John Lennon Killer Mark David Chapman's Secret Motivation Revealed on 44-Year Anniversary of Beatles Icon's Cold-Blooded Slaying — After the Shooter Admitted He Deserved Death Penalty
John Lennon killer’s secret motivation for the assassination of the music icon has been revealed on the 44th anniversary of the singer's death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal that the murderer, Mark David Chapman, confessed he deserved the "death penalty" for the cold-blooded slaying of The Beatles member outside of his New York City apartment.
On December 8, 1980, Lennon was shot four times as he was entering his apartment building, the Dakota in New York City.
The music icon died on the way to the hospital.
Chapman was just 25 years old at the time of the assassination and was diagnosed as borderline psychotic.
Before the brutal slaying, he had spent months planning the killing that changed the music industry.
Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life imprisonment and has been denied parole many times since the murder.
Back in 2020, he explained the disturbing reason for the brutal killing during a parole hearing in New York City.
Lennon's killer claimed: “He was extremely famous. I didn’t kill him because of his character or the kind of man he was. He was a family man. He was an icon. He was someone that spoke of things that now we can speak of and it’s great.
“I assassinated him...because he was very, very, very famous and that’s the only reason and I was very, very, very, very much seeking self-glory, very selfish. I want to add that and emphasize that greatly. It was an extremely selfish act. I’m sorry for the pain that I caused to her (Ono). I think about it all of the time."
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He added: “At the time, I deserved the death penalty!”
Chapman was denied parole for the 12th time in 2024.
As fans all over the world continue to mourn the loss of the Beatles icon, his number one fan — wife Yoko Ono — is also still grieving over the tragedy.
Lennon and Ono's son, Sean Ono Lennon, 49, said his mom is still haunted by her past with the musician.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: "I grew up with my mom speaking about my dad every day. She famously cut her hair when my dad died (because) in Japan, you used to cut your hair when your husband dies. So she spoke of him every day, and I think she never has moved on from that relationship."
Ono and Lennon were married for 11 years before he was killed.
Despite their marriage facing struggles, Sean said that Lennon was always "deeply in love" with Ono.
He added: "I think every relationship is very difficult, and I don’t believe that human beings have really solved the love equation. So I think they did the best of anyone I can see."
An insider previously told RadarOnline.com that Ono is "rail thin and not doing well at all."
The source continued: "Yoko talks about her husband John and how she's hoping to see him again in heaven. It's as if she knows she's dying and is preparing for the end."
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