30 Years Later, Search For Joy Hibbs' Killer Continues With New Reward Posted For Information
CROYDON, Pa. (CBS) -- Thirty years ago, a Bucks County mother was brutally murdered. A fire destroyed any clues that would lead to her killer.
Joy Hibbs' widow is not giving up. He is putting up $25,000 of his own money to find the person responsible.
April 19, 1991. Croydon, Bucks County.
It was a normal Friday for Joy Hibbs. The wife and mother of two made stops at the bank and the supermarket. Early that afternoon, though, Hibbs would be found dead after her home was set on fire.
"Mrs. Hibbs' killer is still out there," Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said.
Who would do this?
"Everyone that met her liked her," Charlie Hibbs said.
The 35-year-old suffered a horrific death. She was strangled with a cord and stabbed nearly a half dozen times. Her son came home to find the home full of fire.
"We were high school sweethearts," Charlie Hibbs said.
Charlie Hibbs Zoomed with Eyewitness News from his home in Washington state.
Rarely, a day goes by when he doesn't think about his late wife, Joy.
"All the time, it's something that never goes away," he said. "You learn to live with it. You never forget."
Early on, the investigation was hampered by the fire. Police say Hibbs' body was burned beyond recognition, and nearly all physical evidence was incinerated.
"Any time there's a fire that totally destroys all that evidence, that eliminates a really rich area for investigation," Weintraub said.
Weintraub and his office are now the primary investigators on the 30-year-old homicide.
Bristol Township Police did have the case for decades. They referred all questions to the DA's Office.
"To me, this seems like an intensely personal crime," Weintraub said. "For somebody to be able to get close enough to Ms. Hibbs to strangle her and stab her, that is intensely personal."
Charlie Hibbs was at work at the time of his wife's murder. He initially provided information on a potential suspect.
"I found personal evidence that linked to certain suspects and from what the detective told me, they lawyered up and using an excuse of certain medications they were taken, they were advised not to take a lie detector test," he said.
He recently put up a $25,000 reward for valuable information to solve his wife's murder.
"We just hope to get closure and to see justice served, what was done, it was done to our whole family," he said.
If you have any information, call Bucks County Detectives at 215-348-6344 and ask for Det. David Hanks.
