Betty Broderick, whose explosive divorce and deadly revenge killings became one of America’s most infamous true crime stories, has died at the age of 78.
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Broderick died Friday at an outside medical facility while serving her prison sentence.
Officials said her death was from natural causes.
Broderick had been serving a sentence of 32 years to life at the California Institution for Women for the 1989 murders of her ex-husband, Daniel Broderick, and his new wife, Linda Kolkena.
The shocking case captivated the country for decades and became one of the most talked-about crimes of the late 1980s.
Betty and Daniel Broderick had once appeared to live a picture-perfect life.
The couple married in 1969 and had four children together while Daniel built a successful career as a medical malpractice attorney in California.
But their marriage eventually spiraled into bitterness, public accusations, and a brutal divorce battle.
In 1985, Daniel filed for divorce after admitting he was having an affair with Linda Kolkena, his much younger legal assistant, who was reportedly 16 years younger than him.
The messy split became increasingly hostile, with Betty openly lashing out over the affair, financial disputes, and custody issues.
Daniel was eventually granted custody of the couple’s children, and he married Linda in April 1989.
Just months later, the situation turned deadly.
On Nov. 5, 1989, Betty used a key reportedly taken from one of her daughters to enter Daniel and Linda’s home in San Diego around 5:30 a.m.
Prosecutors said she walked into the bedroom and opened fire while the newlyweds slept.
Both Daniel and Linda were killed in the attack.
The case quickly became national headline news and sparked endless debate over whether Betty was a cold-blooded killer or a woman pushed to the edge by betrayal and emotional abuse.
Her trials, courtroom outbursts, and emotional testimony kept Americans glued to the story for years.
Broderick was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder in 1991 and sentenced to prison.
Over the years, she repeatedly sought parole but was denied release multiple times.
During a 2017 parole hearing, prosecutors argued she still failed to fully accept responsibility for the murders.
Officials claimed she appeared “defiant” and remained “in complete denial” about her actions.
The sensational story later inspired books, documentaries, TV movies, and the hit Dirty John season titled Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story, which introduced a whole new generation to the shocking crime saga.
Even decades later, the Betty Broderick case remained one of the most unforgettable and controversial true crime stories in America.