Bucks DA asks for public’s help finding two co-workers missing since October

Co-workers Michael Allen Stark and Matthew Branning have been missing since Oct. 15. The Bucks DA said investigators suspect foul play.

Side-by-side photos of Michael Allen Stark (left) and Matthew Branning (right)

Co-workers Michael Allen Stark (left) and Matthew Branning (right) have been missing since Oct. 15. The Bucks DA said investigators suspect foul play. (Bucks County District Attorney's Office)

The Bucks County District Attorney is seeking the public’s help finding two men who have been missing since October.

Matthew Branning, of Sellersville, disappeared Oct. 15, along with co-worker Michael Allen Stark, of Royersford. District Attorney Matt Weintraub said this case is unusual.

“People do go missing all the time. It is not my experience that two people who have no other attachment or relationship other than they work at the same place go missing at the same time on the same date, so candidly we suspect foul play,” he said. “Law enforcement believes that something has happened to Michael Branning, and that his co-worker Michael Allen Stark is in some way involved.”

Both worked at Enchlor Inc., in Silverdale.

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Weintraub said detectives have video of Branning stopping at an ATM in Sellersville with someone who cannot be identified in the back seat of his car, a silver 2002 Lexus, and was tracked via cell phone and toll records to central New Jersey. Finally, cell phone data shows him at a Wawa in Cape May at 9:30 p.m. the same night, said Weintraub.

“We have stored video at 9:30 that night at Wawa showing Branning’s coworker Michael Starke making a purchase. Branning is not seen in this video,” he said.

Branning’s car has also been nowhere to be found since Oct. 15, said Weintraub.

“Every attempt that we and others have made to locate his vehicle has turned up nothing, according to his family. There is no explanation for Mr. Branning to travel unexpectedly to New Jersey, and it is out of his character for him not to contact his family or for him to miss work where he had been employed for nine years full time,” he said.

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Branning's car, a silver 2002 Lexus
Pictured is Branning’s car, a silver 2002 Lexus, which has not been seen since Oct. 15. (Bucks County District Attorney’s Office)

Stark was last seen Nov. 13 in Michigan at a pawn shop selling a bicycle.

“Michael Allen Stark is a person of interest in Matthew Branning’s missing person’s case. Both of these gentlemen are entered into the NCIC database as missing persons,” said Weintraub. “Michael Alan Stark also has an open bench warrant for an open case out of Monroe County here in Pennsylvania for a resisting arrest and paraphernalia charge.”

Weintraub said he hopes the holiday season will nudge someone with information to come forward.

“We certainly decided this would be a time when we are reminded how important family is to each of us to tug on the public’s heartstrings,” he said. “Maybe someone out there knows something. They get to spend their time with their family and Mr. Branning does not.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bucks County detectives.

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