Chapman spent months stalking Lennon, travelling from his home in Hawaii to New York City. He even managed to smuggle his gun the almost 5,000 miles to the crime scene.
Famously, Chapman was carrying a copy of JD Saligner's The Catcher in the Rye
Culturally, the murder of John Lennon was one of the 'remember where you were' moments.
Lennon was shot outside the Dakota Building. The doorman told the first police to arrive at the scene: 'He just shot Lennon! He just shot Lennon!'
NYPD officer Tony Palma picked up Lennon with his partner Herb Frauenberger and dragged him into the back of a squad car. Lennon was lying face down in a growing pool of blood.
According to Palma, Lennon was still alive at this stage, but in a critical condition.
The squad car took Lennon to Roosavelt Hospital where medics battled to save his life.
Palma took the hysterical Yoko Ono, who witnessed the shooting to the hospital. But within 15 minutes, Lennon was declared dead, around 11pm.
At the time, the Beatles' song 'All My Loving' was playing in the background.
Chapman had been arrested at the scene and was taken to the 20th Precinct, where he made a statement admitting the murder.
He boasted about the amount of time and preparation it had taken. He said it involved 'incredible stalking' and 'incredible planning'.
Speaking after the murder he said he committed the crime because he wanted 'that bright light of fame, of infamy, notoriety was there,' he said. 'I couldn't resist it.'
Chapman was sentenced to 20-years to life after pleading guilty to second degree murder.
He became eligible for parole in 2000, but officials have rebuffed each attempt.
Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono, who still lives in the Dakota Building, is said to be vehemently opposed to Chapman's release.
During his most recent parole hearing in August 2014, the court asked how he was able to afford to travel between Hawaii and New York to commit the murder.
The court also asked how he was able to financially handle traveling back and forth between Hawaii, where he lived with his wife, and New York where he followed Lennon.
He says they sold a Norman Rockwell painting, and he was supposed to give the money to his father-in-law. Instead, he pocketed the money and used it for his trips to New York.
Chapman went on to talk about the amount of thought that went into the shooting.
He said it took 'incredible planning...incredible stalking' and that it was 'very well thought out'.
He finally decided to carry out the crime in December, 1980, when he told his wife he was travelling to New York to get some space and write a children's book.
She wasn't concerned at all because 'I was very convincing'.
'This wasn't a, you know, naive crime. It was serious, well thought out crime.'
Chapman also boasted about the media attention he continues to receive from the shooting, saying he's still approached for interviews.
'I haven't had an interview in 24 years and believe me they come. It's not my interest anymore at all...
'Believe me I am not interested in any press whatsoever at all, and there has been many times where I could have and very recently too. I won't mention names, but you would be surprised,' he said.
Chapman fired five shots on December 8, 1980, outside the Dakota apartment where Lennon lived on Manhattan's Upper West Side, striking the ex-Beatle four times.
Chapman was sentenced in 1981 to 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.
WHERE DID THE GUN COME FROM?
Chapman bought the gun legally six weeks before the shooting from J&S Sales, LTD, a shop in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Chapman had been living. He reportedly paid $169. Chapman had a permit and no police record and the dealer wouldn't have had any reason to block the sale.
HOW DID IT GET TO NEW YORK?
Authorities at Honolulu's airport said Chapman probably got the gun past airport security simply by placing it in his luggage. At the time, baggage checked with an airline was not searched or X-rayed. Chapman flew first to Atlanta, then on to New York City.
WHERE'S CHAPMAN'S GUN NOW?
The revolver is stored behind bullet-resistant glass at the Forensic Investigative Division in Queens, New York, where it has been in police custody for 35 years, stored alongside the gun wielded by 'Son of Sam' killer David Berkowitz. The division has about 800 guns, most of which are hung on the walls.
WHAT ABOUT CHAPMAN?
Chapman waited for police to arrive and was arrested. He pleaded guilty after initially planning to mount an insanity defense. Chapman is serving a 20 years-to-life sentence at Wende Correctional Facility in western New York.
Famously, Chapman was carrying a copy of JD Saligner's The Catcher in the Rye
Culturally, the murder of John Lennon was one of the 'remember where you were' moments.
Lennon was shot outside the Dakota Building. The doorman told the first police to arrive at the scene: 'He just shot Lennon! He just shot Lennon!'
NYPD officer Tony Palma picked up Lennon with his partner Herb Frauenberger and dragged him into the back of a squad car. Lennon was lying face down in a growing pool of blood.
According to Palma, Lennon was still alive at this stage, but in a critical condition.
The squad car took Lennon to Roosavelt Hospital where medics battled to save his life.
Palma took the hysterical Yoko Ono, who witnessed the shooting to the hospital. But within 15 minutes, Lennon was declared dead, around 11pm.
At the time, the Beatles' song 'All My Loving' was playing in the background.
Chapman had been arrested at the scene and was taken to the 20th Precinct, where he made a statement admitting the murder.
He boasted about the amount of time and preparation it had taken. He said it involved 'incredible stalking' and 'incredible planning'.
Speaking after the murder he said he committed the crime because he wanted 'that bright light of fame, of infamy, notoriety was there,' he said. 'I couldn't resist it.'
Chapman was sentenced to 20-years to life after pleading guilty to second degree murder.
He became eligible for parole in 2000, but officials have rebuffed each attempt.
Lennon's wife, Yoko Ono, who still lives in the Dakota Building, is said to be vehemently opposed to Chapman's release.
During his most recent parole hearing in August 2014, the court asked how he was able to afford to travel between Hawaii and New York to commit the murder.
The court also asked how he was able to financially handle traveling back and forth between Hawaii, where he lived with his wife, and New York where he followed Lennon.
He says they sold a Norman Rockwell painting, and he was supposed to give the money to his father-in-law. Instead, he pocketed the money and used it for his trips to New York.
Chapman went on to talk about the amount of thought that went into the shooting.
He said it took 'incredible planning...incredible stalking' and that it was 'very well thought out'.
He finally decided to carry out the crime in December, 1980, when he told his wife he was travelling to New York to get some space and write a children's book.
She wasn't concerned at all because 'I was very convincing'.
'This wasn't a, you know, naive crime. It was serious, well thought out crime.'
Chapman also boasted about the media attention he continues to receive from the shooting, saying he's still approached for interviews.
'I haven't had an interview in 24 years and believe me they come. It's not my interest anymore at all...
'Believe me I am not interested in any press whatsoever at all, and there has been many times where I could have and very recently too. I won't mention names, but you would be surprised,' he said.
Chapman fired five shots on December 8, 1980, outside the Dakota apartment where Lennon lived on Manhattan's Upper West Side, striking the ex-Beatle four times.
Chapman was sentenced in 1981 to 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.
WHERE DID THE GUN COME FROM?
Chapman bought the gun legally six weeks before the shooting from J&S Sales, LTD, a shop in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Chapman had been living. He reportedly paid $169. Chapman had a permit and no police record and the dealer wouldn't have had any reason to block the sale.
HOW DID IT GET TO NEW YORK?
Authorities at Honolulu's airport said Chapman probably got the gun past airport security simply by placing it in his luggage. At the time, baggage checked with an airline was not searched or X-rayed. Chapman flew first to Atlanta, then on to New York City.
WHERE'S CHAPMAN'S GUN NOW?
The revolver is stored behind bullet-resistant glass at the Forensic Investigative Division in Queens, New York, where it has been in police custody for 35 years, stored alongside the gun wielded by 'Son of Sam' killer David Berkowitz. The division has about 800 guns, most of which are hung on the walls.
WHAT ABOUT CHAPMAN?
Chapman waited for police to arrive and was arrested. He pleaded guilty after initially planning to mount an insanity defense. Chapman is serving a 20 years-to-life sentence at Wende Correctional Facility in western New York.
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