Mother of Robert Atkins pays tribute to her son who was murdered in Adelaide’s south

Killed over a $1000 drug debt, Robert Atkins dreamt of playing cricket for Australia as a boy – before his life turned into petty crime and drug addiction.

Robert Atkins was a budding sportsman as a boy, with dreams of one day becoming a cricket star.

“He said to me, ‘Mum, I’m going to play cricket for Australia’ … it made me laugh when he said he was going to do that,” Trish Spencer said.

The 31-year-old was one of three men murdered by a group in what police believe to be linked drug-related killings in the southern suburbs.

But Mr Atkins’ mother has instead spoken of her son’s passion for sport, playing basketball and football as well as cricket, before his life spiralled due to a meth-fuelled addiction that led to him committing petty crimes to fund his addiction.

Murder victim, Robert Atkins, right, with his brother Joel and dog Jess. Robert was about eight years old in this photo. Picture supplied.

Ms Spencer reflected on Mr Atkins’ younger years, growing up in Plympton Park where he was “cheeky”, spending time with his brother, Joel, now 32.

“Robert and Joel used to climb on the roof of the house,” she said. “When I was at work my mother would pick them up from school, and then we’d go down to Glenelg beach in the summer time.

“The boys loved it because they had all the rocks … they could jump in between them.”

The Oaklands Park woman said Mr Atkins worked on and off as a window cleaner after leaving Pasadena High School in Year 8.

But eventually he stopped working, and began stealing to fund his meth addiction from age 19.

“He got into a bad place truly, I don’t know who gave him the first lot of meth, but once you’re on it, you’re on it, you’ve got want to clean yourself up,” she said.

Murder victim Robert Atkins, right, with his brother Joel. Robert was about 18 in this photo Picture: supplied

Robert Atkins, right with one of the men under investigation by detectives. This was Mr Atkins last-known sighting.

“I was just furious, I thought ‘how could you just ruin your life like that?’ But you can’t stop it, you can’t do that, it grips them, they need it all the time. If he wasn't on meth he was a very loveable man.”

Ms Spencer last saw her son on October 15, at her mother’s memorial service.

She said her son usually contacted her at least twice a week, and she woke in a panic one morning in January after not hearing from him for weeks.

“Some people might think it’s strange when you can feel a person,” she said.

“I woke in shock, I took a deep breath, and thought ‘Rob, something’s happening with Rob.’”

It was more than six months after she reported her son’s disappearance to police that she was told her son had been murdered.

“I cried and I couldn’t stop crying for days … they tortured people and Rob was one of them,” she said.

Robert Atkins. Picture: SA Police

Police investigations led by a specialised task force has led them to believe drug debts were the motivation for the three killings, which so far included Mr Atkins, Jeff Mundy, 36, and Trevor King, 41.

They also believe Mr Atkins was held against his will and assaulted at Christie Downs before being moved to Seaford.

He was forced to commit crimes for his captors, believing he would be let go if he complied.

He was understood to have been taken to Port Pirie in November 2020 where he was murdered, and his body is believed to have been dumped near Orroroo – but his remains are yet to be found.

It is believed his body was transported in a 2010 black Jeep Cherokee with registration plate S556AJE.

Three men have been charged with unlawful detention over the investigation

Ms Spencer remembered her son as caring man who was a great cook.

“If I was sick, he’d come and bring me a coffee in bed, he was very kind,” she said. “We’re doing OK, we just do one day at a time.”

She is clinging to hope her son’s body will be recovered.

“If they can find his body, we can have him cremated,” she said. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”