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Michael Allen Stark, 49, of Royersford, is believed to have kidnapped Matthew James Branning, after a shift at his Silverdale job in October 2021, took him to withdraw money at an ATM and then fled in Brannging's car to New Jersey, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said.
The kidnapping happened on Oct. 15, 2021, when Stark forced Branning to make the withdrawal before disposing of his body, which has yet to be found, authorities said.
Stark failed to show up for his shift at work the day of Branning's disappearance, the DA's office said. Instead, he took an Uber to Enchlor and was lying in wait for Branning, the DA said.
Soon after, Branning was captured on surveillance footage withdrawing money from a drive-thru ATM in Sellersville at 4:07 p.m. No one is in his passenger seat, but a person is partially visible in the back seat of Branning’s 2002 Lexus SUV, according to the DA.
Toll and cellphone data show Branning’s car traveling into Central Jersey around 5 p.m., and Branning’s bank account is used at a gas station in Somers Point at 7:05 p.m.
More than an hour and a half of time was unaccounted for in the Somers Point area until both Branning and Stark’s cellphone data is tracked to a Wawa in Cape May two hours later.
Stark is seen on surveillance video making a purchase there at 9:27 p.m. but Branning is not seen in the surveillance footage at all, the DA said. An employee at the store later said Stark bought a car charger and USB cable.
Branning’s Lexus was tracked by toll information heading northbound and then westbound on the Atlantic City Expressway. Hours later, Stark’s cellphone data is tracked to Needle Park in the Kensington section of Philadelphia.
Since the day Branning went missing, there has been no activity on his cellphone, his bank account, and he has had no contact with his family, who he loved dearly, the DA said. Branning’s family said he would not travel unexpectedly to New Jersey. His family also said it was out of character for him to not contact his family or miss work, where he had been employed for nine years.
His boss described him as “very loyal, always on time, and showed up every day. If he was running late or if he could not make it to work for whatever reason, he would let somebody know.” In December 2021, Branning’s vehicle was recovered in Falls Church, VA. Forensic evidence was collected from inside the car, tested and linked to Stark.
Also recovered in the vehicle were crack vials linked to the drug market at Needle Park in Kensington.
Branning was an outdoorsman who loved to hike and valued a healthy lifestyle. He did not use drugs. As it relates to his finances, he was traditional in that he carried large sums of cash and primarily paid for things with cash or personal checks, according to police.
Stark was arrested in April 2022 in Wayne County, Michigan, for a warrant out of Monroe County, PA. He was extradited back to Pennsylvania on July 27, 2022.
On Thursday, March 2, the Investigating Grand Jury handed down a presentment, recommending Stark be charged with Branning’s murder. The presentment was accepted by Supervising Judge Raymond F. McHugh.
Stark was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Terrence Hughes on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, kidnapping, criminal use of a communication facility, flight to avoid apprehension, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse. He is also charged with two counts of robbery and three counts of theft by unlawful taking. Stark was sent to Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail.
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