Mark David Chapman
Mark David Chapman is best known for murdering John Lennon outside of his New York City apartment building in 1980.
Criminal
May 10, 1955
Taurus
69
Fort Worth, Texas
Mark David Chapman, a 25-year-old former security guard from Honolulu, Hawaii, gained notoriety for the assassination of musician John Lennon in 1980 outside his New York City home. Interestingly, Chapman was a Beatles fan with no prior criminal convictions and had an obsession with J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye. He identified with the book’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, which influenced his actions. The murder of Lennon sent shockwaves around the world, and Chapman is currently serving a prison sentence for his crime. In addition to working as a security guard, he also wrote letters to pen pals.