Daniel Joe Hittle was born on March 1, 1950, in Perry County, Indiana. He was adopted early in life by Henry and Margaret Hittle. The family later moved to a small farm in Motley, Minnesota. Details about his upbringing are limited. However, those who knew him described him as a quiet and polite man.

Hittle had a difficult relationship with his adoptive stepmother, whom he found overly strict and religious. He struggled with addiction to hard drugs during this time. His high school best friend, Gary Wentworth, shared that Hittle could not handle teasing and would become violent when he was drunk. Friends later noted troubling behavior in his relationships. Ex-wives and girlfriends said Hittle was often abusive to them and their children. He also had a history of hurting animals.

In one incident, Hittle shot a neighbor's dog when it barked at him. In another, he killed his family dog under the belief it was harming other animals on their farm. He tied the dog to a tree and shot it, leaving its body there.

On April 4, 1973, Daniel Joe Hittle got into an argument with his adoptive parents over a scratched truck. During the scuffle with his stepmother, Margaret, she taunted him, saying he wouldn’t dare to shoot her. Hittle then retrieved a shotgun and shot her. His father, Henry, was also shot when he tried to defend her. Neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. Hittle was arrested at the scene, where the bodies of his parents were found.

Hittle was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and received two concurrent 30-year sentences. He was sent to the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater.

In 1984, a new law made him eligible for parole, and he was released. He moved to Garland, Texas, under the supervision of authorities. After his release, Hittle continued using drugs and had conflicts with his drug dealer, Mary Goss. On November 15, 1989, Hittle was thrown out of a party and argued with his wife. In a fit of rage, he took a shotgun and drove toward Goss's house.

On his way, he was pulled over by police officer Gerald Ray Walker for speeding. Hittle feared that Walker would find his loaded gun, so he shot the officer in the chest and drove off. At Goss’s residence, Hittle opened fire, killing her and two of her friends. He also shot Goss's 4-year-old daughter, Christy Condon, in the face.

An off-duty firefighter called for help after witnessing the traffic stop. Hittle attempted to escape but crashed his truck. He then engaged in a gunfight with police before surrendering when he ran out of ammunition. Christy survived the initial shooting but was later declared brain dead, and her family chose to turn off her life support.

Hittle was held in Garland City Jail and charged with capital murder and multiple counts of attempted murder. He was convicted on all counts in August 1990 and sentenced to death. He did not face trial for the other murders due to his death sentence. Hittle's convictions were upheld through several appeals.

On December 6, 2000, Daniel Joe Hittle was executed by lethal injection at the Huntsville Unit in Texas. His last statement referenced an Indian guru, and the execution was attended by witnesses, including the widow of police officer Gerald Walker.