Mark David Chapman is best known for murdering John Lennon outside of the musician's New York City apartment building in 1980.

Who Is Mark David Chapman? Mark David Chapman endured a troubled childhood before becoming a born-again Christian. He shot and killed John Lennon outside of the iconic musician's Manhattan apartment building on December 8, 1980, claiming he did so because of the ex-Beatle's immense fame. Sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, Chapman has since been denied parole multiple times.

Early Life Chapman was born on May 10, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas, to a U.S. Air Force sergeant and a nurse. Following a troubled childhood and early experimentation with drug use, he became a born-again Christian at age 16. After moving to Hawaii in 1977, Chapman attempted to commit suicide. He later found work as a security guard, and in 1979 he married a travel agent named Gloria Abe.

Killing John Lennon In 1980, Lennon released the album Double Fantasy, his first record release in years, bringing the ex-Beatle out of seclusion and putting him back in the spotlight. On December 6, 1980, Chapman purchased Double Fantasy at a New York record store. Two days later, with the album in hand, Chapman waited outside the Dakota, Lennon's posh Manhattan apartment building. He watched as Lennon exited the building at approximately 5:50 p.m., on his way to a recording session, and walked toward his limo. A smiling Lennon generously agreed to autograph the album for Chapman while an amateur photographer clicked a photograph. Chapman then, strangely, placed his newly autographed album atop a nearby planter. Around 10:30 that evening, Lennon returned home in his limo. Chapman was waiting. This time, he was after much more than an autograph. As Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, left the car, Chapman raised his gun and fired several shots at the musician, hitting him four times in the back and shoulder. Ono, who was standing next to her husband, witnessed the incident. Lennon was pronounced dead just one hour later, at nearby Roosevelt Hospital. When New York City police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Chapman casually thumbing through a copy of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. The following day, the world grieved for Lennon. A vigil was held outside of the Dakota, drawing thousands of anguished fans. READ MORE: John Lennon's Death: A Timeline of Events