Still Famous 30 Years After John Lennon Murder: Mark David Chapman and Three Other Celebrity Murderers

Either you can become a famous celebrity, or you can just become famous by murdering a celebrity. On Dec. 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman became well-known for doing the latter. Thirty years have passed since Chapman shot and killed John Lennon in the entranceway of the Dakota building. Chapman has been incarcerated at Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York, since 1981, but his name will never fade. He has become famous in his own right for that one violent act. Unfortunately, Chapman was not the first or last person to become famous for killing a celebrity.

Sharon Tate Murder

For a perfect example of how famous a murderer can become, one needs not to look any further than the Sharon Tate murder. Tate was a rising young actress when she was murdered along with four of her friends and her unborn baby at her Los Angeles home.

The ring leader of the murderers, Charles Manson, is now way more famous than Tate ever was. According to ABC News, Manson himself didn't commit the murder, but instead demanded his followers do so. Yet, if anybody were to be asked who murdered Sharon Tate, Charles Manson is the first name that would be mentioned.

Selena Murder

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, or more simpily known as just Selena, was a young singing sensation. She had seven number one hits on Billboard's top Latin Songs Chart, and was later named the top Latin artist of the '90s.

At the age of 23, Selena was murdered by her number one fan, Yolanda Saldívar. Saldivar was the president of Selena's fan club and had been caught embezzling funds from the club. After being fired by Selena, Saldivar shot the singer during a confrontation when Selena wanted missing financial papers.

Abraham Lincoln Assassination

Presidents of the United States of America are under constant threat of attack. In the history of the United States, four U.S. presidents have been assassinated. On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth became one of the most famous people in United States history by murdering president Abraham Lincoln. It's amazing to think that a person can remain so well-known for so many years by committing one murder over a century before the Internet was even invented.

Most fans only see the positives of being a world-famous celebrity, but with the many good graces of being famous come a few bad things also. With love can also come hate, and with either can come murder. Celebrities and other well-known public figures must always be a little more alert than the "average Joe." All the prestige and fame comes with their lives being under a constant spotlight, and therefore, those wishing to do celebrities harm can always find information readily available on where they will be and when. These murders and many other malicious crimes force them to always be careful whom they let into their world.

Sources

Third Age

ABC News

CNN

Americancivalwar.com