving measures before Stevenson was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives from the department’s Criminal Investigations Unit are leading what authorities have described as a “death investigation,” and the Delaware Division of Forensic Science will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. No arrests had been announced as of Friday, and officials emphasized that findings from the autopsy and additional interviews will guide any next steps. The case has drawn national attention because of Bill Stevenson’s past marriage to Jill Biden, who wed President Joe Biden in 1977.
According to police, officers were dispatched after a 911 call reported a domestic dispute at the residence in the city’s Oak Hill neighborhood. Responders located Linda Stevenson on the living room floor and began CPR and other aid, officials said. She was declared dead shortly thereafter. A police dispatch recording referenced possible cardiac arrest, and investigators have not publicly detailed any injuries or preliminary findings. In a brief statement, the department said detectives “are actively working to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident.” Bill Stevenson has not issued a public statement. The couple’s home remained a focus for evidence technicians into the following day as neighbors reported seeing law enforcement vehicles and a medical examiner van outside.
Authorities said the inquiry will include a full review of dispatcher audio, body-camera video, and interviews with those who were present or in contact with the couple Sunday night. The autopsy at the state forensic lab will analyze toxicology and any trauma indicators, a process that can take days or longer depending on testing queues. Police described the case as ongoing and cautioned against drawing conclusions before lab results are complete. A relative, Christina Vettori, has characterized the case as a murder investigation in public comments; police, however, have maintained the official designation is a death investigation pending medical findings and further evidence. Investigators did not disclose who placed the 911 call or release a narrative of events before officers arrived.
Public records show Bill Stevenson, a longtime Delaware businessman known for co-founding the Stone Balloon Tavern and Concert Hall, married Jill Jacobs in 1970; they divorced in 1975. Jill Biden married Joe Biden in 1977. Over the years, Bill Stevenson has occasionally reentered the political spotlight with public statements about his former marriage. Friends have described Linda Stevenson as a steady presence who kept a low profile despite the attention the family sometimes received during national election cycles. The Oak Hill neighborhood, a quiet area in northern Wilmington, saw increased patrols earlier this week as police conducted canvasses and sought home surveillance video to map movements around the residence on Dec. 28.
Detectives typically submit preliminary findings to the Delaware Department of Justice when questions of criminal liability arise, a process that can include search warrants, lab analyses, and interviews. Police said any charging decisions, if warranted, would follow completion of the forensic exam and interviews. An official cause and manner of death will be issued by the medical examiner. No court filings related to the case were visible in New Castle County’s online docket as of Friday. Officials said they plan to release updates when significant developments occur, including identification of additional witnesses, completion of the autopsy, or scheduling of a press briefing. If a public report is prepared, it would likely summarize evidence, time stamps, and lab results drawn from the state’s forensic records.
Neighbors described a late-night scene with flashing lights and officers moving in and out of the brick home as crime scene tape went up around the yard. “It was quiet and then suddenly there were police everywhere,” said Aaron Miles, who lives a few doors down. Another neighbor, who declined to give her name, said she saw a stretcher taken inside and officers speaking softly to a man on the front steps. A family acquaintance said Linda Stevenson was known locally for her volunteer work and love of dogs. “She was kind and private,” the acquaintance said. “This is shocking for everyone who knew her.”
As of Friday afternoon, police continued to describe the case as a death investigation with autopsy results pending. The next expected milestone is the release of the medical examiner’s findings, followed by any additional information from detectives if the manner of death is determined to be homicide, accident, natural causes, or undetermined.
Author note: Last updated January 2, 2026.