Robert Chambers, a 56-year-old convicted felon who gained the "Preppy Killer" moniker after strangling a teenage girl inside Central Park in 1986, was reportedly released from prison in July 2023 after serving time on a separate crime relating to drug and assault charges.
Chambers was first sentenced in the late 1980s for the murder of Jennifer Levin, who was found strangled to death at Central Park in 1986. Chambers, who served the maximum term of his 15-year sentence, was released in 2003.
Chambers was sent back to prison in 2008 after he was busted for running a cocaine and heroin operation out of his Manhattan apartment. The convicted killer was sentenced to 19 years on drug and assault charges and was subsequently released early on parole in July 2023.
What we know of Robert Chambers' parents in the wake of his early release from prison
Robert Chambers gained notoriety in the 1980s when he was 19 years old after killing romantic acquaintance Jennifer Levin (18) following a midnight tryst at Central Park. Chambers and Levin were reportedly well-known in the upper echelon of Manhattan socialites, having made their acquaintance while partying at hotspots in the city such as Studio 54.
While Chambers was not a wealthy teen by any means, his parents, who moved from Queens to Manhattan, told multiple news websites that they were financially stable enough to send their son to a prep school.
Per Women’s Health, Chambers was the only child of Phyllis Chambers and Robert Chambers Sr, who prior to moving to Manhattan lived as a working-class couple in Queens.
Phyllis was reportedly an Irish immigrant who had trained as a nurse and moved to the US to secure a better life for herself in the 1950s. Shortly after moving to the US, Phyllis met her husband Robert Sr, who “worked for MCA Records and later in videocassette distribution.”
While Phyllis's adolescence was marred with financial struggles, Robert Sr had a seemingly privileged upbringing as he hailed from a well-to-do Irish-English family. Robert Sr, whose family had two homes, attended Mitchell College in Connecticut and the American University in Washington DC.
The couple reportedly married in 1965 and had their son Robert Chambers Jr in 1966. The couple who worked and lived in the Queens eventually moved to Manhattan as Phyllis was resolved in her hopes for her son to grow up with the wealthy socialites. They even managed to send their son to a prep school.
During their multiple interviews following their son’s incarceration, the parents revealed that Chambers suffered from substance abuse issues, which were inherited from his father, Robert Sr, who also struggled with drug addiction. Chambers' parents reportedly divorced two years after his murder trial.
The addiction would eventually lead Robert Chambers to murder Jennifer Levin in 1986. As per reports, the pair was physically involved with each other on multiple occasions before Levin was strangled.
What we know about Jennifer Levin's murder
On August 26, 1986, Jennifer Levin and Robert Chambers were at the New York City's Dorrian Red Hand bar when Levin who was enamored with Chambers, reportedly expressed interest in becoming serious. Shortly after, Chambers was seen leading Levin away to Central Park for a tryst near the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The next day, Levin was found beaten and strangled by a cyclist at the park. Chambers was arrested after police found scratch marks on his face that were sustained during a violent struggle. Chambers, who initially denied culpability, later confessed to the police.
The case would eventually become fodder for tabloid reports and multiple documentaries due to Chambers' movie star good looks and his prep school upbringing.
The New York Post reported that the convicted killer's whereabouts are currently unknown after his release from prison in July 2023.
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