Michael Lee Lockhart was born on September 30, 1960, in Walbridge, Ohio. Before his cross-country murder spree, Lockhart had a robbery conviction in Wyoming.

Michael Lee Lockhart was involved in a series of criminal activities that led to his arrest and eventual execution. He was first caught when Officer Paul Hulsey Jr. attempted to arrest him for driving a stolen Chevrolet Corvette in Beaumont, Texas. When police arrived at the motel where Lockhart was staying, they found Officer Hulsey dead in the room. Following this, law enforcement issued an all-points bulletin for the stolen Corvette. Lockhart was spotted driving the vehicle, which led to a high-speed chase. He eventually crashed the car and was arrested. Inside the vehicle, police found evidence linking him to other crimes.

Lockhart was convicted of the murder of Officer Hulsey and sentenced to death in Texas. After this conviction, he was also convicted in Indiana for the murder of 16-year-old Windy Gallagher in Griffith. Subsequently, he pleaded guilty to the murder of 14-year-old Jennifer Colhouer in Land O' Lakes, Florida, for which he received another death sentence.

Additionally, Lockhart was a suspect in the case of Kathy Hobbs, a 16-year-old girl who disappeared in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1987. This case gained some attention when it was featured on the show "Unsolved Mysteries" in 1989 but has remained officially unsolved.

Lockhart was executed by lethal injection in Texas on December 9, 1997. His last meal included a double-meat cheeseburger, French fries, and Coca-Cola. Before his execution, he expressed gratitude towards the staff at the prison, stating that he found love and compassion there. He is buried at Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery.