Anthony Joyner was born on May 25, 1962, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Little is known about his early life. As a teenager, he was described as portly and physically weak. He did not have any major issues communicating with others and was not bullied by his peers. However, his physique affected his popularity, especially with women. He struggled to form romantic relationships and was not well-liked in his neighborhood. Some of his friends thought he might be homosexual, which he strongly denied.

After finishing high school, Joyner did not pursue higher education. Instead, he took on low-skilled jobs to make a living. In October 1981, he was hired as an assistant nutritionist in the kitchen of Kearsley Home, a nursing home that was part of the Christ Church Hospital. This facility was the oldest operating institution of its kind at the time. At his job, Joyner received positive feedback from both the staff and patients. People described him as friendly, talkative, and energetic. He showed a lot of care and affection for the elderly residents he worked with.

Despite being well-liked at work, Joyner still faced personal challenges. His lack of success in romantic relationships and struggles with his self-image affected him deeply. As he continued to work at Kearsley Home, he remained engaged with the elderly patients but had his own personal frustrations and unhappiness.

Anthony Joyner murdered several elderly women while working at a nursing home in Philadelphia. His victims were all female residents aged between 83 and 92. The first victim was 92-year-old Margaret Eckard, found dead on January 12, 1983. Hospital staff concluded she died of natural causes, despite signs of blood around her nose, mouth, and genitals. Next, on February 12, 1983, 85-year-old Kathryn Maxwell was discovered dead. A few days later, 86-year-old Elizabeth Monroe was found in similar conditions, but no autopsy was performed. In June, 89-year-old Lily Amlie was also found dead. Her death was ruled non-suspicious due to her heart issues. On July 19, two more women, 90-year-old Eugenia Borda and 83-year-old Mildred Alston, were murdered. Borda’s body had traces of blood and injuries, leading to an autopsy that revealed she had been raped and strangled. Alston had suffocated.

An investigation began after these findings. Since the nursing home had a security staff, investigators suspected that the killer was someone who worked there. They discovered that on the day of the last murders, Joyner was seen near the basement, which provided access to patients' rooms. After interviewing him, police arrested Joyner on August 1, 1983. He confessed to the murders during questioning but later retracted his confession.

As the investigation continued, the police exhumed the bodies of Eckard, Maxwell, Amlie, and Monroe. The autopsy results revealed that Maxwell and Monroe had been raped and strangled, while Amlie had drowned. Joyner confessed to these murders as well as a rape of a 69-year-old woman from 1982. He later explained that he targeted older women because they could not fight back due to their age.

Joyner’s trial started in April 1984. During the trial, he confirmed his confession but later said it was coerced. He was eventually found guilty on five counts of first-degree murder, among other charges. The jury could not agree on the death penalty, so Joyner was sentenced to life in prison. His punishment was announced on May 6, 1984, and he remained calm during the process. As of March 2022, he is still in prison at the State Correctional Institution – Phoenix in Pennsylvania.