Where were you then: Dec. 8, 1980, the day John Lennon was murdered

The day John Lennon was murdered

ARCHIVE - News of John Lennon’s death shocked the world back on Dec. 8, 1980. Here’s a look from KSAZ FOX 10 on the day after his death at how fans around the world mourned - buying records, attending memorials and signing condolences.

This year marks 45 years since John Lennon died. His shooting and sudden death stunned the world on Dec. 8, 1980. 

John Lennon murder

FILE - A mourner lays flowers near a photo of John Lennon during a vigil after the musician's 1980 murder. (Photo by Lynn Goldsmith / Corbis / VCG via Getty Images)

What happened:

John Lennon was fatally shot on the night of Dec. 8, 1980, as he and his wife, Yoko Ono, were returning to their Upper West Side apartment. He was 40 years old. 

Dig deeper:

He was shot by Mark David Chapman, who sat near the shooting scene with a copy of J.D. Salinger’s novel, "The Catcher in the Rye."

Earlier that day, Lennon had signed an autograph for Chapman on a copy of his recently released album, "Double Fantasy."

Presently:

Chapman, 70, is serving a prison sentence of 20 years to life, and was last denied parole for the 14th time in September 2025. His next parole hearing is in February 2027.

What they're saying:

Chapman has expressed remorse in previous parole board hearings. In 2002, he said he knew it was wrong to kill the beloved former Beatle, but that he was seeking fame and had "evil in my heart."

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John Lennon and the Beatles

Big picture view:

Lennon rocketed to fame in the early 1960s when he founded The Beatles alongside Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They introduced a sound that changed the course of rock ‘n’ roll.

After the Beatles broke up in 1970, Lennon continued writing songs and recording.