A Pennsylvania man, in Lehigh County is accused of murdering his roommate, mutilating his body, and then spreading the parts in three separate locations.
The accused convict, Joshua Moser, 33, is charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering/fabricating evidence. According to the Pennsylvania state police statement, which was acquired by 6abc News, a missing person report was filed on Monday afternoon that a 37-year-old male David Hittinger had nowhere to be seen since Saturday.
The complaint that was filed on Monday was made on Hittinger’s birthday after he did not show up for the celebratory function. Authorities soon became aware of the whereabouts of Hittinger, who lived in a home on the 600 block of W. Franklin St. in Slatington, and that Moser had recently allowed him to move in, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan.
Holihan further reported in a Friday press conference that while the troopers searched the home for evidence, they came across what seemed to be blood in the basement. The area was conveniently cleaned to make it look like there was no blood, but since it was “hastily staged,” the evidence showed up. Additionally, troopers found a saw, a box cutter, bloody clothing, and additional evidence at the scene.
Following this, on Wednesday, Moser was interviewed by the state police where he confessed to strangling Hittinger in the same basement where the evidence was found and killed him by bludgeoning his head with a hammer. Authorities then reported that Moses confessed to dismembering Hittinger and discarding the body parts in three different locations in Slatington and Washington Township.
Holihan further said that some of the mutilated parts were found inside garbage bags at the Fairview Cemetery in Slatington on Wednesday, while the other body parts were found along the D&L Trail in Slatington and at a small quarry off of Welsh Town Road in Washington Township on Thursday.
While Moses did not disclose why he killed Hittinger, a neighbour Caydence Waterhouse, told Action News that she heard verbal altercations coming from the house. Waterhouse disclosed, “It was Josh. He was saying, ‘Get the f out of here, you don’t belong here,” adding, “But I didn’t hear anyone talking back to him.”
The Coroner of Lehigh County reported that the cause of death hadn’t been concluded yet and investigations are underway. Additionally, Moser, who was arrested on Wednesday for parole violation will be transferred to Lehigh County soon to face charges for the homicide and is being held without bail.
Moser was a previously convicted felon regarding a DUI fatal car accident that killed 24-year-old Nicole Gruber.