Man convicted of fatally strangling his estranged wife after their separation in 1988

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. (TCN) -- An elderly man has been convicted of fatally strangling his estranged wife whose body was found in a trunk nearly 37 years ago.

On April 17, the Washington County District Attorney's Office said a jury found 70-year-old Robert Atrops guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the 1988 death of Deborah Atrops. Robert Atrops will be sentenced on May 20.

According to prosecutors, around the time of her slaying, Deborah Atrops and the defendant experienced marital problems, including alleged physical abuse, and they separated. The victim, who had recently adopted an infant daughter with Robert Atrops, reportedly planned to divorce him.

Co-workers and friends allegedly witnessed "concerning domestic violence behavior" between Deborah Atrops and the defendant shortly before the victim died. Deborah Atrops had also reportedly began a relationship with a co-worker, which the defendant had confronted her about. The victim allegedly feared that Robert Atrops would kill her.

On Nov. 29, 1988, Deborah Atrops left her job for a hair appointment and then planned to pick up her daughter from her estranged husband's residence. That night, the defendant reportedly called friends, family, and law enforcement to report the victim's disappearance. According to prosecutors, Robert Atrops said he made the calls from his home phone, but investigators believe he made them from somewhere else.

Police responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle at a remote construction site days later, on Dec. 1, 1988. The vehicle's window was open with the keys inside, but it didn't have any plates. Authorities determined the car belonged to Deborah Atrops, and they found her body inside the trunk. She was reportedly wearing mud-covered clothes, and there was also mud smeared on the hood, steering wheel, gear shift, and a tire. An autopsy later revealed Deborah Atrops died by manual strangulation.

According to prosecutors, Robert Atrops told police that he didn't see his estranged wife that night, but investigators weren't able to confirm his statement. No arrests were made at the time, and the case went cold for decades.

The case was reopened in 2020, and authorities submitted the victim's clothing and soil samples for testing. A break came when investigators found the defendant's DNA on a coat Deborah Atrops was wearing when she died. Prosecutors said the mud found at the scene also matched mud from the defendant's home. Investigators learned Robert Atrops sold roofing materials at construction sites near where his estranged wife's body was located.

In 2022, a detective interviewed Robert Atrops and noticed "significant discrepancies from his version of events in 1988."

MORE: