Samuel John Dieteman was born on October 17, 1975. He grew up in Minnesota, where he spent his early years. As a child, his background and family life are not well-documented. However, it is known that he later moved to Arizona.

Dieteman had a history of minor legal troubles even before he became an adult. He was involved in petty crimes such as shoplifting and drunk driving.

Samuel John Dieteman was involved in a string of violent crimes in Arizona from May 2005 to July 2006. He, along with his partner, committed several drive-by shootings that resulted in numerous victims. Together, they were responsible for at least eight murders and many other shootings.

On June 29, 2005, Dieteman and his partner shot and killed David Estrada, who was 20 years old. Later, on November 11, 2005, they killed Nathaniel Shoffner, aged 44, who was trying to protect a dog from being shot. On December 29, 2005, they murdered two men, Jose Ortiz, aged 44, and Marco Carillo, aged 28.

Dieteman shot Claudia Gutierrez-Cruz, who was 20, on May 2, 2006, in Scottsdale, Arizona. This incident happened while his partner was driving. The final confirmed victim was Robin Blasnek, aged 22, who was shot on July 30, 2006, in Mesa, Arizona. These murders led police to believe they were dealing with a serial shooter targeting random pedestrians.

Initially, authorities thought they were looking for a single shooter but later discovered that Dieteman and his partner were responsible for multiple shooting incidents. They were eventually identified as suspects and arrested on August 3, 2006. After their arrest, police connected them to arson fires at two Wal-Mart stores in Glendale, Arizona.

During the investigation, a friend of Dieteman's provided essential information. He reported that Dieteman had confessed his involvement in the shootings while drinking. Following these revelations, both Dieteman and his partner faced multiple charges related to their crimes.

In court, Dieteman pleaded guilty to two murders and conspiracy to commit additional crimes. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in July 2009. His partner faced more serious charges, including multiple counts of murder, and was sentenced to death.