Boyfriend stabs PennWest California student to death, recruits mom to help dispose of body, police say
The boyfriend of an 18-year-old college soccer player in Washington County, Pennsylvania, is accused of fatally stabbing her, putting her body in the hatch of her vehicle and recruiting his mother for help disposing of the body, authorities said.
Royce Moser, 18, was charged with homicide in the death of Karoline Heintz, a soccer player at PennWest California. Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said on Thursday morning that the two were in a relationship and Moser did not attend PennWest. Moser's mother, Rachel Moser, was charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive, tampering with evidence, and related charges, Walsh said.
The 18-year-old woman was found dead inside her vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, near the California Public Library around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, the Washington County Coroner's Office said.
"It was a result of obviously a domestic situation," Walsh said on Thursday morning.
How the killing unfolded
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Rocco Gagliardi detailed the timeline of the investigation during a news conference on Thursday night.
He said Heintz and Royce Moser got together on Wednesday outside his father's house in North Strabane Township to talk about the future of their relationship, with the trooper saying the conversation "probably goes a little bit south."
Gagliardi said Moser then went into the home, grabbed a "large" knife from the kitchen and stabbed his girlfriend in the chest area. She then fell out of the vehicle, with Royce Moser picking her up before placing her into the vehicle's hatch. He then drove the Jeep to his mom's house in Beallsville, a borough in Washington County, and talked to her about what to do, the trooper added.
"They try to clean clothes, they try to clean the car up, they try to get rid of any bloodstains," Gagliardi said.
Royce Moser is then accused of driving the Jeep, as his mother followed along in another vehicle, to California Borough. They then allegedly drove back together to her home in Beallsville, where investigators reached them on Thursday morning.
"Eighteen-year-old girl, young, soccer star, ready to explore life, ready to start college now can no longer get to do that," Gagliardi said. "Her family, great family, unfortunately we had to deliver all this news to them."
Gagliardi went on to say it was one of "the most unique homicides within our county in quite some time. It's a little bit personable; it's weighed different than some of the domestic relations we get."
Body found after welfare check
Law enforcement received a call for a welfare check for Heintz just after midnight after family members said she never made it to PennWest California. Heintz was with family earlier on Wednesday and was set to return to campus, the coroner's office said.
Heintz'S family tracked her vehicle outside the library and contacted 911.
"Officers start to see some indicators from the vehicle which indicate blood," Gagliardi said. "They check the vehicle to gain entry and they observe Karoline in the back hatch of that Cherokee."
Gagliardi said investigators realized "right away that this was a very serious case." A full coroner report has not been released.
Boyfriend, mom charged
Royce Moser was charged with homicide, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy to commit tampering of evidence, conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse and obstruction of justice.
Rachel Moser is charged with hindering the apprehension of a fugitive, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy to commit tampering of evidence, conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse and obstruction.
