Joseph Edward Corcoran was born on April 18, 1975, in Hamilton, Indiana, U.S. He lived with his parents, Jack and Kathryn Corcoran, along with his two sisters and one brother. Joseph attended Hamilton Junior-Senior High School during his teenage years. Reports indicate that he had a difficult relationship with his parents, who were described as strict. Neighbors and family members noted that Joseph was a loner who did not have any friends, even though they remarked on his "movie star-like" looks.

After graduating from high school, he started working as a machine operator in New Haven. However, his high school experience was interrupted in 1992 during his sophomore year when he was indicted for the murder of his parents. At the time, he was almost 17 years old. Joseph faced allegations regarding the deaths of his parents, but did not face a conviction for these crimes.

On April 14, 1992, Joseph Corcoran was accused of murdering his parents, Jack and Kathryn Corcoran. They were discovered at their home in Ball Lake, Indiana, suffering from gunshot wounds. The investigation suggested that Corcoran may have used a 12-gauge shotgun. Allegedly, he felt his parents were too strict and had taken actions that upset him, such as selling a car he wanted. Friends testified that he had talked about killing people and had even offered money for such actions. However, no direct evidence tied him to the crime, and after a trial, he was acquitted on November 16, 1992, due to insufficient evidence.

Five years later, on July 26, 1997, Corcoran was involved in another crime, this time a quadruple murder in Fort Wayne, Indiana. On that day, he was at his home with his brother James, who was 30 years old, and three other guests: Robert Turner, Timothy Bricker, and Douglas Stillwell. While they were watching television and eating pizza, Corcoran reportedly overheard them talking about him. Angered, he took a semi-automatic rifle from upstairs and shot his brother, his brother's fiancé, and one friend in quick succession. While another friend attempted to escape, Corcoran shot him as well.

After committing the murders, Corcoran went outside and asked a neighbor to call the police. When authorities arrived, they found the four men dead in the living room and also discovered Corcoran's niece unharmed in an upstairs bedroom. Inside the attic of his home, police found a cache of 20 to 30 weapons.

Corcoran was quickly arrested and charged with four counts of murder. During his trial in 1999, he was found guilty on all counts and was sentenced to death on August 26, 1999. After spending over two decades on death row, Corcoran's execution is scheduled for December 18, 2024, following a series of legal appeals and a recent decision by the Indiana Supreme Court to approve his death warrant.