In the early hours of November 5, 1989, silence enveloped the San Diego mansion of Dan Broderick and his young wife, Linda Kolkena. Dawn was barely breaking when a shadow slipped through the house, moving with stealth and determination. It was Betty Broderick, 41, Dan’s ex-wife, who had a gun with her. Betty Broderickonce a devoted wife and mother, now found herself on the brink of a tragedy that would shake the nation.
The door opened effortlessly, the woman used her daughter’s keys. With her heart racing and her mind clouded by a mix of fury and desperation, Betty climbed the stairs to the room where Dan and Linda were sleeping. Upon sensing her presence, the woman woke up and screamed. But the plea was cut off by the thunderous sound of gunshots. Dan Broderick He tried to reach for the phone to call for help, but Betty, relentless, ripped the cord out of the wall.
—Okay, you shot me. “I’m dead,” Dan said weakly, struggling to breathe.
“I had to do it,” Betty replied, pulling the phone from the wall.
Linda KolkenaDan’s young and attractive second wife, was shot twice, while Dan was mortally wounded. Betty Broderick, in a final act of desperation and rage, left the scene. She left behind a trail of death and destruction.
Hours later, Betty turned herself in to the police and confessed to the crime she had planned. The question that hung in the air was inevitable: Could she ever find peace after such an act? Her story was far from over, and justice would soon have the last word.
The marriage of Betty and dan It began as a love story full of promises and shared dreams. Born Elisabeth Anne Bisceglia on November 7, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York, Betty was raised in a devout Catholic family. Her life seemed set on a path of stability and faith, with plans to attend a local Catholic university after graduating high school. However, her destiny changed drastically at age 17 when she met Dan Broderick during a football game at the University of Notre Dame in Pittsburgh.
On April 12, 1969, Betty and Dan were married, and she assumed a supporting role while Dan completed his studies at Harvard Law School. During those years, Betty worked as an elementary school teacher and babysitter to financially support her family. Following Dan’s graduation, the couple moved to La Jolla, California, where Dan began practicing law and soon became a prominent figure in the legal field. He earned more than a million dollars a year.
Although their life seemed perfect from the outside, with country club memberships, a Corvette, a boat, and a mountain ski cabin, the Brodericks’ marriage began to show cracks. In 1983, Betty became suspicious of Dan’s fidelity when he promoted her young secretary, Linda Kolkena, to personal assistant, despite her lack of experience and basic skills. The suspicion of infidelity of Betty was confirmed and was the catalyst for a series of intense conflicts.
Betty reacted with a mix of fury and desperation. In a fit of rage, she burned Dan’s clothes and threw a stereo at him. As the divorce proceedings unfolded, Betty alleged that Dan made it impossible for her to find an attorney who would adequately represent her. In retaliation, Betty broke into Dan’s house, vandalized his bedroom with spray paint, and scattered food all over the kitchen.
Linda Kolkena, a young aspiring housewife and mother, found love with the lawyer Dan Broderick while working as his secretary at his San Diego law firm in 1983. This love, however, was born in complicated circumstances, as Dan was married to Betty Broderick.
Linda Kolkena was born on June 26, 1961 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the youngest of four sisters and grew up in a Danish Catholic family, whose parents had immigrated to America in the 1950s. Tragedy struck the Kolkena family early when Linda was just 11 years old and her mother died of cancer. Her father remarried soon after, and Linda’s life continued under the strict discipline and religious traditions instilled by her family.
Betty Broderick, also a devout Catholic, had supported her husband during his law and medical studies. By then, the Brodericks seemed to have it all: a mansion in La Jolla, country club memberships, a ski condo, a boat and a Corvette. Dan earned more than a million dollars a year, but the appearance of perfection hid the growing tensions in his marriage.
The relationship between Dan and Linda began quietly but quickly became the center of attention. Betty became suspicious of infidelity when she overheard Dan tell a friend at a party how “beautiful” his new secretary was. Suspicion became certainty when Dan promoted Linda to paralegal, even though she didn’t have the skills necessary for the position.
Betty’s suspicion was confirmed when Dan and Linda began having long lunches and acting like a couple. The situation worsened when Betty overheard her husband describe Linda as “beautiful” at a party.
Office rumors and physical similarities between Linda and a younger version of Betty only increased the tension. In an act of revenge, Betty burned her husband’s clothes and threw a stereo at him. The relationship between Dan and Linda solidified as the Broderick marriage fell apart, marking the beginning of a tragic and violent chapter in their lives.
“You have until October to fire her or you’re gone,” Betty told Dan, her voice shaking with suppressed rage. “Linda’s not going anywhere, Betty,” Dan replied firmly. We’re getting divorced.
In 1984, things escalated further when Dan filed for a restraining order against Betty. She responded and threw her car into the front door of Dan’s house. The woman was arrested with a knife in her possession, which resulted in a 72-hour detention in a psychiatric institution. He divorce was finalized in 1986, and Dan obtained the house and custody of the couple’s three children. For Betty, the loss was devastating. “He took my house, my kids, my money,” Betty told The New York Times in 1991. “If he had hit me with a baseball bat, he could have shown people what he did and made them think.” “stop.”
Despite the conflicts and violence that surrounded their relationship, Linda Kolkena and Dan Broderick They married on April 22, 1989. The wedding, held at their mansion in La Jolla, California, was an elegant and carefully planned event, but it was not without its fears and worries. Beautifulaware of the relentless wrath of Betty Broderick, pleaded with Dan to wear a bulletproof vest during the ceremony. Although Dan refused, he agreed to hire security guards for the event.
Although Dan gave her an allowance, Betty insisted that it was not enough to live on. Betty’s growing bitterness and despair culminated in the fateful event of 1989, when her pain and anger finally transformed into deadly violence.
Betty bought a gun and that marked the beginning of a path of no return. On November 5, 1989, she burst into Dan’s house, consumed by years of pain and rage. What was going through her mind at that time? Was she aware of the gravity of her actions, or was she so blinded by revenge that nothing else mattered? These questions resonated in the minds of many as Betty’s trial unfolded.
During the hearings, Betty claimed that she just wanted to kill herself in front of Dan and Linda, but that she was surprised by the woman’s screams and shot without thinking. Her defense was based on her claim that she was a victim of emotional abuse and financial control by Dan. However, a recorded phone call in which Betty expressed her desire for Dan to die was compelling evidence against her.
—I hope you die, Dan. “You don’t deserve anything you have,” Betty’s voice was heard on one of the tapes presented as evidence.
The trial was a parade of testimony that revealed the toxic nature of the Broderick marriage. Friends and family were called to testify. Dan was described as a controlling man who used his power and money to manipulate Betty during the divorce process. At the same time, the prosecution brought up the numerous acts of vandalism and violence committed by Betty
Ultimately, Betty Broderick was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Betty Broderick, now imprisoned, remains a controversial figure. Her story was told in books, movies and television series.
Since his conviction in 1991, Betty passed her life behind bars at the California Institution for Women. “I live much happier now than when I had all that money,” she declared in an interview.
The sons of Betty and Dan Broderick They are divided over their mother’s fate. While some believe that she has already paid enough for her crimes and advocate for her release, others are convinced that her place is still in prison. At his first parole hearing in 2010, this family divide came to light, but the board ultimately decided to deny his request. They felt that Betty had not shown enough remorse for her actions. The next hearing is scheduled for 2032.
One of the most recent and popular depictions of Betty’s story was the second season of the Netflix series “Dirty John”in which actress Amanda Peet played Betty Broderick.
“I needed you to know what I felt,” says Betty’s character, played by Amanda Peet, while looking into the eyes of the lawyer in the series. —And you thought killing them would make you feel better? —answers the lawyer, incredulous. —Not better, but heard. “Nobody was listening to me,” Betty replies, with a mixture of sadness and determination.
Meanwhile, the real Betty remains in prison and waits the next 8 years to appear at the new hearing to request her parole. Will this be the moment when she shows remorse for her crimes? Time will tell.
