Kevin Donald Foster was born Kevin Donald Bates on June 16, 1977, in Amarillo, Texas. He grew up in a challenging environment. His early life was marked by family issues. His mother, Ruby Foster, and father, John Bates, had a troubled relationship. The family struggled with instability, which likely affected Kevin during his formative years.

As a child, Foster had a normal upbringing in many ways. He had access to education and participated in typical childhood activities. However, by his teenage years, he began to show signs of trouble. Authorities noted that he had a few minor run-ins with the law. His criminal history mainly involved driving violations before he got involved in more serious offenses.

In the mid-1990s, Foster relocated to Florida. It was during this time that he became associated with a group of other teenagers. They initially engaged in minor vandalism but quickly escalated their activities. Foster assumed a leadership role within the group, which would later be known as the Lords of Chaos.

Foster's leadership style was marked by a desire for recognition and a need to exert control. The group began to organize and even created a symbol that represented their activities. This symbol originated from an inside joke related to a math test that Foster had taken. This creativity reflected his need for identity and belonging.

The friends he gathered around him included Pete Magnotti, Chris Black, and others. They became a tight-knit group that was focused on getting attention.

On April 30, 1996, Kevin Foster and his group, the Lords of Chaos, decided to steal clothes from a local Dillard's store for an event called "Grad Nite" at Walt Disney World. They planned to use a stolen character's costume as a disguise to shoot minorities at the amusement park. As a distraction, Foster rigged a smoke grenade, but it did not go off as planned.

After failing their initial plan, the group chose to vandalize the auditorium at Riverdale High School. They stole several items and Foster used gasoline in a Clorox bottle as a weapon, throwing it through the auditorium window. Later that night, Mark Schwebes, the band director at the high school, caught Foster and others loitering on school grounds. Schwebes confiscated their stolen items and warned them about the police.

Upset by Schwebes's actions, the group decided he had to die that very night. They found his address through local directory assistance. Most of the boys left, but Foster, Chris Black, Pete Magnotti, and Derek Shields remained to carry out their plan. Foster was to do the shooting, while Black would drive, Shields would knock on the door, and Magnotti would watch from the car.

At approximately 11:30 pm, when Schwebes answered his door, Foster shot him in the face with a shotgun, killing him instantly. He shot Schwebes a second time in a violent act motivated by his perception of the man. Foster left two spent shotgun shells at the scene, mistakenly believing they would not lead back to him.

In the days that followed, members of the group began bragging about the murder. This led to an investigation, and soon, many members were arrested. As the evidence piled up against Foster, the case developed into a major criminal trial.

On March 3, 1998, jury selection began for Kevin Foster. During the trial, witnesses, including his mother, testified about his whereabouts. However, other group members revealed Foster's direct involvement and leadership in the plan. The jury found him guilty after a brief deliberation.

In April 1998, the jury had to decide Foster's fate — either death or life without parole. By a vote of 9 to 3, they recommended the death penalty. On June 17, 1998, the judge sentenced Foster to death.

Foster sought appeals, but they were denied. In 2000, he was charged with conspiracy to murder members of the Lords of Chaos who had testified against him. His mother also faced charges for her involvement.

Foster's case reached the Florida Supreme Court multiple times, but he remained on death row, continuing to seek a new trial or reconsideration of his sentence without success. As of 2019, he was still imprisoned at Union Correctional Institution.