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“The Mother I Wish I Knew”: 48 Hours Reports on Debe Atrops Homicide January 24 2026

by · January 23, 2026

CBS’s 48 Hours turns the spotlight on a haunting decades-old murder in The Mother I Wish I Knew, airing January 24, 2026. The episode, reported by Natalie Morales, examines the 1988 death of Debe Atrops, a young mother who vanished after a routine visit to her estranged husband’s home in Oregon. Now, more than 35 years later, prosecutors have charged Bob Atrops, Debe’s former husband, with her murder—while their only daughter, Rhianna Stephens, questions the case that could cost her both parents.

This in-depth report revisits the crime, the decades-long absence of justice, and the emotional reckoning that comes with reopening the past. Viewers will hear from those closest to Debe, investigators who revived the case, and legal figures on both sides of the courtroom. At the heart of the episode is Rhianna’s struggle with the possibility that her father, the only parent she’s ever known, may be guilty of killing her mother.

A Vanishing in the Suburbs: The Disappearance of Debe Atrops

On November 29, 1988, 29-year-old Debe Atrops vanished in Washington County, Oregon. Earlier that evening, she had visited a hair salon before heading to Sherwood to drop off her 8-month-old daughter Rhianna at the home of her estranged husband, Robert “Bob” Atrops. She was never seen alive again. Just days later, her body was found in the trunk of her car, left at a construction site in Beaverton. The vehicle’s plates had been removed, one window left rolled down, and the keys were still inside.

The discovery horrified investigators. Debe’s body was partially covered in mud, and the medical examiner concluded she had been manually strangled. From the beginning, suspicion surrounded her ex-husband. Their marriage had been troubled, with a documented history of domestic violence. Debe had recently moved out, returned to Salem to be closer to her parents, and begun seeing someone new. She was also in the process of filing for divorce.

A Cold Case That Wouldn’t Rest

Despite early suspicions, there was no arrest. Bob Atrops told police he hadn’t seen Debe that night and claimed he called 911 and friends after she didn’t arrive to pick up their child. Investigators, however, couldn’t confirm those calls had been made from his residence. At the time, forensic limitations and a lack of physical evidence hampered the case. Investigators cleared Debe’s new boyfriend and others close to her, but no charges were filed. Over the years, the case became one of Oregon’s many unsolved homicides.

It wasn’t until 2020 that the Washington County Sheriff’s Office reopened the file. Cold Case Detective Kevin Winfield and his team revisited old interviews, reexamined physical evidence, and pursued modern forensic testing. New soil analysis linked mud found in the trunk of Debe’s car to the property around Bob’s Sherwood home. Additionally, new DNA testing connected Bob to the coat Debe had been wearing when she was killed.

The Trial of Robert Atrops

In March 2023, authorities arrested Robert Atrops and charged him with second-degree murder. At age 70, he stood trial in early 2025, nearly four decades after the crime. Prosecutors alleged that Bob, unable to accept Debe’s decision to leave and move on, lured her to his remote cabin and killed her in a fit of jealousy and control. They argued that Debe had expressed fear that Bob might hurt her. Testimony from friends and family corroborated her growing concerns leading up to her death.

The defense, led by attorneys April Yates and Stephanie Pollan, challenged the timeline and evidence, suggesting there was no direct witness to the crime and highlighting inconsistencies in decades-old recollections. Despite these arguments, the jury reached a verdict in under a day. On April 17, 2025, Bob Atrops was found guilty of second-degree murder. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2025.

A Daughter Caught Between Two Realities

The 48 Hours episode highlights the painful position of Rhianna Stephens, who was just eight months old when her mother died. Raised by Bob and unaware of the full story for many years, Rhianna only recently began to grapple with the details of her mother’s death and the allegations against her father. In interviews, she expresses doubt about Bob’s guilt and insists the case isn’t as clear-cut as prosecutors claim. Her search for answers is deeply personal, shaped by years of wondering what kind of person her mother was—and what kind of man her father might be.

Rhianna’s perspective adds a complex emotional layer to the legal proceedings. She must reconcile the possibility that the man who raised her may have also destroyed her chance to know her mother. Her story serves as a reminder of the unseen victims in long-unsolved crimes: children left to navigate decades of uncertainty, only to face new trauma as the truth emerges.

Justice and the Lingering Toll of Violence

For Debe Atrops’ family and friends, the guilty verdict offered long-awaited justice. Her stepfather, Ed Holland, and close friend, Darlene Lufkin, recalled her warmth, ambition, and desire for a better life away from the abuse she had endured. The conviction marked an end to a painful chapter but did not erase the years of loss.

The case also demonstrates the importance of cold case work and advances in forensic science. Without the efforts of Detective Winfield’s team and modern technology, Debe’s killer might have escaped accountability forever. Still, the emotional cost is steep. For Rhianna Stephens, the verdict threatens to dismantle the only family she has ever known. As 48 Hours shows, justice in old cases can bring answers, but not always peace.

The Mother I Wish I Knew is a story of loss, memory, and a daughter’s search for the truth. It underscores how crimes of the past continue to shape lives in the present—and how closure can sometimes come at the cost of something just as precious. Viewers can stream the episode on Paramount+ or watch it Saturday night on CBS.

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Ryan Gill

Ryan is a passionate follower of true crime television programs, reporting on and providing in-depth investigations on mysteries in the criminal world.

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