Robert Chambers. You probably know the name from the 1980s headlines. The "Preppy Killer." The guy who strangled 18-year-old Jennifer Levin in Central Park and claimed it was "rough sex" gone wrong. It was a case that defined an era of New York City grit and Upper East Side privilege. But while Chambers has spent the better part of the last four decades rotating in and out of prison cells, people often wonder about the two people who stood by him through every single scandal: his parents.
Specifically, are Robert Chambers parents still alive today?
It’s a fair question. Back in 1986, Phyllis and Robert Chambers Sr. were constants on the nightly news. They were the faces of parental devotion—or, depending on who you asked, parental denial. They lived in a modest apartment but scraped together the resources to send their son to elite schools like Choate and Browning. They fought for him. They stayed. But time, as it tends to do, has moved on.
The Passing of Robert Chambers Sr.
To get straight to the point: Robert Chambers Sr. is no longer alive.
He passed away on December 12, 2017. He was 84 years old. Honestly, if you look at the timeline, he lived just long enough to see his son back behind bars for his second major stint—the drug and assault charges that landed Robert Jr. a 19-year sentence in 2008.
Robert Sr. was a complicated figure in the media narrative. He worked in record distribution and credit management, a far cry from the "old money" lifestyle the press often attributed to the family. He was the one usually seen walking a few steps behind his son, jaw set, eyes down. Despite the mountain of evidence and the eventual plea deal, he remained a quiet, steadfast supporter.
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When he died in late 2017, his obituary painted a picture of a man who loved the guitar and trips to Atlantic City. It was a normal, almost mundane end for a man whose life had been eclipsed by one of the most notorious crimes in American history.
What Happened to Phyllis Chambers?
Then there’s Phyllis. If Robert Sr. was the quiet shadow, Phyllis Chambers was the engine. She was an Irish immigrant and a nurse. She actually worked as a private nurse for some very high-profile clients, including the Kennedy family. It was her paycheck and her sheer willpower that kept Robert Jr. in the "preppy" circles that eventually led him to the Door Tavern and, ultimately, to Central Park that fateful night.
So, is Phyllis still around?
Information on Phyllis Chambers is significantly more scarce than on her husband. There are various records of women named Phyllis Chambers passing away in the last decade, but public records and true crime updates have not confirmed a specific date of death for the mother of the "Preppy Killer."
However, given that she was already a working professional in the 1960s when Robert was born, she would be well into her 80s or 90s today. Most people close to the case believe she has either passed away in relative obscurity or is living a very private life away from the cameras that once hounded her. She was always the more vocal of the two, famously defending her son even when he was caught on video mocking the victim by twisting the head off a Barbie doll.
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The Family Dynamic That Fueled a Scandal
You can't talk about whether Robert Chambers' parents are still alive without talking about why they stayed so famous. It wasn't just the murder. It was the class war.
Jennifer Levin’s family was devastated. Meanwhile, the Chambers family was portrayed as trying to "buy" their way out of a murder charge. They didn't have the money, though. That was the irony. They had the trappings of wealth—the schools, the suits, the connections—but they were essentially a middle-class family drowning in legal fees.
A Timeline of Support
- 1986: The parents mortgaged what they could to keep Robert out on bail.
- 1988: They sat through a grueling trial where Robert's defense team famously "blamed the victim."
- 2003: Robert Sr. was there to pick up his son from Auburn Correctional Facility after his first 15-year sentence.
- 2007: They were forced to face the music again when Robert was arrested for selling drugs out of his apartment.
It’s exhausting just reading it. Imagine living it.
Where is Robert Chambers Now?
If you’re looking for his parents, you’re likely curious about the man himself. Robert Chambers was actually released from prison in July 2023. He’s 57 now. He served 15 years of a 19-year sentence at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility. He didn't get out because he was a model citizen; he got out because of earned good time and the standard mechanics of the New York parole system. He’s currently under supervised release and will be until 2028.
He’s a ghost now. No more "preppy" looks. No more flashbulbs. He’s a middle-aged man who spent the majority of his adult life in a cell, and both of the parents who spent their lives trying to save him are, for all intents and purposes, gone from the public eye.
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The Reality of the "Preppy Killer" Legacy
The obsession with whether his parents are alive stems from a desire to see if there was ever a "happy ending" or a moment of accountability.
The truth is much bleaker.
The Levin family never got their daughter back. The Chambers family lost their reputation, their savings, and eventually, their lives. Whether Phyllis is still holding on in a nursing home or has joined her husband in a quiet cemetery, the "Preppy" legacy is one of total destruction.
If you’re following this story, the best way to stay updated is through the New York Department of Corrections' inmate lookup tool or by following veteran crime reporters like those at the New York Post or The New York Times, who still track Chambers' parole status.
Next Steps for True Crime Followers
If you want to understand the full scope of the Chambers family's influence on the trial, you should look into the "victim blaming" defense used by their lawyer, Jack Litman. It changed how murder trials were reported in the media forever. You might also want to check the New York State Parole Board records for any upcoming status changes regarding Robert's supervision, which remains active through 2028.