EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — Harold David Haulman III, who was suspected of killing two women, pleaded guilty to the murders in Luzerne County court Wednesday.
Haulman was given two life sentences without the possibility of parole. He entered the guilty plea to avoid the death penalty.
“I’ve been doing this for 30 years and you think you see everything then you come along. You are evil, you took the lives of these women for no reason whatsoever. Do you realize what you did? You sir, bringing them into the woods for no reason, just to kill them,” Judge Michael Vough said to Haulman.
Toshia Feaster, the sister of one of Haulman’s victims, Tianna Phillips, said during victim impact statements: “You are the perfect definition of a serial killer and scumbag. They were beautiful loving souls who weren’t able to see you for the animal you are.”
Haulman said “there’s nothing I can say” in response to victim and judge statements.
In a confession letter to his wife, Haulman admitted to killing Tianna Phillips, of Berwick, on June 13, 2018. Haulman told Luzerne County detectives he picked up Phillips from her friend’s house, drove her to a remote area and bludgeoned her to death. Her family did not know what happened to her until the confession and her remains were never found.
Police say Haulman met 26-year-old Erica Shultz of Bloomsburg online and killed her in a wooded area off Hobbie Road in Butler Township, Luzerne County in December 2020.
“Walking her into the woods and hitting her with a mallet-type hammer and stabbing her several times, leaving her where she lay. After, he got rid of all the evidence connecting him to the murder. Everyone involved wanted to find Erica alive,” Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said.
Haulman is also a person of interest in a Michigan woman, Ashley Parlier’s, disappearance in 2005, and has been charged in connection to that case.