A Montgomery County man, who killed a coworker after kidnapping and robbing him in Bucks County three years ago, was sentenced to life in prison earlier this week. The search for the victim continued for two months before investigators pieced together evidence and found his remains, which weren't identified until last year.
Michael Thomas Stark, 50, of Royersford, was found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges at his trial that started last week. He killed Matthew Branning, 50, of Sellersville, who was last seen leaving work on Oct. 15, 2021. His remains were found in a swampy area in Maryland the following month.
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Stark and Branning worked at a Bucks County company that manufactures parts for water treatment systems. Police used cell phone data, surveillance video and other information to track his movements on the Friday he disappeared. Video showed investigators Branning had stopped at an ATM near his home and withdrew $500. The video also shows a man later identified as Stark in the back seat of the victim's Lexus.
Using toll booth data and cell phone records police also determined Branning drove into New Jersey eventually making another bank transaction in Somers Point. His vehicle made one more stop in Cape May before his cell phone was last tracked heading west on the Atlantic City Expressway. Stark's phone showed the same location. Hours later, Stark's phone was detected in Philadelphia near McPherson Square in Kensington.
Branning had worked at his job for nine years and was described as a model employee. He had a professional and friendly relationship with Stark, but police said, the two did not associate with each other outside of work.
Investigators learned Stark had not shown up to work leading up to the day of Branning's disappearance. That afternoon, Stark took an Uber to the business and was "lying in wait" to kidnap Branning and force him to withdraw money, prosecutors said.
Stark's family also reported him missing when they lost contact with him, giving investigators a clue that the disappearances were linked.
Branning's remains were found in Reisterstown, Maryland, in November 2021. He was wearing the same clothing he had last been seen in, prosecutors said. Authorities did not say how Stark killed Branning before disposing of his body.
A month after Branning's remains were found, his Lexus was recovered from a wreckage company that towed it from the parking lot of an apartment complex in Falls Church, Virginia. Detectives said the car was missing its license plate and had a flat tire. Branning's driver's license and credit cards were found inside, and DNA on the steering wheel matched a sample from Stark, prosecutors said.
Stark remained missing until April 2022 when he was found in Michigan. He was extradited to Pennsylvania on an unrelated warrant out of Monroe County and then charged in the Branning case in March 2023.
At his trial, Stark was found guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping, theft, flight to avoid apprehension, and abuse of a corpse. Bucks County Common Pleas Judge Stephen A. Corr called Stark a career criminal with "very little regard for the community."
Stark was sentenced to life in prison without parole on the murder convictions and a consecutive sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison on the robbery and kidnapping charges. He also was ordered to pay $6,291.23 in restitution to the county's victim’s compensation program.