Former RWC student turned murderer up for parole

Thirty years ago, in 1978, David Allen Chapin sat in his RWC Biology class and asked Professor Diedrich DeJong if he wanted a corpse to dissect. Chapin had one to offer-in the trunk of his car.Now Chapin is up for parole next month from the Allen Correctional Institution in Lima, Ohio, where he is currently serving a life sentence on an aggravated murder charge.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, after an argument with his longtime friend, Donald E. Liming, over whose religion was better, Chapin shot Liming in his right eye with a rifle. The roommates, who were both 23 at the time, lived together in an apartment on Concord Woods Drive in Milford. Chapin was a Baptist, and Liming claimed to be a Catholic, a Buddhist, and a Pagan.

After murdering Liming, the Enquirer story stated that Chapin then proceeded to eat at least some of Liming's brain. During the trial, a psychiatrist testified that Chapin told him that he and Liming had previously agreed to eat the brain of whoever died first, in order for the spirit of the dead person to live on inside the survivor.

On October 3, 1978, Chapin stuffed Liming's body in the trunk of his Buick Skylark, and drove it to RWC. After realizing that Chapin was serious about the corpse, Professor DeJong reported the issue to Security, leading to Chapin's prompt arrest.

Chapin was found guilty of the charge on March 15, 1979. Since entering prison, Chapin has been denied parole after hearings in 1993, 2003, and 2005.

Reportedly, Chapin has threatened members of Liming's family while in prison. This alone will probably keep Chapin behind bars past next month's parole hearing.

"This guy is sick," said RWC student Kyle Gulleman. "He obviously is a threat to society. I can't believe parole is even an option for him."

When the Parole Board meets with Chapin, they will take into consideration his behavior in prison and the views of the public and family of the victim.