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Elisabeth Anne Broderick (née Bisceglia; born November 7, 1947) is an American woman who murdered her ex-husband, Daniel T. Broderick III, on November 5, 1989, as well as his new wife, Linda. Betty Broderick committed the murder as an act of revenge after Daniel left her and divorced her. At a second trial that began on December 11, 1991, she was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and later sentenced to 32-years-to-life in prison. The case received extensive media attention. Several books were written on the Broderick case, and a TV movie was televised in two parts. In 2020, an 8-episode miniseries was produced and aired about Broderick.
The Bisceglias were strict parents, and much was expected of all the Bisceglia children. As Broderick later recalled, she was being trained to be a housewife since the day she was born, or as she recalled: "Go to Catholic schools, be careful with dating until you find a Catholic man, support him while he works, be blessed in your later years with beautiful grandchildren". She also recalled that her schoolfriends were raised in similar situations as hers, giving her little chance to rebel.
Broderick attended Maria Regina High School, in Hartsdale, New York, and graduated from Eastchester High School in Eastchester, New York 1965. She graduated from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, where she earned a degree in early childhood education through an accelerated program. Her credits also earned her a minor in English.
In the fall of 1982, Dan hired 21-year-old Dutch American Linda Kolkena (1961–1989), a former Delta Air Lines flight attendant, to be his legal assistant at his new firm. As early as October 1983, Betty suspected that Dan was having an affair with Linda, but Dan denied it. Against Betty's wishes, Dan moved out in February 1985. He eventually took custody of their children after Betty left the children on his doorstep one by one. Betty claimed that Dan confessed he had in fact been having an affair with Linda, and a long, drawn-out, and hostile divorce ensued.
By this time, Dan Broderick had become a prominent local lawyer, serving as the president of the San Diego Bar Association. Betty claimed that Dan made it extremely difficult for her to find a lawyer willing to represent her in the divorce, which put her at a distinct disadvantage. Betty also believed that Dan used his legal influence to win sole custody of their children, sell their house against her wishes and cheat her out of her rightful share of his income.
The divorce was finalized in 1989, four years after Dan filed the petition. Betty Broderick's behavior became increasingly erratic. She left hundreds of profane messages on Dan's answering machine, and ignored numerous restraining orders that forbade her from setting foot on Dan's property. She vandalized his new home, and even drove her car into his front door despite the fact that their children were inside the house at the time.
On April 22, 1989, Dan and Linda were married. Linda had been concerned about Betty's behavior and even urged Dan to wear a bulletproof vest to their wedding, but Dan refused to do so although plainclothes security was employed. However, Betty did not arrive and the wedding proceeded without incident. After the wedding, Betty Broderick claimed that Linda taunted her by mailing her facial cream and slimming treatment ads.
Evidence was presented at her trial that Betty had removed a phone/answering machine from Dan Broderick's bedroom so that he could not call for help. Medical evidence indicated that Dan had not died right away, and Betty claimed that she had spoken to him after she had shot him.
After contacting her daughter, Lee, and Lee's boyfriend, Betty turned herself in to police, never denying that she had pulled the trigger. Betty's explanation at both trials was that she never planned to kill Dan and Linda and that her crime was not premeditated. Her account of the murders at her second trial was that she was startled by Kolkena screaming "Call the police!" and immediately fired the gun.
Linda and Dan Broderick are listed as having been buried together, at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego.
Forensic psychiatrist and criminology Dr. Park Dietz, for the prosecution, used the analysis of Dr. Melvin Goldzband, who previously worked on the case for the prosecution. Dietz said Broderick has histrionic and narcissistic personality disorders. Goldzband had likewise diagnosed Broderick as "severely narcissistic" and "histrionic," and clinical psychologist Katherine DiFrancesca, testifying for the defense, concluded Broderick was "histrionic" with "narcissistic features".
The lead detective in the case was Terry DeGelder of San Diego Homicide, who provided testimony for the prosecution.
Broderick's first trial ended with a hung jury when two of the jurors held out for manslaughter, citing lack of intent. A mistrial was declared by Judge Thomas J. Whelan. Betty Broderick was retried a year later with the same defense attorney and prosecutor. The second trial was essentially a replay of the first trial. Prosecutor Wells was successful the second time around; the jury returned a verdict of two counts of second-degree murder. Broderick was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 15 years to life plus two years for illegal use of a firearm, the maximum under the law. She has been incarcerated since the day she committed the murders.
Broderick is serving her sentence at the California Institution for Women (CIW), in Chino, California. In January 2010, her first request for parole was denied by the Board of Parole Hearings because she neither showed remorse nor acknowledged wrongdoing. She was again denied parole in November 2011 and in January 2017. She will not be eligible again until January 2032, at which date she will be 84 years old.
Both before and after Broderick's trials, her story was dramatized across the United States. Broderick granted numerous television and magazine interviews. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show twice, Hard Copy, 20/20, and Headliners and Legends.
At least five books were written about her story ( Until the Twelfth of Never: The Deadly Divorce of Dan and Betty Broderick, 1993, by Bella Stumbo; Until the Twelfth of Never - Should Betty Broderick ever be free?, 2013, by Bella Stumbo; Forsaking All Others: The Real Betty Broderick Story, 1993, by Loretta Schwartz-Nobel; Hell Hath No Fury, 1992, by Bryna Taubman; She Gave Her Pearls, 2023, by Kimberly Dotseth). Broderick was interviewed by Ladies Home Journal magazine and others.
The 1991 Law & Order episode "The Wages of Love" was inspired partially by this murder and the trial that followed. Guest star Shirley Knight was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Karen Kilgariff covered the case in episode 103 of My Favorite Murder, recorded live in San Diego.
In a 2017 episode of Murder Made Me Famous titled "Betty Broderick", she was portrayed by actress Holly Day, Dan Broderick was portrayed by actor Chad Halbrook, and Linda Broderick, was portrayed by actress Valerie Lamb.
The 2020, second season of the TV series Dirty John features the story of Betty and Dan Broderick from the early years through the homicides.1 Amanda Peet played Betty and Christian Slater played Dan.2
In spring 2020, a true crime podcast about the Betty Broderick case was produced by the Los Angeles Times titled It Was Simple: The Betty Broderick Murders.
On July 15, 2020, Oxygen aired a special episode of Snapped devoted to the Betty Broderick case.
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