Rafael Robb
Rafael Robb
- Rafael Robb** (; born October 31, 1950) is an economist and former professor at the University of Pennsylvania who confessed to killing his wife in 2006.
Academic career Robb received his bachelor's degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He went on to obtain a Ph.D. in economics at UCLA. Robb joined the University of Pennsylvania faculty in 1984, and was a tenured professor at the time of his arrest in 2007.
Robb specialized in game-theory, a mathematical discipline used to analyze political, economic, and military strategies. He is also a fellow of the Econometric Society, one of the highest honors in economics.
Personal life Robb grew up in Israel, and emigrated to the US to pursue graduate studies. He met Ellen Gregory Robb, a sales manager, in 1987, and they married in 1990. They have one daughter. Her death occurred on December 22, 2006, during an argument over the couple's divorce and the plans for their home in Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania.
Robb was arrested on January 8, 2007, and charged with murder. The case was prosecuted by District Attorney (later County Commissioner specially appointed as prosecutor) Bruce Castor. Robb was sentenced on November 19, 2008, to a 10-year prison term, though the prosecutor asked for a sentence of 10 to 20 years.
Near the end of his prison sentence, Robb also requested access to frozen assets in order to pay for living expenses. Upon his release, he formally withdrew this plea.