Billy Evans’ father attended Elizabeth Holmes’ criminal trial, while his mother submitted a letter in support of the Theranos founder
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/billy-evans-parents-101626-f9e3a7545f98462db6973e9786fdba53.jpg "Elizabeth Holmes and Billy Evans in 2023; Bill Evans and his son Billy in 2015.")
Credit: Philip Pacheco/Getty; Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Elizabeth Holmes and her partner, Billy Evans, have been in a relationship since 2017
- Billy was raised in San Diego by his parents who own a luxury hotel group
- His mother, Susan Evans, wrote a letter to the judge ahead of Holmes’ sentencing and his father, William Evans, attended her trial under a different name
Elizabeth Holmes‘ partner, Billy Evans, comes from a prominent San Diego family.
The tech executive was raised by Susan and William Evans. The latter’s parents founded the Evans Hotel Group. According to The Wall Street Journal, the company owns a trio of resorts in Southern California as well as a private and antique car collection.
Though Billy’s parents have mostly stayed out of the spotlight after he started dating the disgraced Theranos founder in 2017, both showed their support during her criminal proceedings in 2022. Holmes was convicted of fraud and later sentenced to over 11 years in prison.
Her sentence has since been reduced by two years for good behavior and she was approved to transfer from her minimal security federal prison to a halfway house starting in August 2027.
Here’s what to know about Billy Evans’ parents, Susan and William Evans.
They have three children
Credit: Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty
Susan and William share three children. Billy is the couple’s eldest and attended private school before earning his bachelor’s degree in economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2015, per The Wall Street Journal and his LinkedIn.
His siblings have largely remained out of the public eye.
Holmes and Billy’s first child shares the name William with Billy’s father and grandfather.
William comes from a prominent San Diego hotel family
William’s parents, Anne and William D. Evans, founded Evans Hotels in 1953, per the company’s website.
They went on to acquire three San Diego properties — Bahia Resort Hotel, Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, and The Lodge at Torrey Pines — a 60-foot sternwheeler boat for public and private cruises, and a private car collection.
After his father died of a heart attack in 1984, his mother took the helm and hired two of her five children: William and his sister, Grace Evans Cherashore.
William served as the executive vice president and managing director and Grace served as the president and CEO, per the Voice of San Diego. Anne remained involved in Evans Hotels until her death in 2025, per The San Diego Union Tribune.
Holmes believed Billy’s family initially had reservations about their relationship
Credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty
In a February 2025 interview with PEOPLE, Holmes addressed how Billy’s loved ones may have felt about their relationship when they first began dating.
“I’m sure Billy’s family was skeptical about me,” the former entrepreneur said. “But I’m grateful for that process. It makes the relationship that much deeper.”
Susan addressed similar concerns in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edward Davila ahead of Holmes’ sentencing in 2022.
According to The Wall Street Journal, she first met the Theranos founder in 2018, just days after the release of John Carreyrou’s book Bad Blood, which chronicled the company’s rise and fall.
In the letter, Susan recalled that friends had suggested Billy was being brainwashed by Holmes. However, she chose to trust her son’s judgment instead.
Billy told PEOPLE that “everyone tried to break” his relationship with Holmes, but they “forged an unbreakable bond” instead.
William attended Holmes’ criminal trial under a different name
Though Billy’s family hasn’t contributed to Holmes’ legal defense, William attended her criminal proceedings.
During jury selection in September 2021, William appeared at the courthouse and introduced himself to reporters as “Hanson,” according to NPR.
He claimed to be a car enthusiast who had come to observe the trial out of curiosity, describing himself as a “concerned citizen.”
While speaking with journalists, William criticized the media’s coverage of Holmes, claiming reporters had failed to tell her side of the story: “No journalist has ever told the real story about her. Everyone is just copy and pasting each others’ stories without thinking.”
However, his true identity was revealed a week later when he arrived at the courthouse accompanying Holmes and her family.
When NPR later contacted William about why he concealed his identity, he defended using the name “Hanson,” telling the outlet, “People have nicknames and you can be free to use them.”
Susan wrote a letter supporting Holmes ahead of her sentencing
Credit: Philip Pacheco/Getty
Ahead of Holmes’ sentencing in 2022, the judge received 130 letters from individuals expressing their support for the Theranos founder, ABC7 reported.
Among those who submitted letters was Billy’s mother, Susan. In her letter, Susan discussed her devotion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how her faith influenced the relationships she formed.
“I have always taken my faith seriously and have lived by the morals and values of my religion for the past 57 years,” she wrote, per The Wall Street Journal. “I choose to surround myself with friends and family members who align with my same values in life.”
