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Michael Allen Stark, 50, of Royersford, PA was found guilty by a Bucks County jury of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, theft by unlawful taking, flight to avoid apprehension, and abuse of a corpse, according to District Attorney Jennifer Schorn and court records.
Stark's victim was 50-year-old Matthew James Branning of Sellersville, who went missing after leaving his job at Enchlor Inc. in Silverdale Borough in October 2021, DA Schorn explained (click here for Matt's obituary).
After kidnapping Branning, Stark fled to New Jersey, where he was captured on surveillance footage at a Wawa in Cape May, and tracked along the Atlantic City Expressway, as previously reported by Daily Voice.
He later ditched Branning's Lexus SUV in Virginia and his body in Maryland. He was arrested in Michigan, in a scene that played out as follows, according to Schorn:
- Stark had kidnapped Branning at the end of his work shift on Oct. 15, 2021, forced him to withdraw money from a nearby ATM, and then fled into New Jersey in Branning’s Lexus SUV.
- At some point during the encounter, Stark killed Branning and disposed of his body, which was found in November 2021 in a wet, swampy gully in Reisterstown, Maryland, but he was not positively identified until May 2023. He was wearing the remains of a black T-shirt and white shorts, the same clothes he wore the day he disappeared, the DA said.
- Branning’s Lexus was found in an apartment complex parking lot in Falls Church, VA, in December 2021.
- The SUV had a flat tire and a missing license plate. Inside, detectives found crack cocaine vials, Branning's driver’s license, and credit cards. DNA on the steering wheel matched a sample from Stark, the DA said.
- Stark was arrested in Wayne County, Michigan, on a warrant out of Monroe County, Pennsylvania in April 2022. He was extradited to PA three months later.
“Now we can rest assured that this violent predator will never harm another individual again," Schorn said.
The verdict was reached on the fifth day of the trial. Common Pleas Judge Stephen A. Corr sentenced Stark, who he called a career criminal with “very little regard for the community” and “very little regard for the rule of law.”
Coor sentenced Stark to life without parole on the murder convictions, and a consecutive sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison on the robbery and kidnapping charges, and also ordered him to pay $6,291 in restitution to the victim’s compensation program.
Branning's sister, Mary Anne, shared the following post to Facebook:
While nothing can bring back my little brother Matt, yesterday was a pivotal day for our family in the closure process. Prayers were answered and in a record 40 min jury deliberations Michael Stark was found guilty on all charges against him unanimously!! Praise the Lord... without Him these past almost 3 yrs I can't imagine how much more awful this horrendous nightmare would have been. There were many days I felt " stuck" while waiting for the trial, then once it came, we had to relive it again. Now, there is a peace that passes understanding within me. Through it all Jesus was there, weeping along with our family. Thx to everyone who prayed and showed sympathy for us.
During the sentencing, Chief Deputy District Attorney Matt Lannetti read statements from Branning’s family, who described him as a hard-working, joyful, and gentle person who would help anyone, including his co-worker Stark, who was struggling at the job.
His sister said Branning was “a light in our family, and when Michael Stark extinguished that light, he left a hole in our hearts that can never be replaced.”
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