Lehigh County Man Arrested for Brutal Murder and Dismemberment of Roommate

In a shocking and gruesome case, a Lehigh County man has been arrested and charged with the brutal murder and dismemberment of his roommate. Joshua Moser, 33, is accused of killing David Hittinger, 37, in their shared residence on the 600 block of West Franklin Street in Slatington, Pennsylvania.

The investigation into this heinous crime began on May 13 when Pennsylvania State Police received a missing person report for Hittinger, who had not been seen or heard from since May 11. Upon further investigation, authorities discovered that Moser had allowed Hittinger to live with him in their home.

State troopers executed a search warrant at the residence on May 14 and made a horrifying discovery. The basement of the house was found to have a large amount of blood, indicating foul play. Investigators also noted that the basement had been hastily staged to conceal the evidence of the crime.

A subsequent search on May 15 unearthed even more disturbing evidence. Inside the premises, authorities found a saw, a box cutter, and clothing soaked in blood. These findings pointed to a gruesome act of violence that had taken place within the confines of the home.

Moser was taken into custody on May 15 in Monroe County for an unrelated incident. During an interview with investigators, he allegedly confessed to strangling Hittinger and using a hammer to strike him on the head, resulting in his death. Moser then admitted to dismembering Hittinger's body and scattering the remains in three separate locations in Slatington Borough and Washington Township.

Authorities made the harrowing discovery of dismembered body parts in trash bags at the Fairview Cemetery in Slatington, an area along the D&L Trail in Slatington, and a small quarry behind Northern Lehigh High School in Washington Township.

The identity of the victim was confirmed through a fingerprint found on one of the dismembered hands. Moser was subsequently charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with/fabricating physical evidence.

Moser was arraigned on May 17 and is currently being held without bail at the Monroe County Prison. He will be transported to Lehigh County later this month for further legal proceedings, with his preliminary hearing scheduled for May 29. It is worth noting that online court documents do not yet indicate whether Moser has legal representation.

During a press conference, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan disclosed that a possible motive for the murder has not yet been revealed, but there appeared to have been some sort of disagreement between the two roommates prior to the killing. Furthermore, officials believe that Moser acted alone, and there is currently no known threat to the public.

This disturbing case has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving residents horrified by the brutality of this act. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to gather more evidence and understand the full extent of this tragic incident.