An 18-year-old Pennsylvania woman was supposed to be returning to college Wednesday night. When she stopped responding, her family began tracking her location.
That search ended shortly after midnight Thursday in a parking lot near the California Borough Library, where police found Karoline Heintz’s Jeep Cherokee. According to court documents reported by ABC News, officers saw blood inside and outside the vehicle. Heintz was found dead in the rear cargo area.
Pennsylvania State Police say the person responsible was her 18-year-old boyfriend, Royce Moser. Investigators allege Moser stabbed Heintz outside his father’s home following a conversation about their relationship, put her in the back of her own Jeep, and drove to his mother’s house.
What police say happened next has resulted in two people being jailed. Royce Moser is charged with criminal homicide and several other offenses. His mother, Rachel Moser, is accused of helping her son clean evidence, dispose of the knife, and return the Jeep with Heintz still inside.
Her Family Tracked The Jeep To A Parking Lot
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Heintz had spent time with family Wednesday and was expected to return to her housing at Pennsylvania Western University California, where she was beginning her freshman year.
Her father, Jerad Heintz, told investigators that she left his home with the possibility of stopping at Target before heading back to campus, according to the affidavit of probable cause cited by ABC News.
When he checked her location, he saw that she had stopped at her boyfriend’s home. About half an hour later, she was moving again. Her phone’s final location transmission came from the area of 2501 National Pike.
Her family couldn’t reach her.
There was another way to find the Jeep, however. An Apple AirTag was inside it.
The AirTag indicated the vehicle was in a California Borough parking lot, prompting the family to contact police. Officers were asked to look for Heintz’s Jeep shortly after midnight.
According to CBS Pittsburgh, the Jeep was located near the California Public Library at about 12:30 a.m.
Police said there was noticeable blood spatter inside and outside the vehicle. After gaining entry, officers discovered Heintz in the rear cargo area.
The investigation quickly moved away from the parking lot.
Police Say The Couple Met To Talk
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said Heintz and Royce Moser had met outside Moser’s father’s home in North Strabane Township to discuss the future of their relationship.
Investigators allege the conversation deteriorated.
According to police, Moser became angry, went inside the residence, retrieved a large kitchen knife, returned to the Jeep, and stabbed Heintz in the chest.
The criminal complaint says Moser allegedly told Heintz, “Wait, I have something for you,” before going inside for the knife.
Heintz fell from the vehicle after she was stabbed, police said. Moser allegedly picked her up, placed her in the Jeep’s rear cargo area, and drove away.
But investigators say he did not initially drive toward the parking lot where police would later find her.
He went to his mother’s house in Beallsville.
His Mother Is Accused Of Helping With The Aftermath
Police allege Royce told Rachel Moser what he had done after arriving at her home.
What followed forms much of the case against her.
“They try to clean clothes, they try to clean the car up, they try to get rid of any bloodstains,” Gagliardi said during a state police news conference, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Investigators allege Rachel attempted to clean the Jeep with disinfectant spray and provided her son with latex gloves.
The criminal complaint also says she told him to take a bath and then shower, had him change his clothes, and washed the clothing.
Police say the knife was dealt with separately.
Royce allegedly told investigators his mother placed the knife in a garbage bag so it could be put in the trash outside her house.
Investigators later searched the garbage and reported finding a knife in a bag matching the description he had provided.
The Jeep still had to be moved.
Surveillance Footage Helped Reconstruct The Trip
According to the criminal complaint, Royce drove Heintz’s Jeep toward California Borough while Rachel followed in another vehicle.
Police allege they left the Jeep near the library with Heintz still inside, then returned together to Rachel’s home in her vehicle.
Investigators weren’t relying solely on their accounts of that trip.
Surveillance footage captured Royce driving Heintz’s Jeep near the location where it was later discovered, according to the complaint. Rachel’s vehicle was also recorded following it.
Police located Royce and Rachel at her residence on Thursday morning and took both in for interviews.
Rachel allegedly told investigators her son had admitted to stabbing Heintz and had asked for her help returning the Jeep to the university area.
Royce also admitted to killing Heintz during his interview, according to court records.
His alleged explanation was unusual, but it is important to keep it in the context in which investigators recorded it.
Court documents say Royce told police that he became angry during the conversation with Heintz but could not remember exactly what she had said. He then claimed a “demon” took over and told him to stab her.
Rachel separately told investigators that her son had spoken about “demons” telling him to hurt Heintz.
Those statements are allegations contained in the court record. They do not establish why the killing occurred.
Both Mother And Son Are Now In Jail
Royce Moser has been charged with criminal homicide, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse, and obstruction of justice.
Rachel Moser is charged with hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse, and obstruction.
Both were taken to the Washington County Prison.
As Rachel was being escorted by police Thursday night, WTAE footage carried by ABC captured a reporter asking why she was sorry.
“My son took a life,” Rachel responded.
State police said the investigation remains ongoing.
Heintz Was About To Begin Her College Soccer Career
Heintz had graduated from Peters Township High School in the spring and was beginning her first year at PennWest California.
She was also a defender on the university’s women’s soccer team.
On Friday, California Athletics described Heintz as “a bright and kind young woman with so much ahead of her.”
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference plans to observe a moment of silence at conference athletic events from Aug. 27 through Sept. 3.
Heintz’s soccer team and the university have also partnered on a fundraiser benefiting Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern Pennsylvania, with $10 from each memorial shirt sold going to the organization.
Her family released a statement Friday describing what happened as “a parent’s worst nightmare” and remembering their daughter as kind, intelligent, and deeply loved.
Heintz was 18 years old.