Betty Broderick, convicted in infamous SoCal double murder, has died
Betty Broderick, the California socialite who captivated the country with her bitter divorce and deadly revenge killings and inspired books and movies, has died while serving a life sentence. He was 78 years old.
Broderick, whose full name was Elizabeth A. Broderick, died at 3:40 a.m. local time on May 8, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Broderick was transferred from the California Institute for Women to an outside medical facility on April 18 for a higher level of care, the department said. While a doctor determined his preliminary cause of death was natural, the San Bernardino County Coroner will make the official decision.
At the time of his death, Broderick was serving a 32-year prison sentence with the possibility of parole after being convicted in 1991 of two counts of second-degree murder and firearms enhancements.
USA TODAY has reached out to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office for additional information and comment.
From La Jolla fame to national notoriety
Before the murders, which made national headlines, Broderick appeared to be the epitome of affluent life in Southern California.
that and Daniel Broderick III He married in 1969 and raised four children; Dan, on the other hand, has built a successful career as a medical malpractice lawyer. The couple were well-known figures in the wealthy La Jolla community, where Betty maintained a reputation as a prominent socialite and homemaker, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Their marriage broke down in the 1980s when Betty began to suspect that Dan was having an affair with Linda Kolkena, a former flight attendant who later became his legal assistant. Dan filed for divorce in 1985, sparking a years-long legal and custody battle that became increasingly hostile.
As Dan’s relationship with Kolkena progressed, Betty reportedly left rude and threatening messages on the couple’s answering machine, prompting Dan to threaten criminal defamation action, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Dan and Kolkena got married in 1989.
Murders and trials
In the early morning hours of November 5, 1989, Betty Broderick used a key she had received from one of her daughters to break into the Marston Hills home Dan shared with his new wife.
He fired five shots into the couple’s bedroom with a .38-caliber handgun, killing 44-year-old Dan and 28-year-old Linda while they were in bed.
Later that day, Broderick surrendered to police and was taken into custody. He remained in prison for the rest of his life.
His first trial ended in a mistrial in 1990 after jurors deadlocked, with two jurors reportedly preferring a manslaughter conviction over murder. A second jury found him guilty of two counts of second-degree murder in 1991.
Despite being eligible for parole, Broderick was denied release in both 2010 and 2017. Prosecutors, along with San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Richard Sachs, argued that he showed no remorse. describe it In 2017, he was described as “completely unapologetic” and “defiant”.
Christian Slater plays Dan Broderick in “Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story” alongside co-star Amanda Peet.
The Oprah interview and its enduring pop culture legacy
Shortly after his conviction, Broderick appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in a widely viewed interview with Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey later interviewed her again from prison at the Central California Facility for Women.
At the time, Broderick’s children were publicly divided over whether their mother deserved leniency.
The case has remained a fixture of American true crime culture for decades; inspired books, movies, and a 2020 miniseries Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story Starring Amanda Peet as Betty and Christian Slater as Dan.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on Twitter @athhompsonABJ.
This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Betty Broderick dies at 78 after infamous murders in California
