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Four men arrested in connection to 2016 Lancaster County homicide

SALISBURY TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY, P.A. — State Police arrested four men Monday in connection to the death of Dennis Pitch, 52, more than a year ago. K...

SALISBURY TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY, P.A. --- State Police arrested four men Monday in connection to the death of Dennis Pitch, 52, more than a year ago.

Kristopher Smith, 42, Christopher Lyles, 32, Brandon Bills, 36, and Michael Baker, 39 face criminal homicide, as well as a myriad of conspiracy, burglary and robbery charges.

On the afternoon of December 4, 2016, authorities found Pitch dead inside his home on the 5000 block of Timothy Drive.

Pitch had been shot several times and his residence was "ransacked"

According to court documents, Pitch told "numerous people" he intended to withdraw a "large portion" of cash from his retirement account days before his death.

"Unfortunately, the wrong individuals came into possession of that information and it became the motive for this robbery which turned into a homicide," said Brett Hambright with the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.

Hambright said one of the suspects, Brandon Bills, came forward to authorities

"He, eventually, did give a full interview, which we believed to support the other three also being involved and that's what got the ball rolling," said Hambright.

Following the interview, investigators concluded Smith knew Pitch had money inside his house and "intended to take it."

They say Smith, Baker, and Lyles took guns out of the trunk of the car the four men traveled in and approached Pitch's house.

Bills, who investigators say was on-watch, says he heard several gunshots before the trio returned and stated "it didn't go as planned."

Authorities say surveillance footage from a near-by church and Sonoco gas station played a role in confirming the timeline of the four men the night of the murder.

After constant contact with Pitch's family, Hambright said they, finally, have some relief.

"It has been a long time coming. A year and a half...We always hope that every homicide is solved within a day but it just doesn't happen like that way. They're thankful...We're grateful we were able to get to a point where we believe we have the four who were involved," said Hambright.

Bills and Smith are being held in the Lancaster County Prison.

Lyles and Baker are currently being held in the Delaware County Prison on unrelated charges but are expected back in Lancaster County, at some point.

Authorities say they're still asking anyone with knowledge of the four suspects' actions to come forward.

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