Arrest and charges announced in 1991 Bucks County cold case homicide

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - Bucks County officials announce an arrest of a 56-year-old man in connection with in an April 1991 cold case homicide.

Robert Atkins, a 56-year-old man from Falls Township, in Bucks County, voluntarily turned himself in to Bucks County officials, after a "tireless" investigation by Bucks County Detectives and a recommendation by a grand jury.

Atkins is charged with one count of first degree murder, one count of second degree murder, two counts of robbery and seven counts of arson in a case dating to 1991.

Officials stated the grand jury concluded that Atkins murdered 35-year-old Joy Hibbs on April 19, 1991, at her home in Croydon. She had been stabbed repeatedly and was likely asphyxiated. Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub explained, during a press conference, Hibbs’ autopsy indicated there was no smoke in her lungs, indicating she had been murdered before the fire of her home being set.

Hibbs was a married mother of two in April, 1991. Her 12-year-old son came home from school on April 19, about 1 p.m. to find the family home on fire. He ran to the neighbors for help. When the fire was extinguished, Joy Hibbs’ body was found inside.

The Bucks County Fire Marshall determined the fire was intentionally set. An investigation showed Hibbs had cashed her paycheck earlier that day. Her wallet was found in the living room and her purse was found in the kitchen, with the contents strewn about, but no cash was found.

Investigators found Atkins to be a person of interest in the murder, according to officials. He was interviewed by police, but denied involvement in the case.

A grand jury was convened in January 2022, with Atkins’ ex-wife one of the first people to testify. In testimony, she stated Atkins came home early in the afternoon of April 19, 1991, covered in blood. He told her he stabbed someone and set their house on fire. He then told her to call out from work, get their kids together and they traveled to the Poconos. She told the grand jury he put his bloody clothes in the wash and took a shower.

"This is a bittersweet day for the Hibbs family," Weintraub said. "Mr. Atkins’ arrest decades after he murdered Joy Hibbs is proof that law enforcement perseverance and sheer power of will can overcome many obstacles in proving a murder case. I am grateful to our Bucks County Grand Jury for shining a light on Joy Hibbs’ killer, Robert Atkins, so that we can finally hold him accountable for her murder. Atkins, for the past 31 years, has been living free, but on borrowed time. Today, we start to collect on that time, with interest."

The Hibbs provided a statement:

"Joy Hibbs was a sweet, charming southern girl from central Florida. A loving and devoted mother, wife, and medical assistant. She was highly regarded and loved by her friends, neighbors, and co-workers alike.

On April 19th, 1991, she was brutally murdered in her own home in broad daylight. Stabbed five times in the chest and neck and strangled with an electrical cord. Her body and our family home were intentionally set on fire in an attempt to make this horrific crime disappear.

The immense grief and suffering our family has endured over the last three decades will never disappear. For thirty-one years, our family has been haunted by this tragic loss, knowing, without a doubt, that Robert Atkins was the perpetrator. Our family has waited thirty-one years for justice to prevail.

We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support from the community and ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."