Elisabeth Anne Broderick was an American woman who murdered her ex-husband, Daniel T. Broderick III, and his new wife, Linda, on November 5, 1989, as an act of revenge after Daniel cheated on 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.
๐ถ Early Life
Betty Broderick was born Elisabeth Anne Bisceglia on November 7, 1947, and grew up in Bronxville, New York. She was the third of six children born to Marita and Frank Bisceglia, who owned a successful plastering business with relatives.
The Bisceglias were strict parents and much was expected of all the Bisceglia children. Broderick attended Maria Regina High School and graduated from Eastchester High School in 1965.
๐ Marriage and Family
In 1965, Betty met her future husband, Dan Broderick, at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. The couple married on April 12, 1969, and Betty returned from the honeymoon pregnant with their first child.
She gave birth to four more children: daughter Lee, sons Daniel and Rhett, and an unnamed boy who died four days after birth. After Kim’s birth, Dan completed his M.D. degree at Cornell in 1970 and later enrolled at Harvard Law School.
โ๏ธ Divorce and Legal Conflict
In the fall of 1982, Dan hired 21-year-old Linda Kolkena as his legal assistant. As early as October 1983, Betty suspected Dan was having an affair with Linda, but Dan denied it.
Dan moved out in February 1985 and eventually took custody of their children. The divorce was finalized in 1989, four years after Dan filed the petition.
๐ซ The Murders
One month before Dan and Linda’s wedding, Betty purchased a Smith & Wesson revolver. On November 5, 1989, Betty drove to Dan’s house, entered using a key from her daughter Kim, and shot and killed the couple.
Two bullets hit Linda in the head and chest, killing her instantly. One bullet hit Dan in the chest as he was apparently reaching for the phone. Evidence indicated Betty had removed a phone/answering machine from the bedroom so Dan could not call for help.
โ๏ธ Trials and Conviction
Broderick’s first trial ended with a hung jury when two jurors held out for manslaughter. The second trial began on December 11, 1991, and the jury returned a verdict of guilty on 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. She was incarcerated from the day she committed the murders until her death.
๐บ Media Portrayals
Several books were written on the Broderick case and a television film was broadcast in two parts. In 2020, an eight-episode miniseries was produced and aired about Broderick.
Broderick granted numerous television and magazine interviews, appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show twice, Hard Copy, 20/20, and Headliners and Legends.
| Category | Detail | Date | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | Elisabeth Anne Bisceglia | November 7, 1947 | Born in Bronxville, New York |
| Marriage | Daniel T. Broderick III | April 12, 1969 | Married at Immaculate Conception Church |
| Murders | Dan and Linda Broderick | November 5, 1989 | Two counts second-degree murder |
| Death | Betty Broderick | May 8, 2026 | Died at age 78 while incarcerated |