48 Hours Post Mortem | The Mother I Wish I Knew
Jan 27, 2026
Natalie Morales, 48 Hours correspondent and reporter, walks through the 1988 murder of Debe Atrops with sharp case analysis. She covers disputed phone records, soil and DNA reexamination, shifting suspects, and the family fallout spanning decades. Short, tense segments probe evidence, courtroom dynamics, and how one daughter still insists her father is innocent.
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Early Behavior Shapes Suspicion
- Early actions can create strong initial suspicion even without firm evidence.
- Anne-Marie Green and Natalie Morales show how Bob's quick 911 call and missing call records looked suspicious to investigators.
Scene Evidence Can Be Ambiguous
- Physical scene details can suggest links but rarely prove guilt alone.
- Natalie Morales explains mud on the car and samples matched but tire tracks couldn't definitively tie the car to Bob's driveway.
New Relationship and Trunk Details
- Debbie was dating coworker John Pearson and feared Bob finding out.
- John knew intimate details about Debbie's trunk and later passed a polygraph, which Detective O'Connell found convincing.