Bio 

Dennis Delmar Lincoln was born on May 28, 1975, in the United States. He was convicted in a 1993 armed robbery-related case in Genesee County, Michigan, and was sentenced in 1994. He served several years in prison and was later released on parole in 2002.

After his release, Lincoln worked public-facing jobs in Michigan. He worked at the information desk at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills and later at Waldenbooks in the same shopping center. Lincoln met John Wolfenbarger while both men were in prison. After they were released, they reconnected and began planning a robbery.

Their target became Marco Pesce, a jeweler who owned Italia Jewelry in Livonia. In the days before the murders, Lincoln and Wolfenbarger watched the jewelry store and followed Pesce to find out where he lived. They later planned to enter the Pesce home by using a borrowed pickup truck, a clipboard, delivery receipts, and a teddy bear so Wolfenbarger could pretend to be a deliveryman.

Murder Story

On December 21, 2002, Marco Pesce took his three children, Carlo, Sabrina, and Melissa, to visit their mother in Ann Arbor. Later that day, he dropped them off at their home in Livonia, Michigan. Marco’s mother, Maria Vergati, was already inside the home. Dennis Delmar Lincoln and John Wolfenbarger had already planned to rob Marco Pesce. They knew he owned Italia Jewelry in Livonia. In the days before the murders, they watched his jewelry store and followed him to learn where he lived.

On the day of the crime, Lincoln and Wolfenbarger used a borrowed pickup truck. They also had a clipboard, delivery papers, and a teddy bear so Wolfenbarger could pretend to be a deliveryman. Wolfenbarger went to the Pesce home and entered through the garage. Lincoln later claimed that he left the house area and waited near Marco’s jewelry store. According to the case evidence, the plan was to rob Marco’s home safe.

After Marco’s children arrived home, Carlo called his father and said Melissa had chipped her tooth. The call was used to make Marco come home. Marco left work and returned to the house. Inside the home, Marco Pesce, his mother Maria Vergati, and his three children were shot and killed. The house was searched, and jewelry and cash were taken from the family safe.

Lincoln denied being the shooter. He claimed Wolfenbarger committed the killings and later told him, “five dead, Bro’.” However, the court ruled that Lincoln was still legally responsible because he helped plan and carry out the armed robbery. After the murders, Lincoln and Wolfenbarger returned the borrowed truck and moved stolen items from the Pesce home. Police later recovered stolen jewelry and other evidence connected to the crime.

Both men were arrested on December 24, 2002, three days after the murders. They were tried with separate juries and convicted in May 2003. On May 27, 2003, Dennis Delmar Lincoln was sentenced to life in prison without parole. His convictions were later upheld on appeal. He remains imprisoned in Michigan, serving life sentences.