UPDATE: March 3, 10:09 a.m. - North Penn Now has secured the affidavit of probable cause, which outlines the details and allegations provided by investigators. It can be viewed below:
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office issued a release to the media Friday morning indicating there would be an 11 a.m. press conference to announce an arrest in connection with the alleged kidnapping and killing of Matthew James Branning, who was last seen at his place of employment in Silverdale Borough on Oct. 15, 2021. Though a suspect was not named in the release, North Penn Now has learned that 49-year-old Michael Allen Stark — Branning’s coworker at Enchelor Inc. and who was also identified as missing in November 2021 — has been charged in connection with Branning’s death.
Court records show Stark was arraigned Thursday evening on charges of first and second-degree murder, along with multiple felony counts of robbery, kidnapping, flight to avoid apprehension, theft by unlawful taking, criminal use of a communication facility, and related offenses.
Stark is currently being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility without bail. Details from the criminal complaint will not be made available until after the press conference.
Perkasie Borough Police asked the public’s help on Oct. 20, 2021, in locating Branning, who they said was last seen leaving work Oct. 15 and had been reported missing by his family. Police asked the public at the time to keep a lookout for Branning's 2002 Lexus SUV, with Pennsylvania license KWS-5619.
Then, on Nov. 1, Perkasie Police added coworker Stark in a second missing person alert. He had had also been missing since Oct. 15, 2021, police said, and may have been operating Branning’s Lexus.
During a press conference in December 2021, Bucks County
District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said that Branning was seen on surveillance
video Oct. 15, 2021, driving up to an ATM in Sellersville; a person is
partially visible in the back seat, but not identifiable, they said. Toll and
cellphone data then show Branning’s Lexus traveled into Central New Jersey
around 5 p.m., then south into Cape May, they said.
Investigators said they tracked Branning’s cellphone to the area of a Wawa in
Cape May shortly after 9 p.m. that night. Surveillance video showed Stark
making a purchase at 9:24 p.m., but Branning was not seen in the video, they
said. After that, toll information showed Branning’s Lexus heading north and
then west on the Atlantic City Expressway, they added.
Since that date, there has been no activity on Branning’s cellphone or bank
account, nor has he had any contact with his family, and efforts to locate the
vehicle have proved fruitless, they said. According to his family, there was no
explanation for Branning to travel unexpectedly to New Jersey and it was out of
character for him to not contact his family or miss work, where he had been
employed for nine years, Weintraub said.
Meanwhile, Stark was positively identified on video at a pawn shop in Garden
City, Mich., on Nov. 13, 2021, Weintraub said.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
See also:
Bucks DA Joins Search For Silverdale Co-Workers, Suspects 'Something Happened'
Missing Perkasie Man’s Coworker Also Reported Missing, Both Had Last Contact on Oct. 15
Police Seek Assistance in Locating Missing Perkasie Man
