Pennsylvania Teen, Mother Charged in Stabbing Death of College Student
An 18-year-old and his mother face charges in the stabbing death of a PennWest California student, whose body was found in her Jeep.
Authorities in southwestern Pennsylvania have charged an 18-year-old man and his mother in connection with the stabbing death of a college student. Royce Moser of North Strabane Township faces a homicide charge in the killing of Karoline Heintz, a student at PennWest California University. His mother, 56-year-old Rachel Moser, is accused of helping him cover up the crime.
Police released body-worn camera footage on Thursday showing the moment an officer discovered Heintz's body. The video, lasting 37 minutes, captures an officer approaching a Jeep in a parking lot in California, Pennsylvania. After shining a flashlight into the vehicle, the officer urgently radios for emergency medical services, reporting an unconscious female and visible blood. He then breaks windows to gain access.
According to a criminal complaint, Royce Moser told investigators he became angry with Heintz during a conversation in her vehicle. He claimed a "demon take over" instructed him to stab her. The affidavit states Moser retrieved a knife from his home, telling Heintz he had something for her, before the attack. After she fell from the vehicle, he placed her body in the back hatch and drove to the university campus, with his mother following.
Heintz's father had requested a welfare check after she failed to return to campus. An AirTag in the vehicle helped police locate it in a parking lot, where they found her body. The tracking device also indicated she had been at Moser's home earlier.
Investigators say Rachel Moser instructed her son to bathe and change clothes, placing his garments in a washing machine. She allegedly hid the murder weapon in a garbage bag outside her home, where it was later recovered under a search warrant.
Both mother and son face charges including tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and obstruction of justice. Rachel Moser faces additional counts of hindering apprehension and criminal use of a communication device. They remain held without bail in the Washington County jail, with a formal arraignment scheduled for October 13.
Heintz's family released a statement describing the loss as "a parent's worst nightmare," remembering her as a kind and intelligent young woman. They have requested privacy as they seek justice.