Joshua Douglas Moser, 34, of Allentown, was pronounced dead at 3:41 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown, according to Lehigh County Coroner Daniel A. Buglio.
Moser, who was being held at Lehigh County Jail, was charged in May 2024 with homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence in the murder of his 37-year-old roommate, David Hittinger, authorities said and Daily Voice previously reported.
Investigators alleged that Moser killed Hittinger in the basement of his home on the 600 block of West Franklin Street in Slatington, then dismembered him and scattered his remains in plastic bags across multiple locations, including the D&L Trail, Fairview Cemetery, and a small quarry in Washington Township.
Hittinger was reported missing on May 13 after he failed to show up for plans to celebrate his birthday, authorities said. Police later found blood, hair, a saw, a box cutter, and bloody clothing in Moser’s home, prosecutors said.
The two men had known each other "for some period of time" and were believed to have had a disagreement prior to the killing, authorities said.
Moser’s autopsy is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 13, at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensic Center to determine the cause of death. "There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding this investigation," Buglio said, ruling the manner of death as suicide.
The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office is assisting in the investigation.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support 24/7.
Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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