Robert Chambers Murderer- The Preppy Killer’s Infamous Crime
Emily Beck
Published Apr 11, 2026
Robert Chambers murderer known as a popular and attractive young man, fits in effortlessly with the wealthy crowd in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
When an 18-year-old girl named Jennifer Levin’s partially dressed body was found in Central Park in August 1986, things in his life took a drastic change.
Insides Robert Chambers murderer tragic crime
In the early morning of August 26, 1986, someone riding a bicycle in Central Park found something disturbing.
A woman’s body was lying near a tree and had scratches and other marks.
Later, they identified the woman as Jennifer Levin, who was only 18 years old.
Earlier that night, she was seen leaving a bar with a man named Robert Chambers Jr.
The newspapers started calling him the “Central Park Strangler” and the “Preppy Killer.”
Chambers had been the last person seen with a young girl, Levin, at a bar in the early hours of August 26, 1986.
The police noticed deep scratches on her face and body, which led them to consider him not just as a witness but also as a possible suspect in the murder of his friend.
In the end, Robert Chambers murderer admitted to causing Levin’s death.
Levin was much smaller than him.
Chambers said it happened accidentally and explained that she had started a rough s*xual activity he didn’t want in the park.
During the trial, Chambers was arrested and attracted significant media attention in New York City.
Robert’s attorney, Jack Litman, adopted a defense strategy that involved blaming Levin and portraying her as the instigator of the events that night.
This approach angered Levin’s mother, Ellen Levin, who described Litman as dangerous and unmerciful towards her daughter.
After a lengthy trial, Chambers surprised everyone by accepting a plea deal while the jury deliberated.
He pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and received a sentence of five to 15 years in prison.
Chambers served the maximum sentence of 15 years behind bars.
Ultimately, he was sent to Auburn State Prison, but later he was moved to the Clinton Correctional Facility because he broke several rules.
He was found with drugs, and he even attacked a guard.
Robert Chambers criminal record
Susan Zirinsky, a former senior producer for the television program “48 Hours,” noted that Chambers had a difficult time in prison and spent a lot of time in solitary confinement during an interview she conducted in 2016.
In a 2003 interview for “48 Hours,” Chambers, who had been freed from prison, argued that Levin’s death was an accident and expressed regret for what had transpired.
He said that he had no desire to harm or even endanger her.
When Chambers was arrested once more in Harlem just over a year later, his hopes of reintegrating into society and obtaining full-time employment were dashed.
This time, the cops discovered materials connected to drugs in his automobile.
The authorities figured out that Chambers struggled with drug use.
In 2005, Chambers faced another arrest on similar charges.
Then in 2008, he pleaded guilty to assaulting someone and selling drugs.
He had been selling drugs from his girlfriend’s apartment in Manhattan.
Consequently, the court gave him a prison sentence of 19 years.
Chambers might be eligible for parole in January 2024.
While Chambers has spent most of his adult life behind bars, Jennifer Levin’s family continues to be deeply affected by her untimely death.
Ellen Levin, Jennifer’s mother, expressed immense sadness for losing her daughter and the dreams that Jennifer would never fulfill.
The pain of this tragedy remains strong as the family grapples with Jennifer’s absence and the experiences she will never have, like becoming a designer or having grandchildren.
Where is Chambers now?
Robert Chambers is currently in Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, New York.
Wende Correctional Facility is a very secure prison located in upstate New York.
Chambers might have a chance to get parole on January 25, 2024.
Chambers’ girlfriend, Shawn Kovell, ended their relationship after the authorities found him guilty in 2008.
The legal process and Chambers’ long sentence were likely very hard on their relationship.
Chambers will be 57 years old by the time he will get out of prison.
The release is subject to the condition of him receiving parole in 2024.
He has spent a lot of time in prison, so this is a significant event for him.
Incarceration can permanently alter a person, thus making it challenging to reintegrate into society.