Episode 248: In New York City on the 8th of December, 1980, the world was rocked by the murder of influential rock and roll icon, artist, sometimes controversial activist and dad John Lennon. After an evening recording session at the Record Plant, John Lennon and his wife, artist Yoko Ono returned to their Central Park West apartment building, The Dakota. As John and Yoko approached the entrance to the building, they passed a man for whom, only hours earlier, Lennon had signed an autograph. The man, Mark David Chapman, 25, watched the couple walk by and then pulled a .38 special from his coat and unloaded on John Lennon, shooting him in the back four times. The deadly hollow point bullets tore through the former Beatle, mortally wounding him. He was pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital later. When police arrived, they found Chapman patiently reading his book, Catcher in the Rye. Sources: JOHN LENNON. GIMME SOME TRUTH. The Beatles This Is: The Beatles | Spotify Playlist This is: John Lennon | Spotify Playlist John Lennon’s “bigger than Jesus” quote | Slate 23 December 1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono meet Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau | The Beatles Bible The Catcher in the Rye | Summary, Analysis, Reception, & Facts | Britannica Two Marks — Mark David Chapman, the man who killed John Lennon — Crime Library BBC NEWS | Entertainment | John Lennon killer ‘wanted fame’ BBC ON THIS DAY | 8 | 1980: John Lennon shot dead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices