A Lancaster County jury convicted a man of second-degree murder and related offenses for the killing of Dennis Pitch who was killed in a home-invasion robbery in 2016.

The jury deliberated for a little over four hours last Friday before convicting the 42-year-old Michael Patrick Baker of Folcroft, Delaware County, of killing Pitch inside Pitch’s Salisbury Township home.

Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman presented evidence throughout the five-day trial that Baker and three other men targeted Pitch’s Narvon home on Timothy Drive for a robbery after getting word that the victim might be in possession of a large sum of cash. “I am thankful the jury delivered justice to Dennis Pitch and his family,” Fetterman said after the jury’s verdict.

On the night of Dec. 2, 2016, the Commonwealth alleged that Baker, Christopher Lyles and Kristopher Smith went into the home while a fourth man, Brandon Bills, stayed at the car. Pitch was fatally shot in the head and torso. Upon returning to the vehicle, Smith told Bills, “It didn’t go as planned.”

Evidence presented by Fetterman at trial included:

- Testimony from co-defendant Bills, who was with the group before and after the invasion and remained at the car.

- Cell phone and surveillance evidence that placed the group near or at Pitch’s home at the time of the murder.

- Testimony from an inmate who overheard details about the murder and was confronted by Baker in prison.

Baker faces a mandatory life-without-parole sentence on the second-degree murder charge when President Judge David Ashworth orders sentence.

Baker was also convicted of robbery, burglary, conspiracy, and intimidation of a witness.

Baker had no reaction as the foreman read the verdict.

Assistant District Attorney Sean Barrett assisted in the prosecution.

A jury had previously convicted Christopher Lyles of second-degree murder in March 2020. Lyles was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus 12.5 to 40 years. Fetterman also prosecuted that case.

Kristopher Smith and Brandon Bills are charged with the same offenses; their cases are pending.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jonathan Potoka filed charges. He and other troopers testified.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc