Mark Chapman told his wife he intended to kill John Lennon two months before the incident

The news comes as Chapman once again tries for parole, despite repeated refusals previously

Gloria Hiroko Chapman, the wife of John Lennon’s killer – Mark Chapman – revealed that her husband told her he was going to murder John Lennon two months before he shot and killed the star in New York.

According to The Mirror, Gloria Hiroko Chapman claimed that he didn’t carry out the threat because of his love for her. The Mirror also reported that she insisted her husband had dumped the gun he had planned to use.

Speaking about her husband ahead of his tenth hearing in front of a parole board, Gloria said: “It didn’t matter how long Mark was in prison. I would wait for him.”

Lennon was just 40-years-old when he was shot and killed by Chapman on December 8 1980 outside the New York home Lennon shared with wife Yoko Ono. Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life for murdering Lennon.

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Gloria said that when news came in about the shooting, she knew her husband was responsible.

“I knew it was Mark. How did I know? Two month earlier, Mark had travelled to New York. He came home scarred, telling me that to make a name for himself he had planned to kill Lennon. But he said my love had saved him.”

Despite telling his wife that he was making another trip to New York, Gloria said she didn’t think he would carry out the crime.

“The only reason I was okay with Mark making another trip was because I had believed him when he said he needed to grow up as an adult and husband, and needed time to think about his life.”

“He wanted me to sacrifice being alone for a short time so that we could live a long, happy marriage together. He said he threw the gun in the ocean, and I believed him. But he had lied to me.”

Speaking about the day, Gloria described it as “one of the darkest nights of [her] life.”

“I had come hime from work, fixed dinner, and was watching Little House on the Prairie…suddenly words ran across the bottom of the screen: “John Lennon has been shot in New York City by a male Caucasian. My life changed dramatically that night.”

She added: “I was now Mrs Mark David Chapman, the wife of a murderer and not just any murderer but one whose victim was known and loved by millions around the world.”

Speaking to Tim Teeman after Chapman’s eighth parole board hearing, Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono said she felt Chapman should never be freed and that she still fears the killer.

Ono said: “It’s very, very difficult for me to think about Chapman…Especially because he doesn’t seem to think that was a bad thing to do. One thing I think is that he did it once, he could do it again, to somebody else…it could be me, it could be Sean, it could be anybody, so there is that concern.”

Earlier this year, Paul McCartney attended the anti-gun ‘March For Our Lives’ in remembrance of his former Beatles bandmate.

Speaking to CNN, McCartney said of the march: “This is what we can do, so we’re here to do it. One of my best friends was killed in gun violence right round here so it’s important to me.”

Chapman’s next parole board hearing is due to be held during the week beginning August 20. During his last parole meeting, Chapman was refused his freedom when officials said he would reoffend.