Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘The Mother I Wish I Knew’ of CBS’ ’48 Hours,’ the primary focus is on the disappearance and murder of Deborah “Debe” Atrops in 1988, a tragedy that rocked the entire community of Washington County, Oregon, to its core. However, it impacted her infant daughter, Rhianna Stephens, the most because she had to grow up without her mother. Featuring in the documentary, Rhianna talks about her life and why she believes her father, Robert “Bob” Atrops, is innocent.
Rhianna Stephens Was Raised by Her Father After Deborah Atrops Was Killed
Rhianna Stephens was adopted by Deborah “Debe” Lee Phillips Atrops and Robert “Bob” Atrops a few months after they exchanged marital vows on June 6, 1987, in Sherwood, Oregon. While they loved and cared about Rhianna, the tension between the couple grew, eventually leading to them getting separated just after a year and a half of marriage. Still an infant, Rhianna’s custody was shared as her parents were in the middle of divorce proceedings. She was only eight months old when her mother, Debe, was found dead on December 1, 1988, inside the trunk of her car at a secluded Beaverton construction site.
In the following years and decades, while the authorities were busy investigating the case, Rhianna was being raised by her father, Bob. Decades later, in the early 2020s, the case was reopened, and the detectives considered Bob a potential suspect as forensic evidence linked him to the crime scene and murder. As the investigators closed in on him, Rhianna stayed by his side and believed in his innocence. Her life turned upside down when Bob was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in March 2023.
Rhianna Stephens is a Devoted Mother of Three, Leading a Quiet Life
Throughout the murder trial, Rhianna Stephens supported Robert “Bob” Atrops. During the sentencing hearing on July 8, 2025, Rhianna took the stand and opened up about how her father raised her single-handedly. She stated, “When I was eight months old, someone robbed me of getting to have a life with my mom there to support my every milestone. My first birthday, kindergarten graduation, eighth grade promotion, high school graduation, my wedding, the birth of my own children. My mom wasn’t there for any of that. 36 years later, I’m being robbed of my father, the man that was there for all of those milestones.”
Rhianna seemingly stays in touch with her incarcerated father, still believing that he was not responsible for her mother’s murder. On the professional front, for several years, she has been serving as an independent consultant at Scentsy, a fragrance brand that offers products such as scented wax and wax warmers. Although she was married, it appears that she has since parted ways with her husband and has been in a relationship with another man since at least 2020. Her new partner treats her three daughters, including Adalynn and Aeva, as his own. The doting mother of three is proud of her daughters and remains actively involved in their lives. In her free time, she enjoys fishing and spending quality time with her friends and family.
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