Alleged killer enters guilty plea for murders of two women

BUTLER TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY (WOLF) — UPDATE (9/8/21): Harold David Haulman III has entered a guilty plea this afternoon.

Haulman was given two life sentences without parole for the murders of 26-year-old Erica Shultz and 25-year-old Tianna Phillips.

By entering a guilty plea, he was able to avoid the death penalty in this case.

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UPDATE (5/14/21): 42-year-old Harold David Haulman III was escorted into magisterial district court today and was charged with a second homicide.

We told you about Haulman back in December of 2020, when he was charged with the murder of 26-year-old Erica Shultz.

Now, he's being charged with the murder of 25-year-old Tianna Phillips of Berwick.

Phillips and Haulman allegedly had an online relationship that escalated.

Haulman talked with investigators and said he was not interested in a trial but would "take investigators on a field trip," to where the remains of Phillips were located. "Let's get this thing over with," Haulman allegedly said.

According to investigators-on June 13, Haulman allegedly arrived in Berwick, picked Phillips up, and took her for a drive before ending up in the woods.

That's when Haulman allegedly pulled a knife out, attacked her from behind, and cut her throat.

"I stabbed her everywhere," Haulman allegedly confessed.

Haulman also described returning to the scene six months later, finding Phillips bones, and disposing of her remains behind a movie theater dumpster.

Haulman is held without bail at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

On top of that, Haulman is being considered a person-of-interest in the disappearance of a woman in Michigan. That disappearance dates back to 2005.

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UPDATE (12/28): Disturbing details about the murder of Erica Shultz have come out.

According to police, Erica Shultz was on several dating apps, including MeetMe, Skout, and Facebook. She spoke to various men on there. Her sister, Emily Corbin had warned Erica that she should stop this.

A friend of Shultz's said that on December 2, Erica asked him to put a tracking app on her phone.

Erica told this friend about a man named Dave who she was texting. She reportedly told her friend "Dave" wanted her to "pack everything up and go away with him." The friend believes she had plans to meet "Dave" on December 5. Shultz was not concerned, saying "I'll see how it goes."

On December 6, Erica Shultz was reported missing. She didn't show up to work, she didn't have her medication, and no extra food was left out for her emotional support cat. Police say this shows she did not have plans to leave for an extended period of time.

Erica's friend checked the tracking app's and found her location by I-80 in Milton to be unusual. Police could not find her at this location.

Police say they checked cell phone records and found two texts to Erica's phone on December 4. One said "surprise," and the other said, "knock knock." The two numbers were in contact before, but after those texts, communications stopped.

After a search warrant, police found that both Harold David Haulman III, who has no listed address, and Erica Shultz's phones were together at her apartment on 400 Railroad Street in Bloomsburg on December 4. They then stayed together as they headed along I-80 to Milton. That's where Shultz's cell stopped connecting to any towers.

Cellphone records of Shultz's other, older phone showed communications with Haulman as well, according to police. That includes an exchange on November 14, where Shultz and Haulman planned to meet after she got off work at Weis. Surveillance video shows Shultz getting into a car matching the one that Haulman drove.

On December 23, the FBI tracked Haulman to Battle Creek, Michigan. They were authorized to put a GPS tracker on his car.

According to court documents, they spoke to Haulman, scheduled a follow-up interview for the next day, and left. Haulman didn't show up the next day and his phones were shut off.

The FBI tracked Haulman as he traveled to Duncannon, PA on December 25. He stayed in the area where his wife lives.

On December 26th, he sent his wife a text proclaiming his love for her and saying sorry for failing their marriage. Court documents say that he wrote, "but I have some good news, you no longer have to fear me for any reason, I have made a decision that is just best for everyone."

A few minutes later, authorities found Haulman by railroad tracks. A special agent confronted Haulman who then reportedly took out a box cutter and hacked at his right arm, saying, “let me die, “ "I want to kill myself," and "I need to die for my sins." Haulman was transported to the hospital.

At the hospital, police say they spoke to Haulman who asked for his glasses and a phone with Google Maps. Police say Haulman told them he would show them where Erica was. He then reportedly became emotional and said that he hurt everyone who loves him.

Court documents say that's when Haulman pointed out a pull-off by Hobbie Road.

Haulman allegedly said he needed help and that something was wrong with him. Police say he detailed hitting Erica around a dozen times with a mallet-type hammer. When that did not kill her, he reportedly told authorities he used a 3 inch knife to stab her around a dozen times as well. He allegedly ditched the hammer and knife later, as well as Erica's phone.

Authorities say that when they asked Haulman what he was doing by the railroad tracks the other day, he said he wanted to kill himself and "was tired of living this way," adding that he had thought about killing other women before but didn't go through with it.

Court documents say the night of the murder, Haulman went to Shultz's house and asked her to go for a walk with him in the woods.

After the murder, he allegedly told police he went to Lewistown, showered at a truck stop, and slept in his van.

Police say Haulman admitted to having sex with Shultz once, but did not want to be in a relationship with her.

When they asked him where he stabbed her, Haulman allegedly admitted that it was mostly in her face.

On December 27, police searched the woods by Hobbie Road. Erica Shultz was found dead on the ground. Wounds to her head and face could be seen, as well as defensive wounds to her hands, according to police.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Haulman is charged with kidnapping, murder, and abuse of a corpse.

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According to the State Police, the body of missing Bloomsburg resident Erica Shultz,26, has been discovered. Police said her body was found in a wooded area East of Hobbie Road in Butler Township on Sunday. Shultz had been missing since early December. Harold David Haulman III has been arrested and is facing criminal homicide, kidnapping and abuse of corpse charges.

According to investigators, the arrest was made following an in-depth investigation by the State Police, Bloomsburg Town Police Department, Berwick Borough Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Luzerne County Detectives, Luzerne County District Attorney's Office and the Columbia County District Attorney's Office.

According to Police, the last time anyone saw Shultz was on December 4. There is still no word on a possible motive for her alleged kidnapping or if Shultz and Haulman previously knew each other. Haulman is being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. We asked Haulman one-on-one if there was anything he would like to say, as he was led from the Hazle Township State Police barracks to a police cruiser. He remained silent and covered his face with one of his arms.

Stay with FOX56 online as more information is released on this developing story.