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Jill Biden’s Ex-Husband Indicted on Murder and Update on Nancy Guthrie's Disappearance | Crime House 24/7
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Hey there, we're Sabrina d' Anarroga and Corinne Vian, hosts of Crimes of. Crimes of is a weekly true crime.
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Series with each season diving into a different theme, from unsolved murders to mysterious.
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Disappearances and the cases that haunt us most.
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And since it's Valentine's season, we are unpacking Crimes of Passion. When love turns into obsession, passion twists into paranoia, and jealousy drives people beyond.
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The edge of reason. Crimes of is a Crime House original. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube. New episodes every Tuesday.
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This is Crime House. Good morning everyone. We have multiple breaking true crime cases this morning that you need to know about and we're starting with the biggest one. The first husband of former first lady Jill Biden has officially been indicted on first degree murder charges after his wife Linda Stevenson was found dead in their Delaware home. This is Crime House 24 7, your nonstop source for the biggest crime cases developing right now. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Vanessa Richardson and we have quite a lineup for you today. Here's what you need to know.
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We start today with a major development in a Delaware homicide case that's drawing national attention with connections reaching the White House. Authorities in New Castle County, Delaware announced on February 3rd the indictment and subsequent arrest of the ex husband of former First Lady Jill Biden in connection with the killing of his second wife, 64 year old Linda Stevenson inside their home in late December 2025. First degree murder charges were filed on February 2, 2026 against 77 year old William Stevenson and announced publicly the next day following what police described as a weeks long investigation into her death. It all traces back to December 28, 2025 when police were called to the Stevenson home Following a reported domestic dispute, officers responded to the home that night around 11:16pm and located Linda unresponsive on the living room floor. Police quickly administered life saving measures and attempted to revive her, but were unsuccessful, according to a report from the New Castle County Police. She was reported dead at the scene, the department said Linda Stevenson's body was then turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science, where an autopsy would be conducted. At the time, investigators did not release additional details about the circumstances surrounding her death. The case was initially treated as an active death investigation, with detectives working to determine what had happened and whether criminal charges were warranted, according to police and prosecutors. The investigation continued over the following weeks as evidence was collected and reviewed. As of this recording, they have not released the official cause or manner of Linda Stevenson's death or what the nature of the dispute was that brought them to the Stevenson home. On February 2, a grand jury indicted William Stevenson on a charge of first degree murder. Court records show that he is now in custody at Howard Young Correctional Institution after he was unable to post a $500,000 cash bail. Investigators have also not publicly identified a motive in the case, confirming only that the grand jury found sufficient evidence to proceed with a charge. And according to an ABC News report, the indictment alleges that he, quote, did intentionally cause the death of his wife. Linda Stevenson's death and the indictment of her husband has drawn national attention in part because of William Stevenson's past marriage to Dr. Jill Biden, who is the former first lady of the United States. William Stevenson met Jill Biden in Ocean City, New Jersey in 1969. William Stevenson and Jill Biden were married the following year and divorced in 1975. And about a decade later, William married Linda. Jill went on to marry then Senator Joe Biden Biden in 1977. There's no indication that Jill Biden has any connection to the current investigation beyond that past relationship. Jill Biden has not commented publicly on the case. Linda Stevenson, William Stevenson's second wife, was described in her obituary as deeply family oriented and a proud bookkeeping business owner, community member and Philadelphia Eagles fan. Investigators have not released statements from William Stevenson, and it is unclear whether he's entered a plea or how his defense plans to respond to the charge. No trial date has been announced, and authorities have not provided a timeline for when additional information may become public through court filings. We'll continue to follow developments in this case and bring you updates as they're confirmed and made public. As that case enters its next phase in Delaware, we move west to Montana, where a killing initially reported as an animal attack has now resulted in a lengthy prison sentence, we turn to a sentencing in Montana that brings closure to a case we followed closely here on Crime House 24. 7 involving a killing that was initially reported as a bear attack. If you want a deep dive on this case, be sure to check out our episode on night watch. On February 3, 2026, a judge in Gallatin County, Montana sentenced 42 year old Darren Christopher Abbey to 100 years in prison with an 80 year parole restriction for the murder of Dustin Gersom. Under that sentence, Abby is not eligible for parole for the first 80 years and must remain incarcerated with no possibility of release during that time. The sentencing follows Abby's November 2025 conviction by a jury which rejected his claim that he acted in self defense. After that six day jury trial, he was found guilty of one count of deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence. The killing traces back to October 2024. According to investigators and court testimony, Dustin Jersum was camping in a remote area near Moose Creek on Thursday, October 10, 2024 Outside of big sky in southwest Montana where he was supposed to spend the weekend with his girlfriend. Germ's girlfriend had to work on Friday, so he planned to leave the campsite to bring her back that night. On October 12, 2024, two days after Gersom arrived, Creek Gerum's girlfriend and her friend went to the campsite after he failed to respond and did not pick her up as expected. When she arrived, she found him dead inside his tent, suffering from large slash wounds. She initially reported the scene to authorities as a possible bear attack. Based on the extent of the injuries, investigators soon determined that his injuries were not consistent with an animal attack, prompting a homicide investigation. Authorities later said Gerum had suffered multip sharp force injuries and the scene showed signs of a violent encounter. Prosecutors said Gersum was attacked with a block of wood, an axe and a screwdriver. An autopsy later documented multiple chop wounds. Detectives began canvassing the area and collecting physical evidence from the campsite. Investigators eventually focused on Darren Christopher Abbey, who'd been camping nearby. According to court records, DNA evidence collected from a beer can inside the tent and other materials helped link Abby to the killing. Abby was later taken into custody on an unrelated probation violation and during questioning he admitted to killing Gersom but claimed he acted in self defense after Gersom threatened him. Prosecutors later disputed that account. At trial, prosecutors said Gersom met Abby while the two were camping and that the two shared drinks in Gersom's tent before he was murdered. Prosecutors presented evidence showing that the violence escalated and that Gersom was attacked with multiple weapons. Jurors were also told that Abby returned to the campsite after the killing and removed some of Jersum's belongings, including Jersum's guns, cooler and cell phone actions prosecutors said were meant to conceal evidence. Abby admitted to authorities that he went back to the crime scene the next day to look for a beanie he thought he left there. The jury ultimately rejected Abby's self defense claim and found him guilty of deliberate homicide along with tampering with evidence. That conviction set the stage for sentencing on February 3, when both prosecutors and the defense addressed the court. Prosecutors argued for a lengthy sentence, citing the violence of the crime, the attempt to mislead authorities through the initial appearance of a bear attack, and the lasting impact on Gersom's loved ones, including his two children. The defense asked the court to consider a lesser sentence totaling 60 years, but that request was denied. The sentence brings a conclusion to a case that initially puzzled investigators and drew attention because of how it was first reported. Abby remains in the custody of the Montana Department of Corrections and any future legal action would come through the appellate process. While one case has reached sentencing in Montana, a new development is raising fresh questions for the police investigation into Nanc Guthrie, the mother of a Today host who vanished near her home.
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Major new development on February 3rd regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co anchor Savannah Guthrie, confirming they're investigating reports of a possible ransom note. As a reminder, 84 year old Guthrie disappeared after last being seen near her Tucson area home. On the night of January 31st. Multiple outlets, including TMZ and CNN affiliates in Tucson, report they received messages demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin for Guthrie's safe return. Those reports say the messages referenced details inside Guthrie's home. In a statement posted Tuesday, the Pima County Sheriff's Office acknowledged awareness of the reported ransom note and said all tips and leads are being reviewed by detectives working with the FBI. Additionally, investigators told CBS News that the document has been shared with Savannah Guthrie. Authorities continue to believe Nancy Guthrie is alive even as the case remains classified as a suspected crime. Signs of forced entry and blood found inside her home remains central to the investigation as investigators work to determine whether this ransom demand is credible. Another case is just beginning to unfold in Los Angeles, where officials are examining possible links between multiple killings, one including a former NFL player. On February 3, Los Angeles county authorities revealed a troubling new development in the killing of former NFL player Kevin Johnson, announcing that his death at a Los Angeles homeless encampment may be connected to at least three other homicides targeting unhoused individuals. Kevin Johnson, 55, was found dead on January 21 at a homeless encampment in the Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles. According to investigators, Johnson was discovered with blunt head trauma and multiple stab wounds, and detectives quickly determined his death was a homicide investigation. This week, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed investigators are examining similarities between Johnson's killing and three other unsolved homicides involving unhoused victims. Officials say those killings occurred between October and January, all within the area of the homeless encampment. Investigators have not publicly detailed the specific evidence linking the cases, but sources familiar with the investigation told multiple outlets that there is a possible pattern. According to ABC7, the other victims include 52 year old Michelle Steele and 52 year old Octavio Arias, both unhoused people whose deaths remain under investigation. Additionally, authorities confirmed that another homicide involving an unhoused person, Also in his 50s, Mauro Alfaro, was reported on January 26, just days after Johnson was found near the same area. Kevin Johnson was a former defensive tackle who played in the NFL during the late 1980s and early 1990s, including time with the Philadelphia Eagles. Those who knew him told reporters that Johnson had been living at the encampment where he was killed and that he may have been suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or cte, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head injuries which has affected numerous former professional football players. Despite those struggles, people who knew Johnson described him as kind and generous, offering support and companionship to others living at the encampment. Authorities have not announced any arrests in Johnson's killing or the other related cases. The Sheriff's Department emphasized that the investigation remains active and urged anyone with information to come forward. And as police work to connect this string of killings in Los Angeles, investigators in New York are examining another alleged assault as an influencer returns to court to testify. On February 3rd. TikTok influencer Hali Kate McGukin took the stand in Manhattan Supreme Court nearly two years after she says a stranger punched her in the face in March 2024, an attack that prompted a viral video and brought her attention to random street assaults. McGukin testified at the trial against Siboki Stora, and proceedings continued Feb. 4. Prosecutors allege Stora, who has pleaded not guilty and is representing himself, struck Mugukin unprovoked as she walked near her Manhattan home. Mugukin, who has more than 1.6 million followers on TikTok, posted a video after the incident describing the attack and showing swelling on her face, a clip that garnered widespread attention and spurred others to share their own similar stories. Stora's Self representation has included unusual courtroom behavior, including wearing a white tie with his name written on it, and attempting to raise unrelated questions about social media trends, both of which were rejected by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Josh Hanaf. Stora, a self described rapper who has mounted several unconventional campaigns for mayor and city Council, has claimed without evidence that authorities are targeting him because of his political activity. Prosecutors say McGukin's case is not isolated. Stora also faces charges related to allegedly elbowing a 37 year old woman near West 17 18th street and 8th Avenue in October 2023 and harassing a Jewish couple in Union Square the following month. Stora was arrested two days after McGukin's alleged assault following an investigation by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. He has pleaded not guilty. As testimony continues this week, the trial's expected to focus on whether prosecutors can establish a pattern of behavior and whether the jury believes McGu account of a Sudden Unprovoked Attack.
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Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body.
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Relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today.
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Well, I'm letting go of the worry.
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That I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class.
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I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh my gosh, they're so fast.
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And breathe.
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Oh, sorry.
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I almost couldn't breathe when I saw.
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The discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry.
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Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-contacts.
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What drives a person to kill? Is it uncontrollable rage? Overwhelming fear? Unbearable jealousy? Or is it something deeper? Something in the darkest corners of our psyche?
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Every Monday and Thursday, the Crime House Original podcast Serial Killers and Murderous Minds dives deep into the minds of history's most chilling murderers. From from infamous serial killers to ruthless cult leaders, deadly exes and terrifying spree killers, I'm Dr. Tristan Engels, a licensed forensic psychologist. Along with Vanessa Richardson's immersive storytelling full of high stakes twists and turns. In every episode of Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, I'll be providing expert analysis of the people involved, not just how they killed, but why.
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Serial Killers and Murderous Minds is a Crime House Studios original new episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts. Lastly, let me tell you about what Else is happening at Crime House today. As Valentine's Day approaches, Dr. Engels and I are exploring killers who manipulated their victims through romance. Today we're taking a deep dive into the crimes of Helmut Schmidt, a serial killer sometimes referred to as the American Bluebeard. Schmidt targeted women who were looking for connection, stability and companionship. He presented himself as attentive and dependable, using romance as a tool to gain access to his victims lives before ultimately taking them. Before you head over to serial killers and murderous minds for the full story on Schmidt, let's take a step back because Schmidt was part of a much older and darker pattern. The term Bluebeard killer comes from the centuries old folk tale of Bluebeard, a well wealthy man who repeatedly marries women, murders them and hides their bodies behind locked doors. In modern true crime, the labels used for killers who court, marry or romantically entangle their victims. Here are three of the most infamous Bluebeard killers, men whose crimes were not impulsive but intimate. Number one, Henri Desiree Landrue, the original French Bluebeard. If there's a real world figure who most closely mirrors the Bluebeard legend, it is Henri Desiree Landrue, or Americanized Henri Desiree Landrue. Landru operated in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reaching the height of his crimes during World War I. At the time, France was filled with widows and women whose husbands had gone missing or been killed in the war. Many were left isolated, financially vulnerable and searching for stability. Landru exploited this environment with precision. Using newspaper personal ads, Landru posed as a respectable widower looking for marriage. He wrote letters filled with affection and reassurance, carefully mirroring each woman's desires. Once a relationship was established, he convinced his victims to transfer their savings to him and move into rented homes under the guise of starting a new life together. None of them ever returned. Between 1914 and 1919, Landru is believed to have murdered at least 10 women, along with the teenage son of one of his victims. Investigators later concluded that Landru dismembered their bodies and burned the remains in a kitchen stove. What makes Landru particularly unsettling is how methodical he was. He used multiple aliases. He moved locations frequently to avoid suspicion. When authorities finally arrested him, found belongings from multiple missing women, but no intact bodies. At trial, Landru remained defiant. He never confessed. He mocked prosecutors, aware that the lack of physical remains complicated the case. Despite this, he was convicted based on circumstantial evidence and witness testimony. In 1922, Landru was executed by Guillotine his case horrified France and solidified the term Bluebeard as something far more than a fairy tale. Number two, H.H. holmes, America's first Bluebeard archetype. Long before the phrase serial killer entered common use, Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as H.H. holmes, was exploiting romance for personal gain and murder. Holmes operated primarily in Chicago during the 1890s, presenting himself as intelligent, charming and trustworthy. He courted women, proposed marriage and convinced them to sign over money, property or insurance policies, often naming him as the beneficiary. Several of Holmes confirmed victims were women who believed they were entering loving relationships. Instead, they were isolated from family, financially drained, and ultimately killed. Holmes is often associated with the so called Murder Castle, a building he owned that contained hidden rooms, staircases that led nowhere, and locked spaces used to confine victims. Romance played a central role in Holmes's crimes. He married multiple women, sometimes without divorcing previous spouses, and continued courting others simultaneously. His victims were not random. They were chosen because they trusted him. In 1896, Holmes was convicted of murder and executed by hanging. Even after his death, sensational reporting continued to inflate his crimes, sometimes overshadowing the very real victims whose lives ended through deception rather than force. Holmes remains a foundational figure in the Bluebeard lineage, a man who proved that love itself could be weaponized. Number three, Johan Otto Hoch, the bigamist who married to kill. While Holmes relied on charisma and spectacle, Johan Otto Hoch relied on something even more insidious the assumed safety of marriage. Hoch was a German immigrant who arrived in the United States in the late 1800s. Over the next several decades, he used aliases, false backstories and quick courtships to marry or promise marriage to dozens of women across multiple states. His method was disturbingly consistent. Hoch would gain his victims trust, marry them quickly, and then poison them, often with arsenic after gaining access to their finances. Many of his victims were working class or immigrant women whose sudden illnesses were initially attributed to natural causes. In 1905, Hulch married Mary Welker in Chicago. Within weeks, she became violently ill and died. When Hoch attempted to access her savings immediately suspicions were raised. An autopsy revealed arsenic poisoning. As investigators uncovered Ho's past, a horrifying pattern emerged. He'd been connected to suspicious deaths the US And Europe. While he was only formally convicted of one murder, authorities believe he may have been responsible for dozens of deaths. In 1906, Ho was executed by hanging. Until the end, he proclaimed his innocence. His case is particularly chilling. Because it highlights how thoroughly trust can be abused when romance is assumed to be safe and how easily serial murder can hide behind legality and tradition. What unites these men, Landru, Holmes and Ho is not just violence but intimacy turned into a weapon. They wrote letters, proposed marriage and promised futures that never existed. And by the time the truth became clear, escape was often impossible. As you head over to Serial Killers and Murderous Minds for the full episode on Helmut Schmidt, keep this in mind. Some of the most dangerous predators don't inspire fear. They inspire trust. And in true crime, trust is often the most lethal door of all. You've been listening to Crime House 24 7, bringing you breaking crime news. I'm Vanessa Richardson. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more developing stories. Stay safe and thanks for listening. What drives a person to murder? Find out from a licensed forensic psychologist on Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, a Crime House original podcast. New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.