The Preppy Murder (ITVX) - One of the best true crime documentaries

[XelaM]

Wow, I have never heard of this case before, but I am absolutely blown away by this documentary. It's a very tragic murder and my heart broke for the family of the victim, but the accused and the many twists and turns that unfolded before and during the trial left me completely speechless. Has anyone else seen it?

It sounds awful, but you will understand if you watch it or know about this case: I have honestly never seen movie stars more beautiful than the accused in this case. His good looks are quite remarkable. It's completely baffling how a young man with the world at his feet did this. Just why?!

It's one of the best true crime documentaries I have ever seen. Has anyone else seen it and wants to discuss it?

Just to add... the junior defence lawyer who is interviewed for this documentary is absolutely despicable. He comes acting more appalling and conniving than the lead trial attorney.

I guess no one has seen this. The documentary is honestly superb. The case is about the murder of the 18-year-old Jennifer Levin by 19-year-old Robert Chambers (pictured) - both members of the NYC "preppy" elite and what unfolded before and after.

I’ll look out for that, thanks!

Isnt it funny though how subjective looks are - I don’t think he’s particularly good looking at all. He reminds me a bit of Buzz Lightyear. Very chin-heavy.

I didn't know about the documentary but I was living in NY when the murder happened. There was general outrage and saturation coverage of the trial. Thank you for posting and I will certainly seek out the programme although remembering the events, I know it will be bad for my blood pressure.

I don't find him attractive, either! It's like how people talked about the Kennedy brothers being so attractive - I thought they looked like thugs in suits.

He definitely looks like a Kennedy 😃

Definitely going to check this out, thanks OP!

Knew of this person many years ago . The case was huge news at the time. He looks like a Kennedy as his mother was Irish and worked for the Catholic Diocese . Single mother and by all accounts he was a spoiled rotten brat . Outrage as the girl's diary was used as evidence of her sexual past and that it was " rough sex gone wrong " . Her character was destroyed and her poor parents had to listen to this . And her family was Jewish. He was supported by so many people. He did get sentenced though and came out throughly criminal and got involved in drug running .

I think the mother worked for Jackie Kennedy at some point, but the weirdest thing was that despite looking and acting the part of a spoiled preppy and attending private schools, his background and family's financial situation were actually very different to those of the other preppies. His mother just pushed him into this scene.

Thanks for the recommendation.

@XelaM The private school was a Catholic one. Heavily subsided by mother's employer , the Archbishop . She was his housekeeper as many Irish women of her generation were . Wanted the son to benefit from her position . She despite standing by him must have been so very disappointed in him as he was her only child that she raised alone .

Oh most definitely. I felt very sorry for her too. She clearly did everything within her power to get her son into "that world" and give him every opportunity and everything she ever wanted for him was literally there for the taking and look what he did with it!

I felt so sorry for her family.

Also I can’t understand people saying he’s outstandingly good looking. Not to me he’s not.

I remember it well as I was living in the States at the time. It dominated the news for months.

Her mother and father broke my heart. She was clearly from such a nice family and not only have they lost their daughter by the media portrayal of her - I just don't know how they survived it with such dignity.

Funnily enough one of the journalists in the documentary also mentioned that she didn't understand what everyone saw in him, as although he was objectively handsome, his eyes were completely vacant and there was clearly something "wrong"

I listened to a podcast about this some time back, I hope I'll be able to watch this in Ireland

Who was the woman that became addicted with him when he came out of prison? Had we seen her before?

The poor family he was a proper psycho wasn’t he?

Yes she was the "pretty girlfriend" who stood by him during the trial and was in the video they later found. The police officer said she was in such a bad way on drugs he didn't even recognise that it was the same girl. Robert ended up marrying her I think. Her name is Shawn Kovell.

I bet Alex Kapp is glad she ran from him before he brought her down with him 🤦‍♀️

These images show Shawn's transformation from the trial to her later arrest and to now

Just to get back to this in case anyone else has seen it or knows about the case, what I still can't get my head around is why he killed her. It wasn't for sexual reasons as she was willing to have sex with him and in fact the prosecution believed he staged the scene to make it look like she had been raped, which she wasn't. His ex-girlfriends didn't seem to recall him being violent at all. He was a burglar and a thief (which is baffling in itself given the circles he moved in) but not a violent criminal. So how did it get from her willing to have sex with him in the park to him killing her a few minutes later? I don't believe he just killed her to steal her earrings. Maybe he was in some drug-fuelled state, but doesn't appear that he's been violent with anyone else before or after. What went on in those few minutes for him to completely lose it and suffocate her?! Such a pointless act that destroyed her and his life (and that of two families). Why?!

I wouldn’t believe a word out of his mouth and in murder cases it is appalling that the victim can be denigrated and have no way of defending their character because they are dead.
Who says she was willing to have sex with him @XelaM ?

I thought it wasn't disputed by the prosecution that she willingly went to have sex with him in the park and that there was no evidence of rape. The potential motives they gave for the murder was that he either tried to steal from her and she caught him or that he couldn't perform and she was laughing at him (all complete speculation) as they couldn't figure out what happened either, but it was not suggested that it was rape.

She was chasing him that night wasn’t she? Thought she could “rescue” him somehow. She deffo went to have sex with him. Who the hell woukd go to Central Park in those days? It was a complete no go area. He was an addict I’m not sure how much of one he was at the time. He admitted to killing her straight off didn’t he?

How do you know ?
She is dead. Murdered.
She can’t give her side of the story.
We had a case here in Ireland.
We had the grieving husband, missing his beloved wife who had left him.
He was bereft.
Somehow the police missed the body under the stairs.
When Tina was found and he was charged with her murder, he changed his tune.
She was portrayed as a complete ball breaker.
🥲