A former San Diego socialite convicted of killing her ex-husband and his new wife in one of the nation’s most infamous murder cases has died, according to reports.
Citing the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, KGTV reported that Betty Broderick passed away due to natural causes while serving a life sentence. She was 78 years old.
The media outlet connected with Broderick’s family, who said they were with her when she died.
“We loved both of our parents, and it was a complicated relationship with our mom for obvious reasons, and with her being incarcerated the last 37-plus years,” Broderick’s loved ones said, per KGTV.”We will always remember her as an amazingly fun, smart, engaging and loving mom. She is survived by four children and seven grandchildren. We ask for privacy and prayers as we navigate through our loss,” they said, per the outlet.
KGTV reported that Broderick was recently transferred from the California Institution for Women to an outside medical facility for a higher level of care.
Broderick became nationally known after the 1989 killings of her ex-husband, prominent San Diego attorney Dan Broderick, and his wife, Linda Kolkena Broderick. Prosecutors said Broderick entered the couple’s home and shot them while they slept following a bitter divorce and custody battle.
She was convicted in 1991 of two counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison. Her first trial ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
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Broderick was denied parole multiple times ahead of her death, according to KGTV. The San Bernardino County Coroner will determine her official cause of death, the outlet noted.
