John Eric Armstrong was born on November 23, 1973, in New Bern, North Carolina. Growing up, John faced a lot of challenges. His father was an alcoholic and abusive, which made his home life very difficult. John's mother tried to shield him from the violence, but it left a lasting impact on him.

In school, John was often bullied and had a hard time making friends. He felt isolated and lonely, which only added to his troubles. Despite these difficulties, John managed to graduate high school in 1991. He joined the U.S. Navy shortly after, hoping to find a new direction in life and leave his painful past behind.

While serving in the Navy, John traveled to many different countries and experienced various cultures. However, his troubling past and feelings of anger and isolation followed him. These unresolved issues would later contribute to the dark path he would take, turning his life into a disturbing tale of violence and murder.

John Eric Armstrong joined the United States Navy in 1992. His fellow sailors described him as a moody person. Although not confirmed, it's believed that he killed his first victim in 1991. Between 1993 and 1998, researchers think Armstrong murdered 11 women, all prostitutes, in various places including Seattle, Hawaii, Hong Kong, North Carolina, Virginia, Thailand, and Singapore. After being honorably discharged from the Navy in 1999, he enrolled at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan.

On January 2, 2000, Armstrong reported finding a body in a river in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. He claimed he felt sick and was trying to vomit when he discovered Wendy Jordan's body. The police questioned him but didn't arrest him at that time. A few months later, on April 2, Armstrong tried to murder Wilhelminia Drane after she got into his Jeep, but she managed to escape by spraying him with Mace. Then, on April 7, he offered Devon Marcus $40 for sex and attempted to strangle him, but Marcus also escaped and reported Armstrong to the police.

On April 10, police discovered three bodies in a railroad yard in southwest Detroit. The victims were prostitutes who had been strangled and left in sexually provocative positions. They were identified as Robbin Brown, Rose Marie Felt, and Kelly Jean Hood. Two days later, Armstrong was arrested for the murder of Wendy Jordan after DNA evidence linked him to her body. In March 2001, Armstrong was found guilty of first-degree murder in Wendy Jordan's death and sentenced to life in prison.

On June 18, 2001, Armstrong was also convicted of killing Kelly Jean Hood, Robbin Brown, Rose Marie Felt, and Monica Johnson. Armstrong later admitted that he left the bodies of Brown, Felt, and Hood in sexually provocative positions so he could return and have sex with them, knowing they would always be there.