John Lennon, who made music history both as a member of the Beatles and as a solo artist, was shot and killed on this day in 1980. Earlier in the day, Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono had been stepping out of their New York City apartment when a man asked for an autograph, which Lennon gave. That same man would be Lennon's killer.
Mark David Chapman experienced severe mental health challenges growing up, including developing various obsessions. After a religious conversion and a stint working at a refugee resettlement organization, he went to college but dropped out quickly. He attempted suicide and was hospitalized for clinical depression. He faced unstable employment in the years after, while his mental health deteriorated even further.
Chapman became obsessed with killing famous people, especially Lennon. He stalked the artist for two days, even bumping into the artist's housekeeper while she was walking Lennon's five-year-old son. In the early evening of Dec. 8, he managed to catch Lennon and got his autograph. Five hours later, as Lennon was re-entering his luxury apartment building, Chapman bore a pistol and fired four shots.
Lennon died on the way to the hospital. Chapman was charged with second-degree murder in a case that became a media sensation. He was sentenced to 20 years to life and remains in prison today.
You can read more about the shooting at History.com.
