Oregon man convicted decades after estranged wife was found dead in trunk

Yahoo

22-04-2025

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HILLSBORO, Ore. (WJW) – An Oregon man has been convicted in the death of his estranged wife, whose death has remained a cold case for decades.
According to a press release from the Washington County District Attorney's Office, 70-year-old Robert Atrops was found guilty of murder on April 17, following a three-week trial in the 1988 murder of his estranged wife, Deborah Atrops.
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At the time of Deborah's murder, she was separated from Robert and making plans for divorce, the release stated. The couple shared an infant daughter they had recently adopted.
According to the release, the separation was caused by marital problems, including physical abuse.
'Leading up to her murder, friends and coworkers witnessed concerning domestic violence behavior,' the release said. 'She had also started a new relationship with a coworker and told friends that the defendant had confronted her about the relationship and that she was worried he would kill her.'
According to the release, Deborah left her job for a 5:15 p.m. hair appointment on Nov. 29, 1988. She then left the salon at about 7 p.m. with plans to go to Robert's house to pick up their daughter.
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At about 9:30 p.m., Robert began calling friends, family and 911 to report Deborah missing, the release stated.
'He claimed he made these calls from his home phone, but there was no record of the calls. Investigators believe he was not at home when he made these calls,' according to the release.
Deborah's body was eventually found inside the trunk of her vehicle on Dec. 1, 1988.
According to the release, police were called to a remote construction site after multiple reports of a suspicious vehicle with no plates, frosted windows and an open window with keys inside. That is where Deborah's body was found.
'Her clothing was covered in mud, and the car had noticeable amounts of mud smeared on the hood, steering wheel, gear shift and front right tire. Mud samples were collected from the car, the body recovery location and the defendant's home,' the release stated.
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According to the release, the cause of death was determined by the Oregon State Medical Examiner to be strangulation.
According to the release, Robert told police he never saw Deborah that night, but his 'alibi was not fully confirmed.'
The case remained cold for decades until 2020, when cold case detective Kevin Winfield reviewed the case.
According to the release, Winfield completed an investigation with the help of the Washington County Sheriff's Office. He was able to find additional witnesses and new information about the circumstances surrounding Deborah's murder.
Eventually, Robert's DNA was connected to the coat Deborah was wearing when she was killed.
The FBI also found that the mud collected from the victim's vehicle was indistinguishable from the mud collected at Robert's home. It also came to light that Robert sold roofing materials at construction sites near where Deborah's body was found.
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'The defendant was interviewed by Detective Winfield in 2022, and there were significant discrepancies from his version of events in 1988,' the release said.
Robert Atrops was indicted by a grand jury and arrested for murder in the second degree on March 23, 2023. He was found guilty of murder in the second degree by a Washington County jury on April 17.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 20.
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