Robert Emmett Chambers Jr. was born on September 25, 1966, in New York City. He was the only child of Phyllis Chambers, a nurse who emigrated from Ireland, and Robert Chambers Sr., who worked for MCA Records and later in videocassette distribution. The family initially lived in the working-class neighborhood of Jackson Heights, Queens. They later moved to Manhattan, where Robert attended several prestigious preparatory schools in the Upper East Side.

Though his mother worked hard to pay for his education at the York Preparatory School, they were not wealthy. Scholarships helped ease the financial burden, but Robert often felt out of place among his more affluent classmates. This difference created social challenges for him, making it hard for him to connect with his peers.

As he grew older, his life took a negative turn. By the time he reached college age, he struggled with issues like petty theft, alcohol, and drug use. He was accepted at Boston University but was asked to leave after just one semester. His departure was partly due to his involvement with a stolen credit card. Following this, he continued to engage in minor crimes and struggled with substance abuse. One night, after leaving a bar in Manhattan, he received a summons for disorderly conduct. He reacted by tearing up the summons and making inappropriate comments to the police. 

On August 26, 1986, Jennifer Levin's body was discovered in Central Park by a bicyclist early in the morning. She was found around 6:15 a.m. near Fifth Avenue and 83rd Street, behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her body was in a twisted position beside a tree, partially undressed. It had visible signs of violence, including scratches and bite marks, with deep red marks around her neck. Her left eye was swollen, and her fingernails showed bruising, indicating a struggle for her life.

Investigators found Levin's underwear about 50 yards away from her body. An autopsy revealed that she had been strangled, with an estimated time of death around 5:30 a.m. The scene was examined, and police eventually became interested in Robert Chambers, who was last seen with Levin at a bar called Dorrian's Red Hand.

Authorities went to Chambers' home after witnesses reported seeing him leave the bar with Levin. Upon arrival, they noticed fresh scratches on his face. Chambers initially attributed these injuries to his cat but later admitted his cat was declawed. He was taken to the police precinct for questioning. During the questioning, he denied leaving with Levin, only to later admit that he had. Chambers claimed she had asked him to go to Central Park for cigarettes, but when told Levin did not smoke, he changed his story, suggesting they went there for sex and that she died during a rough encounter.

Chambers was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. He presented a defense claiming that Levin's death was an accident caused during consensual, aggressive sexual activity. His defense attorney framed Levin as promiscuous, seeking to discredit her character. A significant aspect of the trial involved a statement by the prosecutor highlighting the unusual nature of Chambers' claim about being sexually assaulted by a female.

The trial began on January 4, 1988, and lasted 13 weeks. Expert testimony established that Levin's injuries were consistent with strangulation. Ultimately, the jury could not reach a verdict after nine days of deliberation. Subsequently, Chambers entered a plea bargain, admitting to first-degree manslaughter, which resulted in a sentence of 15 years in prison.

Chambers was released from prison in February 2003 after serving his sentence. However, he faced legal troubles again and was arrested in 2007 for drug charges. He pleaded guilty to selling drugs and received a new sentence of 19 years. Chambers was released again in July 2023 after serving 15 years of this sentence, with parole until 2028.