LANCASTER, PA — An 18-year-old Lancaster resident, Brian Gray, has been charged with first and third-degree murder. Gray waived his preliminary hearing on Thursday morning before Magisterial District Judge Courtney Monson. He is scheduled to be arraigned on February 9 at 9 a.m. in the Lancaster County Court.
The charges stem from the tragic death of 68-year-old Michael Pfender on December 11, 2023. Pfender was found dead in a detached garage at the rear of a residence on the 1000 block of North Duke Street in Manheim Township, where both he and Gray lived.
According to the Manheim Township Police, they were dispatched to the residence around 6:32 a.m. following a cryptic call reporting an unspecified accident. Upon arrival, officers encountered a witness who stated, “My son killed my roommate.” The ensuing investigation led to the discovery of Pfender’s body, which bore visible injuries to his face and head.
The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death to be multiple traumatic injuries, ruling the manner of death as homicide. Their preliminary assessment noted blunt force trauma to Pfender’s head and face, along with a defensive wound on Pfender’s right hand.
In the charging documents, an additional witness reportedly told police that a group, including Gray and Pfender, had spent time together in the garage the previous night. The witness alleged that Gray had taken offense to Pfender’s comments, which were perceived as disrespectful. Despite this, the witness believed that the two had reconciled before Gray returned inside the residence.
Gray turned himself in at the Lancaster City Police Station around 11 a.m. on the day of Pfender’s death. He is currently being held in Lancaster County Prison without bail.
Manheim Township Police Detective Kenneth Smith filed the charges and is leading the investigation, with Assistant District Attorney Steven Sess prosecuting the case.
While these allegations paint a grim picture, it is crucial to remember that an arrest or charge is not a declaration of guilt. Gray, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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