Elizabeth A. "Betty" Broderick, convicted in 1991 of the second-degree murder of her ex-husband Daniel Broderick and his wife Linda Kolkena, died on April 21 at an external medical facility after being transferred from prison on April 18. The initial determination of her death was natural causes, pending an official investigation by the San Bernardino County coroner.
Details of Death
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Broderick died at 3:40 a.m. on April 21. She had been moved from the California Institution for Women to a medical facility for a higher level of care.
Her son, Rhett Broderick, stated that his mother had fallen several weeks earlier, fracturing ribs, and later developed an infection that progressed to sepsis. Three of her four children visited her before her death; the fourth child joined via video call. The family has requested privacy.
Crime and Conviction
On November 5, 1989, Broderick used a key she had taken from her daughter weeks earlier to enter the home of Daniel Broderick and Linda Kolkena in Hillcrest, California. She climbed the stairs to the bedroom and fired a .38-caliber revolver, striking the couple with three of five shots. Both victims died from their injuries. Broderick turned herself in to police later that day.
Her first trial ended in a hung jury in 1990. In a second trial in 1991, a jury convicted her of two counts of second-degree murder. She was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 15 years to life, plus two years for firearm use, for a total of 32 years to life in prison.
Background
Broderick married Daniel Broderick, a medical malpractice attorney, in 1969. The couple divorced in 1985 after 16 years of marriage. The divorce was acrimonious and involved a protracted custody battle.
Daniel Broderick began a relationship with his office assistant, Linda Kolkena, while still married, and later married her. Following the divorce, Daniel received custody of the couple's four children; Betty was granted visitation rights.
At trial, Broderick admitted to the shooting. She stated that a letter from her ex-husband's attorney warning of contempt charges ignited her anger, and that the bitter divorce and custody dispute drove her actions.
Parole Hearings
Broderick became eligible for parole twice. The Board of Parole Hearings denied release in both 2010 and 2017.
At the 2010 hearing, her children testified; two opposed her release. Her son Dan stated that she was a good person who "got lost along the way" and that releasing her could be dangerous. The board stated that Broderick showed no signs of remorse.