A man has been sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole in the slaying of a Pennsylvania woman more than three decades ago and an arson fire set at her Bucks County home that authorities said was intended to cover up the crime.
Robert Atkins, 57, was sentenced Friday in Bucks County Court after being convicted a day earlier of first-degree murder and two counts of arson in the April 1991 death of 35-year-old Joy Hibbs in Bristol Township.
Authorities said the victim’s body was found after the fire at the Bristol Township home, and an autopsy later concluded that she had been stabbed and strangled. Prosecutors alleged that a dispute over a marijuana sale escalated when Atkins threatened to kill Hibbs and blow up her house. Atkins was
arrested in the case in May 2022
.
Defense attorney Craig Penglase argued that the case was built on a “mountain of doubt” following pressure from Hibbs’ family and media reports on the case. He accused detectives in the initial investigation of mishandling evidence and failing to pursue other potential suspects.