Rocky Lee Barton was born on July 28, 1956, in Butler County, Ohio. 

On January 16, 2003, Rocky Lee Barton shot his wife, Kimbirli Jo Barton, in their home in Waynesville, Ohio. They had been in a domestic dispute that morning. Kimbirli was returning to the house to collect her belongings so she could move out. Barton had locked the gate to the driveway behind her to trap her. He then shot her once in the shoulder and again in the back with a shotgun. This act was witnessed by Barton's uncle and their 17-year-old daughter.

In court, Barton admitted to the murder. He told the jury that he deserved to die for what he had done. After the shooting, Barton attempted to take his own life but accidentally blew off the lower half of his face. He received surgeries paid for by the state, which left him unrecognizable and needing to wear a partial mask, leading to him being nicknamed "Darth Vader" while in jail.

Barton was held in the Warren County Jail in Lebanon, Ohio, leading up to his trial. At one point, Kimbirli's ex-husband was also in the same jail, but they were never housed together. On October 10, 2003, he was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death. He spent nearly three years on death row.

After his sentencing, Barton filed a notice of appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court but later changed his mind. He submitted a motion to withdraw his appeal and waive his right to counsel. In October 2005, he filed another motion to waive all review of his conviction. He chose not to seek executive clemency. On July 12, 2006, Rocky Lee Barton was executed by lethal injection in Ohio.