A Pennsylvania college student was allegedly stabbed to death by her boyfriend, who then left her body in her car, while his mother is accused of helping him dispose of evidence, police said.
Karoline Heintz, 18, was found in the rear of her Jeep near the California Area Public Library in California Borough shortly after midnight on August 20, according to investigators.
Her boyfriend, Royce Moser, 18, has been charged with criminal homicide. His mother, Rachel Moser, faces charges including hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and obstruction.
Police allege that Heintz had met Moser outside his father’s home in North Strabane Township to discuss their relationship. During the meeting, Moser allegedly went inside the house, returned with a kitchen knife and stabbed her in the chest.
Investigators say Heintz’s family became concerned when she failed to return to her accommodation at PennWest California, where she was preparing to begin university. They tracked an Apple AirTag linked to her belongings to the library car park, where officers discovered her vehicle and found blood inside.
According to court documents, Moser allegedly contacted his mother after the stabbing and drove to her home in Beallsville. Police said Rachel Moser then followed him as he drove Heintz’s Jeep to California Borough.
Surveillance footage allegedly showed the pair wearing blue latex gloves. Investigators also accuse Rachel Moser of helping clean the vehicle, washing her son’s blood-stained clothing and discarding the knife in rubbish outside her home.
At a preliminary hearing in Washington County on Tuesday, prosecutors presented evidence outlining the movements of Moser and his mother after Heintz’s death. The hearing included testimony about phone records, surveillance footage and the discovery of the vehicle.
Both suspects remain accused of wrongdoing and are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty in court.
