John Arthur Getreu was born on August 26, 1944, in Newark, Ohio. He was the second of four children in his family. His father, Charles J. Getreu, was an Army serviceman. Due to his military service, the family moved often, living in different places in the United States and overseas. They spent time in countries such as Japan and Hawaii, as well as in North Carolina.

In 1960, when John was about 16 years old, his family moved to West Germany. They settled in a town called Bad Kreuznach. John attended Bad Kreuznach American High School, which was for the children of American servicemen. He spent his teenage years there, making friends and completing his education.

The frequent moves during his childhood meant that John had to adapt to new environments and make new friends regularly. This kind of upbringing could be challenging for many children, as they often have to leave behind what they know to start anew in different places. In West Germany, John graduated from high school in 1963.

On June 8, 1963, John Arthur Getreu attended a school disco and met 15-year-old Margaret L. Williams. After the dance, he took her to a baseball field where he assaulted and beat her. She suffered a severe head injury and died later from complications. Witnesses placed them together, leading to Getreu's quick arrest. Initially, he denied meeting her but later admitted to having sex with her while still denying he was responsible for her death. In June 1964, he was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Getreu served over six years and was released on parole. He returned to the United States and settled in Reno, Nevada, where he married. He later moved to Palo Alto, California, working various low-skilled jobs. In 1975, Getreu was charged with sexually abusing a 17-year-old Explorer Scout and received a minor prison sentence. His marriage ended in divorce after his conviction.

In 2018, investigators arrested Getreu for the murder of 21-year-old Leslie Marie Perlov, who had gone missing in 1973. Her body was found days later, and DNA testing linked Getreu to the crime scene. He was charged with her murder and later with the murder of another woman, Janet Ann Taylor, in 2021. Taylor had been killed in 1974.

Getreu's trial for Taylor's murder began in late 2021. He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in September 2021. Afterward, he was also tried for Perlov's murder. Due to health issues, he attended this trial via video link from a hospital. On January 10, 2023, he pleaded guilty to killing Perlov. He received an additional life sentence afterwards.

On September 22, 2023, John Getreu died in prison. The cause of his death was not specified.