Daniel T. Broderick III, a well-known medical malpractice attorney in San Diego, was shot to death in his home on November 5, 1989, at age 44. His second wife, Linda Kolkena Broderick, was also killed in the same attack. Both victims were found in their bedroom after being shot while asleep; Daniel sustained wounds to the chest and back, Linda to the head and chest.

The killings were carried out by Daniel’s ex-wife, Betty Broderick, who entered the house early that morning with a key she had taken from her daughter, then left the scene and later surrendered to police. Betty was charged with two counts of first-degree murder; a first trial ended with a hung jury and a second trial resulted in convictions for two counts of second-degree murder.

The case drew national attention because of the couple’s protracted, acrimonious divorce and custody battle and has since been the subject of books and television dramatizations. Did anyone in San Diego at the time have direct knowledge of the family dynamics or the divorce proceedings that could add detail to the timeline?