The 1980s: The Deadliest Decade Season 1 Episode 2 The Preppy Murder

In season 1 episode 2 of The 1980s: The Deadliest Decade, titled "The Preppy Murder," viewers are transported back to the 1980s in New York City. The episode follows the infamous murder of 18-year-old Jennifer Levin, a young woman from an affluent family, who was brutally strangled in Central Park on August 26, 1986.

The show begins by setting the scene: it's the 1980s, and New York City was a city of extremes. There was a stark contrast between the wealthy elite who lived in lavish high-rises and the poverty-stricken neighborhoods that were plagued by drugs and violence. The city itself was in the midst of a crime wave, with murders and violent crimes making headlines on a daily basis.

Against this backdrop, the episode dives into the details of the Jennifer Levin case. Viewers are introduced to Robert Chambers Jr., a handsome, well-to-do 19-year-old who was known for partying with the city's elite crowd. Chambers, who was dubbed the "Preppy Killer" by the media, was the prime suspect in Levin's murder.

Through interviews with those close to Levin and Chambers, as well as the lawyers and detectives involved in the case, the episode pieces together the last hours of Levin's life. Viewers learn that Levin had been out on the town with Chambers and a group of friends on the night of her murder. The group had been drinking heavily, using drugs, and eventually, they ended up in Central Park.

What followed was horrific. Levin's body was discovered early the next morning, and Chambers was quickly taken into custody. The evidence against him was circumstantial, but it was enough to build a case. The prosecutors argued that Chambers had strangled Levin during a sexual encounter that had gone wrong.

Throughout the episode, viewers are taken through the trial, which was a media sensation at the time. The prosecution painted Chambers as a violent sexual predator, while the defense argued that Levin's death was an accident. The trial was filled with dramatic moments, including Chambers' lawyer famously objecting to the prosecution's description of Levin's fingernails as "perfectly manicured."

As the trial wraps up, the episode examines the legacy of the case. Today, the murder of Jennifer Levin is still remembered as a tragic event that shook New York City to its core. The Preppy Killer, Robert Chambers, became a household name, and the case has been the subject of countless books, films, and TV shows.

Overall, The 1980s: The Deadliest Decade season 1 episode 2 provides a gripping look at one of the most notorious crimes of the 1980s. It takes viewers back in time to a decade of excess, where the rich and powerful could get away with almost anything -- but where justice could still be served in the end.