Dateline: Joy Hibbs' brutal murder - A complete timeline of events

Dateline revisits the 1991 killing of Pennsylvania mother Joy Hibbs, the house fire that masked the crime, and the years of stops and starts that followed. The case centers on a neighbor, Robert Atkins, who was later tried and found guilty in 2024.

The Dateline episode Justice for Joy re-airs on Oxygen on Friday, October 3, as a split presentation at 3 am and 4 am. The original two-hour Dateline NBC broadcast aired on April 12, 2024.

Case background for Dateline

Joy Hibbs, 35, was found dead inside her home on April 19, 1991. Fire crews had responded to a blaze, but medical findings later showed she was stabbed, beaten, likely strangled, and already deceased before the fire started.

Fire crews responded to a blaze at the Hibbs home on April 19, 1991 (Image via Unsplash)

The case went cold. Years later, attention returned to neighbor Robert Atkins, who had lived two doors away. He was later charged, tried, and convicted in 2024 of first-degree murder and arson, receiving life without parole plus additional time.

According to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, the judge imposed life in prison, added a consecutive 5 to 10 year term for one arson count, and a concurrent 10 to 20 year term for the second arson count.

Timeline of events on Dateline

April 19, 1991: Fire, discovery, and homicide ruling

Firefighters located Hibbs after knocking down flames at the family home on Spencer Drive. An autopsy showed she was killed before the fire. Investigators said the fire was set to destroy evidence. NBC10 Philadelphia reported these findings and the day’s early timeline.

Early 1990s: Leads, alibis, and a stalled case

Witnesses mentioned a blue Chevrolet Monte Carlo near the home around the time of the fire. Atkins, then a nearby resident, surfaced as a person of interest. Investigators also examined Joy’s husband, who was later ruled out. The investigation slowed, and the file lingered for years, according to PhillyBurbs.

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2014–2016: Case reassigned, and a new account emerges

A reinvestigation began in 2014. In December 2015, a former police leader was interviewed about directions given in the early 1990s. In 2016, Atkins’s then-ex-wife, April, reportedly told investigators he came home with blood on his clothes and said he stabbed someone and set a house on fire. NBC News outlined these developments and the alleged informant angle tied to the original probe.

November 2021–May 2022: Grand jury and arrest

Grand Jury recommended charges, and an arrest followed in May 2022 (Image via Pexels)

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office reopened the matter in late 2021. A county Investigating Grand Jury reviewed the evidence and recommended charges. In May 2022, Atkins was arrested on first-degree murder and arson counts. PhillyBurbs reported the sequence from the 2021 reopening to the filing of charges.

February 2024: Bench trial, conviction, and sentence

A bench trial ended with a first-degree murder conviction and additional arson sentence in 2024 (Image via Pexels)

After a bench trial, Atkins was found guilty of first-degree murder and two arson counts. Sentencing followed the next day. Per the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, the court imposed life without parole for murder, plus additional prison terms for arson.

Dateline NBC: Justice for Joy streams on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, fuboTV, and NBC, and with ads on The Roku Channel. The episode is also available for free on Spectrum On Demand. Availability can vary by market and plan.

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About the author

Preethika Vijayakumar is an Entertainment writer at Sportskeeda with a keen interest in pop culture. Although a law student, her curiosity about the world and passion for writing inspired her to explore and analyze the complex narrative and diverse character arcs that define the daily soaps.

With experience as a legal content writer, Preethika also achieved a notable accomplishment as her work was published in a book about criminology and victimology. As a fellow binge-watcher, Preethika aims to provide insightful analysis based on her firsthand viewing experiences, ensuring accuracy and relevance in her writing.

Outside of professional endeavors, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and creating ceramics. Her favorite celebrity is Jensen Ackles, and if given the opportunity, Preethika would love to be a part of his show, Supernatural, although she isn’t sure she could last until the end.

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Edited by Preethika Vijayakumar