5 things to know about the Joy Hibbs murder case

Joy Hibbs (Image via Charlie Hibbs)

The upcoming episode of People Magazine Investigates will cover the harrowing case of Joy Hibbs's murder, which spanned over three decades. When 12-year-old David Hibbs returned home early from school on the afternoon of April 19, 1991, he found his house on fire. Before neighbors or first responders could help, his mother, Joy, was already burnt to death, or so it seemed.

Soon, authorities discovered that Joy Hibbs was brutally beaten, stabbed, and possibly strangled to death before the perpetrator set the house on fire. Fire marshals also allegedly identified the cause of the fire as arson. With no suspects or concrete motives, the case went on for over thirty years before the authorities arrested the murderer. The complicated case had many ups and downs and twists along the way.

Continue reading for five quick facts about the prolific case that has baffled authorities for decades.

---

Five quick facts about Joy Hibbs's murder case

1) It took 31 years for the authorities to pinpoint the perpetrator

Though the investigating officers had a hunch about Robert Atkins, the only supposed suspect in the case, they could not pinpoint solid proof about the ex-confidential informant for Bristol Township Police.

Robert Atkins was arrested in 2022, 31 years after the murder. The breakthrough came in the form of April Atkins, Robert's ex-wife, who came forward and told the Bristol Township Police Department that her husband allegedly came home covered in blood and admitted to stabbing someone. Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said,

"Atkins, for the past 31 years, has been living free but on borrowed time. Today, we start to collect on that time from him, with interest."

---

2) Investigators initially assumed Joy Hibbs died in the fire

When the first respondents arrived, they found Joy's body in her son's bedroom completely burnt. Retired Bristol Township Detective Lt. Richard Bilson described the scene, saying:

"She was lying face-up on a mattress that was nothing but springs...Her body was black -- completely burnt beyond recognition. She looked like a mummy and the entire room was charred."

Fire investigators initially thought that Joy Hibbs was the victim of a tragic house fire. A post-mortem examination revealed that Joy was stabbed before the house was lit on fire. She was also likely asphyxiated.

---

3) Atkins and Joy Hibbs allegedly had an argument in the weeks leading to her murder

Atkins often supplied marijuana to Charlie and Joy Hibbs. David Hibbs recalled that his parents were having an argument with Atkins over marijuana in the weeks leading to her death. David said:

"I remember hearing my mom talking about it on the phone two weeks before this all happened,...My dad wanted my mom to return pot because he said it was all stems and seeds."

Atkins acknowledged the aforementioned argument and authorities knew about it but thought it was too minor a reason for a crime this big.

---

4) Roberry was also involved in the murder of Joy Hibbs

After the fire marshal determined the cause of the fire to be arson, authorities also found her wallet stuffed in the living room couch after the fire. On further investigation, authorities found out that Joy had cashed her paycheck hours before the murder. Her purse was also found with items emptied and strewn out in the house, but the cash was never located.

This reportedly led authorities to believe that robbery could be one of the motives behind the massacre.

---

5) Atkins was charged with multiple counts of arson and murder

After he was arrested in 2022, Atkins was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, seven counts of arson, and two counts of robbery. He is currently being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility.