Slatington man charged in dismemberment case – Times News Online

A Slatington man has been charged with murder after he admitted killing a 37-year-old man in the basement of his home, dismembering his body and dumping parts in multiple locations.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan held a news conference Friday afternoon to discuss the murder investigation and charges.

Joshua Douglas Moser, 33, was charged Friday with one count of first-degree felony murder and two misdemeanor counts of abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence.

According to Holihan and the probable cause affidavit filed by Troopers John Snyder and Taylor Dietrich of the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop M, Bethlehem Barracks, the investigation revealed the following.

On Monday around 1:30 p.m., state police in Bethlehem were alerted to a person missing under suspicious circumstances. Holihan said a friend of David Hittinger reported that the man had not been heard from since about 7 p.m. Saturday. The two were supposed to meet for Hittinger’s birthday, but that didn’t happen. Hittinger was seen at his residence at 699 W. Franklin St. in Slatington.

During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that Moser had recently allowed Hittinger to move into 699 W. Franklin St. with him.

After police obtained a search warrant for the apartment on Tuesday, they found a large amount of blood in the basement where Hittinger lived. Police officers said it appeared the basement had been hastily prepared to hide the blood.

On Wednesday, law enforcement obtained a second search warrant and found a saw, a box cutter, bloody clothing and other evidence.

Meanwhile, Moser was taken into custody in Monroe County on a probation violation. He is currently being held at the Monroe County Correctional Facility. Due to the nature of the charge, bail was denied.

On Wednesday at 5:18 p.m., Pennsylvania State Police from the Stroudsburg barracks interviewed Moser, who, according to the affidavit, said he strangled Hittinger and hit him in the head with a hammer, causing him to die in the basement of his Franklin Street apartment building was killed.

Moser said he dismembered Hittinger’s body at the residence and disposed of the body parts in trash bags at three locations in Slatington and Washington Township. According to Moser, the three locations were searched and dismembered body parts were discovered.

Holihan said the body parts were found at Fairview Cemetery, along a side trail on the D&L Trail and in a small quarry pond on Welshtown Road, all in Slatington. Holihan did not confirm that all body parts had been found.

A fingerprint was recovered from a dismembered hand, analyzed by the Pennsylvania State Police, Bethlehem Regional Laboratory, and identified as belonging to Hittinger.

An autopsy was conducted on Friday to determine the cause of death.

“The investigation at this point indicates that Moser acted alone in the murder,” Holihan said. “There does not appear to be any danger to the public.”

Officials did not disclose a motive.

Holihan warned that the arrest was merely an allegation. “The defendant in this case, Joshua Douglas Moser, remains presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

Holihan said the investigation was done quickly and involved a large number of men and women from many different sources. These include Pennsylvania State Police Troop M units (SERT, Drone Team, Marine Unit, Forensic Service Unit, K-9 Unit); Troop N (Stroudsburg, Fern Ridge and Lehighton and Vice); Slatington Police Department, Slatington Fire Department, Whitehall Township Fire Department Dive Team, Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office (including the county’s Drug Task Force, Homicide Task Force and Regional Intelligence and Investigation Center), Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, Carbon County District Attorney’s Office and the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.

Moser will be taken to the Lehigh County Jail and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on May 29 before District Judge Michael J. Faulkner.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan speaks to the media Friday afternoon about the investigation into a murder in Slatington. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan speaks to the media Friday afternoon about the investigation into a murder in Slatington. Pictured with him, from left to right, are Trooper Nathan Branosky, Trooper Taylor Dietrich, Trooper John Snyder and Lt. Shawn Haines. KRISTINE PORTER/TIMES NEWS