Fresno man sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for 2021 fatal shooting

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno man convicted in a fatal robbery that left a 34-year-old victim dead was sentenced Tuesday to more than 23 years in state prison, bringing a years-long criminal case to a close.

Michael Fitch was sentenced in Fresno County Superior Court to a total term of 23 years and four months for the killing of Cory Smith during an attempted carjacking in southeast Fresno.

The case stems from March 2021, when police responded to reports of an attempted carjacking near Pierce and Montecito avenues. Officers found Smith suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died.

Investigators worked the case for more than a year before undercover detectives arrested Fitch in May 2022.

During Tuesday's hearing, Smith's mother, Shannon Pulce, attended virtually as the court prepared to impose its sentence. Before the ruling, Senior Deputy District Attorney Samantha Dukes read a victim impact statement written by Pulce.

"I believe in an eye for an eye. I'm filled with a heavy sense of hate and a desire for vengeance against Michael Finch," Dukes read from the letter.

Pulce described her son as a compassionate and loyal person whose loss continues to affect those who knew him.

"Just days ago, he would have celebrated his 40th birthday. Instead of celebrating that milestone with him, I am standing in a courtroom demanding justice for his murder," the statement said.

As the statement was read, Fitch stood before the court and appeared emotionless.

Pulce told the court that the impact of the crime extended beyond the loss of her son, writing that the family's grief contributed to another tragedy.

"When my son's life was taken, it didn't just kill Corey; it destroyed my life and shattered our entire family. The grief was so consuming that it led Corey's father to take his own life," Dukes read.

With Tuesday's sentencing, the criminal proceedings against Fitch concluded more than five years after the shooting that claimed Smith's life.

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