PORT CARBON - A Saint Clair man is headed to court on charges he allegedly killed another man and threw his body in a wooded area in Blythe Township in June.
After hearing testimony during a preliminary hearing Monday afternoon, Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko determined enough evidence was presented to hold charges against Ethan M. Sullivan for Schuylkill County Court.
State police Trooper Edward Lizewski of the Frackville station charged Sullivan, who listed an address of 128 N. Nicholas St., with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, theft, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person in connection with the June 15 killing of Jason M. Hahn.
Prior to the start of testimony Sullivan waived his right to a hearing on a separate complaint charging him with burglary, criminal mischief and theft stemming from an incident on June 17, two days after the killing.
Lizewski detailed the events that led up to Hahn's death.
He said that about 1 a.m. June 15 Sullivan went to Hahn's home at 557 Blue Mountain Drive in West Penn Township and had a conversation with him. The two left the area in a Jeep that Sullivan had previously stolen.
Lizewski told the court he and other investigators were called to an area off of Silver Creek Road after the body of a man was found under a tarp, covered with logs and tree branches.
"There was a horrendous odor coming from the scene," Lizewski said.
After a preliminary investigation determined the deceased man could he Hahn, Lizewski said numerous interviews were undertaken, one conducted by Trooper Bernard Walasavage determining Sullivan was the last person to be seen with Hahn.
Lizewski said he and Trooper Melissa Kyper went to Schuylkill County Prison where Sullivan was being held on the burglary charges and interviewed him about the death of Hahn.
After Sullivan was read his rights, Lizewski said, he admitted to killing Hahn by hitting him on the head with a metal bar and provided both verbal and written confessions.
Lizewski also said that some of the details Sullivan provided could only have been known by the person who committed the homicide.
A subsequent autopsy at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest determined Hahn died of blunt force trauma to the head and the manner of death was ruled homicide.
The injuries found in the autopsy were consistent with Sullivan's confession about the way he killed Hahn, hitting him three times with the bar, Lizewski said.
When Hahn collapsed Sullivan took his wallet and $54 along with cards and identification, removed the man's cellular telephone and discarded it the battery at the scene, Lizewski said in paperwork filed at the time of Sullivan's arrest.
Sullivan then removed Hahn's sneakers and threw them and the metal bar into a wooded area on the opposite side of where he discarded the body. In court, Lizewski said troopers initially did not find the murder weapon but later located it after Sullivan admitted to the killing and said where he disposed of the bar.
Of the $54 dollars stolen, Lizewski said, Sullivan gave $30 to the father of a friend of his and then an additional $25 to an uncle to whom he owed money.
According to Lizewski's criminal complaint, Sullivan, after killing Hahn, got a blue tarp from inside the Jeep, wrapped Hahn in the tarp, carried him from the area and threw him down a dirt embankment. Sullivan then placed several logs on top of the tarp in an effort to conceal Hahn and then tried to burn the Jeep by setting it on fire before fleeing on foot.
After hearing testimony from Lizewski, the sole witness, public defender Paul Domalakes asked Plachko to dismiss the charges, saying since the trooper or commonwealth did not have an actual autopsy report available, no viable manner of death could be established.
Assistant District Attorney John Fegley countered by saying Lizewski was at the autopsy and was told the outcome and that a written report would be available for a trial.
He also said the commonwealth has a dead body, Sullivan admitted to the killing and the injuries Sullivan said he caused are consistent to the results found in the autopsy.
In the burglary incident that occurred at 212 Oak St., Norwegian Township, state police Trooper Holly Reber-Billings said Sullivan went to the home of his cousin, Tyler Howells, and his girlfriend, Kaitlyn Sinko, between 6 and 10:30 a.m. June 17 and appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
Sinko spoke to Sullivan and asked him if was under the influence of drugs, to which Sullivan replied he had just done "a big line of speed."
Sinko said that she told Sullivan that she had an appointment and that he left the home without incident.