LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Lancaster County jury convicted the third of four defendants Thursday, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
The jury deliberated for two hours before finding Kristopher Smith, 46, of Navron, guilty of killing Dennis Pitch in his Salisbury Township home.
Smith was found guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of robbery, burglary and conspiracy. He faces a mandatory life sentence in jail following a pre-sentence investigation. His verdict came in around 3:30 p.m.
According to police reports, Pitch was planning to withdraw a large amount of money from his retirement account in the days leading up to his death.
Smith reportedly knew Pitch and was aware of his plans to withdraw the money. Smith allegedly told the other three defendants he planned to take it.
“Word got around to the wrong people and one of them was Kristopher Smith,” Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman said during his closing arguments. “The truth is a light bulb went on in [Smith’s] head: an easy score.”
Christopher J. Lyles and Michael Baker were both separately convicted for their roles in the crime. Lyles, convicted in 2020, and Baker, convicted in 2021, are serving life sentences for their respective roles in the murder.
According to reports, Smith, Baker, Lyles, and the fourth defendant, Brandon Bills, drove to a Sunoco gas station near Pitch's home, then moved to the parking lot of a nearby church. Smith, Lyles and Baker then exited the car, removed guns from the trunk, and entered the victim's home.
Bills remained in the car, but told police that he heard several gunshots coming from inside the home.
According to Bills, the three defendants returned to the car shortly after the gunshots were fired. Smith allegedly told Bills, "It didn't go as planned," according to the criminal complaint.
Smith and the other two suspects then drove away. Bills allegedly stayed behind and ran into the Pitch's house. Reportedly, Bills later returned home and told several witnesses that he had been involved in "some crazy s***." These witnesses reportedly told police that Bills looked visibly shaken.
Pitch was found dead in his home on Dec. 4, 2016, after family, friends, and coworkers became concerned when he didn't show up for work. He was fatally shot in the head and torso.
“[Pitch] died surrounded by violence and horror,” Fetterman said to the jury while wrapping up his closing argument. “He was alive one moment and dead the next. And he was alone. He isn’t alone in the courtroom. You are with him today. The verdicts are guilty, see that justice is done.”
Bills agreed to testify in every trial for the homicide charge against him to be dropped. However, he still faces accusations of burglary, robbery and conspiracy at this time.
Evidence presented by Fetterman at Smith's trial included:
-Testimony from co-defendant Bills, who was with the group before and after the invasion and remained in the car.
-Cell phone and surveillance evidence that placed the group in the Narvon area at the time of the murder.
-Testimony from the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds to the body and manner homicide.
-Video evidence of Smith’s car traveling and parking at a church by the victim’s home and at a gas station where Smith can be seen leaving and returning on the night of the murder.
