Juan Rodriguez Chavez was born on April 27, 1968, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was the middle child in a large family, with a total of nineteen siblings. His parents worked as itinerant farm workers, which meant they moved around frequently for their jobs. When Juan was just three months old, his family relocated to West Dallas. This area had many other Mexican American families.

Growing up, the Chavez family was described as normal and decent. However, Juan dropped out of school after completing the ninth grade. After dropping out, he faced challenges like many teens. He found it hard to find steady work, especially with his lack of education and his troubled background.

On December 28, 1985, Juan Rodriguez Chavez, along with two accomplices, broke into the home of Raul and Vincente Mendoza. During the robbery, they shot at the pair, killing Vincente and seriously injuring Raul. All three were arrested and convicted. Chavez received a 15-year prison sentence. While in prison, he joined a violent gang and committed multiple violations.

Chavez was paroled in April 1994. He moved in with his sister and, at this time, he became friends with a teenager named Hector "Crazy" Fernandez. Chavez and Fernandez spent time together shooting firearms and bonding over the thrill of violence.

On March 22, 1995, Chavez began a spree of violence. He and his accomplices looked for cars with desirable rims. Chavez threatened and shot Jose Castillo for his car keys, but he did not take the vehicle. Two months later, he shot Juan Pablo Hernandez during a carjacking.

On July 1, 1995, Chavez and Fernandez stole a car and drove around Dallas. They met up with two friends and convinced them to join them. Chavez shot and killed Jose Vasquez Morales while asking him a question, then stole his wallet.

Over the next hours, they committed several additional attacks. They shot and killed Susan Ferguson, a security guard, and later shot Kevin Hancock, stealing his gun but leaving him paralyzed. They also robbed and shot three men, killing one and wounding the others.

Chavez and Fernandez continued their spree by shooting Alfonso Contreras after he refused to give up his wallet. They dumped his body and then ran over his girlfriend, who survived but was also shot.

The violence escalated as they began to set their stolen truck on fire after using it in their crimes. Shortly after this, Chavez killed two men after a confrontation in a parking lot. The final murder occurred on July 23, 1995, when they shot Juan Carlos Macias during another carjacking.

The killings alarmed the community and law enforcement. Initial investigations did not connect the crimes. Eventually, Fernandez confessed to being involved and provided details about the killings, noting Chavez's enjoyment of violence. After Chavez's arrest, police found weapons in his home, linking him to several murders.

Chavez faced a trial where charges for five murders were dropped. He was found guilty of killing Jose Morales and was sentenced to death. Despite numerous attempts to appeal, all were rejected. His execution was scheduled for April 22, 2003, when he was put to death by lethal injection. Before his execution, he expressed remorse for his actions.