William Stevenson pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Wilmington, Delaware, to charges that he killed his wife, Linda Stevenson, according to court proceedings reported by The Associated Press.
The Delaware man, 77, is also known for having been married to former first lady Jill Biden from 1970 to 1975, though the murder case involves his current wife, Linda Stevenson. Prosecutors have alleged that Linda Stevenson was killed at their Wilmington home, where she was found unresponsive on Dec. 28.
The charges stem from a state grand jury, which returned a murder indictment against Stevenson this month. Stevenson was previously charged Feb. 3 and has remained in custody since then, unable to post $2 million bail.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Stevenson appeared by remote video from custody. His lawyer, a public defender, did not immediately return messages seeking comment, according to the AP report.
Stevenson’s background includes founding the Stone Balloon, a music venue in Newark, Delaware, in the early 1970s. Linda Stevenson worked in bookkeeping, and an obituary described her as a family-oriented mother and grandmother who was also a Philadelphia Eagles fan, while not mentioning her husband.
A family member posted after her death, with Stevenson’s daughter, Christine Mae, writing on Facebook, “One hug from her and all your worries would disappear,” and adding that “The pain of losing her is paralyzing and the emptiness in my heart is an abyss.”
Jill Biden’s spokesperson said she had no comment on the Stevenson case, the AP report said. Stevenson’s next court hearing is set for March 16.