Editing John Allen Muhammad (section)

==Early life==
John Allen Muhammad was born John Allen Williams in [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], to Ernest and Eva Williams. John and his family moved to [[New Orleans]] when his mother was diagnosed with [[breast cancer]]; she died when he was three years old.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Muhammad,%20John%20Allen%20-%202005.pdf|title=John Allen Muhammad|website=Radford University|location=Radford, Virginia|access-date=April 5, 2016}}</ref> His father left the family soon afterward, leaving John to be raised mainly by his maternal grandfather and an aunt.

In 1987, at the age of 26, Williams joined the [[Nation of Islam]], and subsequently helped provide security for the "[[Million Man March]]" in 1995. Nation of Islam leader [[Louis Farrakhan]] has publicly distanced himself and his organization from the D.C. sniper attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_2285.shtml|title=Minister Louis Farrakhan addresses sniper arrest|website=Finalcall.com|access-date=November 30, 2016}}</ref>

In 1999, Williams [[kidnapping|kidnapped]] his children and took them to Antigua, apparently engaging in credit card and immigration document fraud. It was during this time that he became close with [[Lee Boyd Malvo]], a Jamaican child who later acted as his partner in the killings.

Williams changed his name to John Allen Muhammad in October 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/10/24/muhammad.profile/|title=Muhammad a Gulf War vet, Islam convert: Ex-wife described as 'in shock' over Muhammad's arrest|website=[[CNN]]|date=January 26, 2004|access-date=September 21, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050912190833/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/10/24/muhammad.profile|archive-date=September 12, 2005}}</ref> After his arrest, authorities also claimed that Muhammad admitted that he admired and modeled himself after [[Osama bin Laden]] and [[al-Qaeda]] and approved of the [[September 11 attacks]]. Malvo testified that Muhammad had indoctrinated him into believing that the proceeds of an extortion attempt would be used to establish "a camp in [[Canada]] where homeless children would be trained as terrorists."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/high-profile-mass-murder-cases/5|title=Lee Boyd Malvo – High-profile mass murder cases – Pictures|website=[[CBS News]]|date=April 24, 2013 |access-date=November 30, 2016}}</ref>

Muhammad was twice divorced; his second ex-wife, [[Mildred Muhammad]], sought and was granted a [[restraining order]], alleging abuse.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=iHeartRadio|author=TenderfootTV|url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/monster-dc-sniper/id1490902086|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200720192817/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/monster-dc-sniper/id1490902086|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 20, 2020|quote=In this post-season bonus episode, we hear Mildred Muhammad's story of surviving John's abuse, rebuilding her life and helping other domestic abuse survivors.|title=S3 Bonus: Mildred Muhammad's Story|date=April 30, 2020|work=Monster: DC Sniper}}</ref> Muhammad was arrested on federal charges of violating the restraining order by possessing a weapon. Under federal law, those with restraining orders are prohibited from purchasing or possessing guns, as per the [[Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban|Lautenberg Amendment]] to the [[Gun Control Act of 1968]].<ref name=Identify>{{cite web|url=https://www.atf.gov/firearms/identify-prohibited-persons|title=Identify Prohibited Persons|publisher=ATF.gov|date=30 September 1996|access-date=7 December 2013}}</ref>

Defense attorneys in the Malvo trial and prosecutors in Muhammad's trial argued that the ultimate goal of the Beltway sniper murders was to kill Mildred in order to regain custody of his three children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/12/01/sprj.dcsp.malvo.trial/index.html|title=Sniper's ex-wife: Muhammad was 'magnet' for children|date=December 1, 2003|website=[[CNN]]|access-date=April 5, 2016}}</ref>