Joseph Michael Ervin was born on June 25, 1951, in Fort Worth, Texas. Not much is known about his early family life or childhood. Growing up, he attended local schools and was later a student at Kirkpatrick High School in Fort Worth. In high school, he played on the football team.

On August 9, 1969, Joseph Michael Ervin shot 21-year-old Rodney Gene Bonham in Fort Worth, Texas. Bonham was critically injured and died four days later. Ervin fled to Colorado to escape arrest after the shooting. In Colorado, he changed his name to Joe Michael Erwing and was charged with various crimes, including assault and sexual offenses. However, he was found not guilty each time due to diminished responsibility and was sent to a hospital instead of prison.

Ervin's first confirmed murder in Colorado occurred on December 7, 1978, when he killed 33-year-old Madeleine Furey-Livaudais in her home. He stabbed her multiple times. The investigation into her murder was delayed due to other killings happening in the area.

On August 10, 1980, Ervin attacked and killed 53-year-old Delores Barajas, dragging her body to a nearby apartment building after stabbing her. A few months later, on December 21, 1980, 27-year-old Gwendolyn Harris was found dead with stab wounds in Montbello, near Ervin's apartment.

Ervin's last known victim was 17-year-old Antoinette Parks, whom he also stabbed to death on January 24, 1981, while she was pregnant.

On June 27, 1981, Ervin was stopped by police for driving under the influence. During the arrest, he shot officer Deborah Sue Corr and wounded a bystander. After a police pursuit, he was arrested and charged with the murder of Corr. While in jail, Ervin took his own life on July 1, 1981, using a towel to hang himself.

After his death, DNA evidence linked him to the murders of Furey-Livaudais, Barajas, Harris, and Parks. In 2021, a connection to his body was found, leading to the reopening and solving of these cold cases.