Wednesday, August 17, 2022

The Disappearance and Presumed Murder of Tianna Phillips


Tianna Phillips has been missing since June 13th, 2018. The then-25-year-old woman was last seen in Berwick, Ohio. Tianna reportedly left her boyfriend's residence in Berwick at some point between 11:00 PM and 12:30 AM and never returned home. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Tianna left behind two young sons who are now in the care of a relative. It was quite uncharacteristic for her to be out-of-touch with her loved ones, and it was never believed that she went missing on her own accord. Tianna's social media presence completely stopped after her disappearance, but she was previously quite active on Facebook. 

In fact, just hours before she vanished, Tianna posted the following on her Facebook page: "FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW... ME AND SCOTT ARE NOT TOGETHER HE THREW ME OUT... WE ARE BROKE UP AND THATS HOW ITS GOING TO STAY...." 


Tianna's post from the day of her disappearance (source: Facebook)

After Tianna was reported missing, people began commenting on the Facebook post, asking if her ex-boyfriend Scott had been investigated. Some replied stating that Scott was cooperating with the investigation, but there were still some commenters who have questioned whether or not that was true. Other commenters on the post indicated that Tianna might have been avoiding her family. Her family denied this and believed she was harmed. 

Nearly three years later, an arrest would be made that would disprove not only the rumor that Tianna's ex was involved, but also the rumor that she was hiding from her family.

Harold Haulman III.

Almost three years after Tianna's disappearance, a man named Harold Haulman III was charged with Tianna's murder. It was then revealed that on the night of Tianna's disappearance, she told a friend that she had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend and that a man named Dave was going to pick her up. It's believed that "Dave" was actually Harold Haulman.
Harold's other charges: the murder of Erica Shultz.

Before being charged with Tianna's murder, Haulman had already been charged with the murder of 26-year-old Erica Shultz. Erica vanished in Michigan and was reported missing on December 6th, 2020. Cell phone records linked Erica to Haulman. The two had reportedly met on a dating app. 

Erika Shultz (source)

By late December 2020, Haulman decided to cooperate with the investigation into Erica's disappearance. He subsequently led them to Erica's remains in a wooded area off Hobbie Road. It's believed that this is the same location where Tianna was killed.

Haulman's connection to Tianna.

Tianna Phillips and Haulman also reportedly met on a dating app years earlier. Haulman was married, but his wife knew of their affair. Tianna herself had another boyfriend as well. However, at some point, Haulman learned that Tianna's boyfriend also knew about their affair. For whatever reason, this made him angry. 

On the evening Tianna's disappearance, Haulman took her to the spot off Hobbie Road under the guise of starting a bonfire. Instead, Haulman reportedly struck Tianna with a hammer several times, stabbed her, and slashed her throat. He then left her remains in the woods.

Haulman later confessed to his wife that he had killed Tianna. Months later, Haulman and his wife returned to the murder site to gather Tianna's remains, which they later placed in a dumpster. Her remains have still not been found.

Guilty plea and another case.

In September 2021, Haulman pleaded guilty to the murders of Erica Shultz and Tianna Phillips. Around that time, it was also revealed that Haulman confessed to murdering another young woman named Ashley Parlier, who vanished from Battle Creek, Michigan, in 2005. 


Ashley Parlier (source)

Haulman was linked to Ashley's disappearance after he was in custody for the other two murders. He reportedly asked investigators if they could combine all three cases in court because he did not want to go to trial. However, up until that point, investigators were only aware of Haulman's involvement in Erica and Tianna's cases - Ashley had not yet been brought up. As such, Haulman later confessed to murdering Ashley as well. 

Harold pleaded guilty to murdering both Erica and Tianna so he could avoid the death penalty. He was subsequently given two life sentences. He is still awaiting further court proceedings in Ashley's case. 

The remains of both Tianna and Ashley have still not been found. 

-
Sources:
Charley Project
PA Home Page
WNEP

No comments:

Post a Comment