Robert Bales was born on June 30, 1973, in Norwood, Ohio, which is close to Cincinnati. He was the youngest of five brothers in his family. Bales attended Norwood High School, where he was active in sports and served as the class president. After finishing high school, he went to the College of Mount St. Joseph for a short time before transferring to Ohio State University. At Ohio State, he studied economics for three years but did not graduate, leaving in 1996.

After college, Bales worked as a stockbroker at several financial firms in Columbus, Ohio. He worked at five firms that were connected and shared employees. During his time at one of these firms, he was involved in fraudulent activities. In 2003, an arbitration panel found him and his employer liable for financial fraud concerning a retirement account. They were ordered to pay $1.2 million in civil damages, but the victim did not receive any payment from Bales.

In May 1999, Bales, along with his brother Mark and a partner named Marc Edwards, started a financial services firm called Spartina Investments in Doral, Florida. Unfortunately, the company was dissolved in September 2000 because they failed to file necessary reports.

Bales joined the U.S. Army in November 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks. His decision was influenced by a desire to serve his country and to make things right, as said by his brother-in-law. Before enlisting, he had some legal troubles, including a domestic assault charge in 2002, which resulted in mandatory anger-management counseling.

Bales met his future wife, Kari Primeau, in 2003 while she was supporting a band at a bar. They bonded over Bales' enthusiasm for what he was learning about war. Their relationship deepened during his time deployed in Iraq. Life had challenges for Bales, as he faced financial difficulties and even briefly fled a hit-and-run incident in 2008. He was married and had two children at the time of these events.

On March 10, 2012, Robert Bales was on guard duty at Camp Belambai in Afghanistan. He discussed wanting a promotion with a private in his unit. After guard duty, he drank whiskey at a base despite the alcohol ban, consuming several drinks while watching a movie. Bales expressed anger about comrades being injured in combat, felt frustrated with leadership, and shared his troubles regarding marriage and finances. That night, he took sleeping pills and later spoke to a Green Beret about his concerns, wanting to protect younger soldiers. He felt discontent with their inability to confront Taliban forces.

Early the next morning, on March 11, Bales left the base around 3:00 am. He was dressed in traditional Afghan clothes over his military uniform and wore night vision goggles. During the night, he killed 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, four women, and three men, in the villages of Balandi and Alokozai. The attacks were reportedly carried out in two phases, with Bales returning to the base between them. After his first attack, he resupplied his ammunition, informed a fellow soldier of his actions, and then headed out again.

Bales described searching for weapons he believed belonged to insurgents but stated he did not find any. Witnesses reported that some victims’ bodies were burned, an act considered desecration under Islamic law. After the killings, a heat-sensing patrol observed Bales returning to the base, and he was disarmed and detained.

Soon after, Bales was taken into custody, and the U.S. Army began an investigation. Reports indicated he alternated between confessing to and obstructing the investigation. Evidence at the crime scenes was limited due to the actions taken by villagers who buried the bodies before officials arrived.

On March 24, the Army confirmed that Bales was the sole shooter responsible for the attacks. Following his arrest, he was moved from Afghanistan to Kuwait and then to a military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He faced multiple charges, including 17 counts of murder, six counts of attempted murder, and attempted evidence destruction.

Bales pleaded guilty to 16 counts of murder and other related charges in 2013, avoiding the death penalty. He received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Bales faced significant scrutiny and his actions brought about international outrage and demand for accountability. Throughout his legal proceedings, discussions about the impact of stress, alcohol, and potential medications on his actions were introduced, but he took full responsibility for his actions during the massacre. Bales is currently held at Fort Leavenworth, having exhausted all military appeals to overturn his conviction.