Betty Broderick, who gained notoriety for the 1989 murder of her ex-husband and his new spouse in California, has passed away at the age of 78 while serving a life sentence. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed her death from natural causes on Friday at the California Institution for Women. Just three weeks prior, she had been transferred to a facility that provided a higher level of medical care, although her specific health issues were not disclosed.

On November 5, 1989, Betty Broderick entered the home of her ex-husband Dan Broderick, 44, and his new wife Linda Kolkena, 28, using her daughter's key. She went upstairs and shot the couple five times with a .38-caliber revolver while they were asleep. After the shooting, she disconnected the phone and left it in the hallway, making it impossible for the victims to call for help. She turned herself in to the authorities later that day.

Betty and Dan Broderick were married in 1969 and had four children together. Their relationship deteriorated when Dan began an affair with Kolkena, who was his legal assistant. Their divorce was finalized on January 30, 1989, and Dan married Kolkena less than three months later, on April 22, 1989. Following the divorce, Betty's behavior became increasingly unstable, leading to numerous incidents, including harassing phone calls and even driving her truck through Dan's front door.

During her trials, Betty Broderick confessed to the murders but claimed she had suffered emotional and psychological abuse from her ex-husband for years. Her first trial ended in a mistrial, while her second trial led to a conviction. In 1991, she was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison, with parole boards denying her release in both 2010 and 2017.

Betty Broderick's case became one of the most discussed criminal stories of its time and was later adapted into a television series. She is survived by her four children: Kim, Lee, Daniel, and Rhett.