Jack Foster Outten Jr. was born on March 23, 1966, in Delaware, USA. Alongside his cousins Nelson Shelton and Steven W. Shelton, Outten came from a background characterized by poverty, familial instability, and neglect. The Shelton brothers and Outten were exposed from an early age to alcoholism, physical and verbal abuse, and frequent interventions from child welfare services. They were regularly placed in foster care due to domestic violence and household conditions deemed unsafe.

On January 11, 1992, Jack Foster Outten Jr. was involved in a violent crime that led to a murder. He, along with the Shelton brothers, Nelson and Steven, spent the afternoon drinking at Nelson's girlfriend Christine Gibbons' home in Newark, Delaware. After consuming a large amount of beer, the group discussed a plan where Gibbons would pretend to be a prostitute to lure men out of a nearby bar.

That evening, they drove to a local tavern in Nelson's car. At the bar, they continued drinking, and Nelson became jealous during an argument with Gibbons. The tension continued as they moved between bars. Eventually, they met Wilson Mannon, who had also been drinking.

After the tavern closed, they agreed to give Mannon a ride. Nelson drove them to a secluded area in Wilmington, where Mannon was later found dead. Investigators discovered that Mannon's head had been severely damaged, and a broken hammer was located nearby. The next day, Gibbons contacted her social worker and confessed to the murder, stating that they had taken turns beating Mannon.

The three men were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Gibbons gave various statements during the investigation, some of which contradicted each other. However, she maintained that she had tried to stop the attack but was ignored.

During the trial, all three were found guilty of first-degree murder. Despite the defense arguing different theories, they were each sentenced to death later that year. The case attracted attention not just for the brutal nature of the crime but also for the involved parties' backgrounds and histories.

In subsequent events, Nelson Shelton was executed in 1995 after waiving his appeals. Over the years, both Steven Shelton and Outten sought to have their sentences overturned. Eventually, both men pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2011 and were given lengthy prison sentences instead of the death penalty.