His murder by fellow gang members in Chicago garnered national attention because of his age,[2][3][4][5] resulting in his appearance on the cover of Time magazine in September 1994.

[6] Standing 4 ft 6 in (137 cm), Sandifer was a young member of the Chicago street gang the Black Disciples (BD).

Sandifer became a symbol of the gang problem in American inner cities, the failure of social safety nets, and the shortcomings of the juvenile justice system.

[8] In 1987, Sandifer and his siblings were removed from his mother's home by DCFS and were sent to live with their grandmother in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago.

[8] By the age of eight, Sandifer quit attending school and began to roam the streets stealing cars and breaking into houses.

A psychological examiner at the time reported that "Robert is a child growing up without any encouragement and support," and that he "has a sense of failure that has infiltrated almost every aspect of his inner self.

[11][10] Around 400 people attended Sandifer's funeral, which was held at the Youth Center of the Church of God in Christ on Chicago's Northwest Side.