Timeline of the killing of a PennWest college student by her boyfriend detailed by investigators

Royce Moser, the 18-year-old accused of killing his girlfriend last month and leaving her body inside a vehicle near PennWest University's California campus, was in a Washington County, Pennsylvania, courtroom on Tuesday for his preliminary hearing. 

Moser is accused of stabbing Karoline Heintz to death with a knife following an argument on Aug. 19. Pennsylvania State Police troopers said that the two were having a conversation about the future of their relationship that likely went "a little bit south" and that Moser grabbed a "large" knife from the kitchen and stabbed Heintz in the chest. Moser told investigators that he had a "demon take over," telling him to stab his girlfriend, according to court paperwork. 

Royce's mother, Rachel Moser, has also been charged in connection with Heintz's death. Troopers said that she helped her son try to hide Heintz's body, which was discovered in the back of an SUV near the California Borough library. On Thursday, body camera footage was released showing officers finding Heintz's body. 

Troopers testify about evidence 

The commonwealth had six witnesses take the stand, including the California Borough police officer who found the woman's body. 

A Pennsylvania State Police trooper also took the stand to testify about what she saw at Rachel Moser's home the morning after the crime. The trooper said Rachel Moser was in custody but requested to use the restroom. The trooper said while she escorted her to the bathroom, she witnessed her shoving blue latex gloves into her pants. They were presented as evidence in court.

The next witness to take the stand was a state trooper involved in forensic services. He explained it was his job to take pictures at Rachel Moser's home after they were taken into custody and of the scene of the crime. Several pictures were shown inside the courtroom of what appears to be blood spatter on Heintz's Jeep. He also took pictures of clothes inside Rachel Moser's washing machine.

Other pictures presented in court showed a knife in a trash bag in the backyard of Rachel Moser's home, blue latex gloves in the trash, blood on a plastic bag, bloody wipes and rags, a bloodied white Coach purse and the contents of Heintz's wallet.

Timeline revealed

A call log from Royce Moser's phone was also presented in court, detailing the phone calls he made on the night of Aug. 19 into Aug. 20. According to investigators, Royce Moser called Heintz at 9:39 p.m. on Aug. 19 immediately after a text conversation between the two of them revealed that she told him she was heading back to college.

At 9:28 p.m., a text showed Royce Moser asked Heintz to stop over at his father's home in North Strabane Township for a hug and a kiss. Heintz responded, "Idk. You'll see."

Police said texts then show Royce Moser asking Heintz, "is it done" before she responds at 9:38 p.m. that she is leaving and going back to college. It wasn't until 12:50 a.m. that investigators said the next text was sent by Royce Moser to Heintz that said: "?".

Police said map data and license plate readers show Heintz left her home and got to Royce Moser's at 9:46 p.m.

Investigators said data shows Royce Moser and Heintz were there for about 30 minutes before data shows both phones leave the house. Police said at 10:22 p.m., Royce Moser called his mother. He called again at 10:23 and got a call back from her at 10:25 p.m., when they talked for nearly 11 minutes.

At 10:37 p.m., police said Rachel Moser called her son again, and it lasted 12 minutes. The next call between the two lasted 17 minutes, according to investigators. Police said the phone calls between Royce Moser and Rachel Moser were deleted from their phones but extracted during a police search warrant.

Investigators said data shows Royce Moser and Heintz's cellphones traveling together from his home to Route 519 to Route 40 to Beallsville. Data shows Royce Moser stopped at his mother's home. They said Heintz's phone lost data before then.

Thirty minutes later, investigators said data shows Royce Moser and Rachel Moser left the home in Beallsville and headed toward California Borough.

Investigators said cellphone data shows Royce Moser and Rachel Moser were at the California Borough parking lot for around two minutes before leaving. Surveillance video in the borough then shows both Royce Moser and Rachel Moser leave in a Volkswagen Jetta.

Troopers said surveillance showed Rachel Moser leading the way from her home to California Borough. Data shows Royce Moser and Rachel Moser went back to Rachel Moser's home before going to the home in North Strabane Township.

The commonwealth then presented evidence showing a screenshot from video footage showing Royce Moser and Rachel Moser inside his bedroom while wearing blue latex gloves around 12:31 a.m. At 12:47 a.m., data shows they left and stopped at a Sheetz, where Royce Moser texted Heintz's phone, according to investigators. 

Around 1:20 a.m., investigators said data shows they arrived at Rachel Moser's home again but then left six minutes later and headed back toward California Borough. The duo made a stop at a GetGo store for seven minutes before investigators said data shows they were back in California Borough near the parking lot of the library at 1:43 a.m.

Surveillance then showed the duo leaving the crime scene, where police were gathered. They returned to Rachel Moser's home at 1:55 a.m.

Police said they also looked at the search history on Royce's phone, where they found he searched numerous things, including "What removes fingerprints from objects," 32 times at 11:12 p.m. on Aug. 19, and "Can an 18-year-old get the death penalty?" 

What investigators learned in interviews 

The last witness to take the stand was a trooper with the criminal investigation unit. She stated that she talked with Heintz's father, who said his daughter was at his home earlier in the day for dinner before she was to return to college. He said his daughter told him she may stop at her boyfriend's on her way back.

The trooper said her father stated he was concerned when he noticed his "Find My" app was not showing his daughter's location on his phone. The last time he checked, he told the trooper his daughter was at Royce Moser's home in North Strabane Township. That's when the trooper said her father notified authorities that there was an AirTag in her car.

After Royce Moser and Rachel Moser were taken into custody, Trooper Jessica Bishop said she interviewed them both at the state police barracks. During a three-hour interview with Rachel Moser, Bishop said she revealed her son stabbed Heintz. Bishop testified that Rachel Moser did not know if Heintz was dead or alive.

When asked why Rachel Moser was seen in surveillance video driving with blue latex gloves on, Bishop testified that Rachel Moser said she had just cleaned up dog poop.

During an interview with Royce Moser, Bishop testified that he told her Heintz had come over and was sitting in the driver's side of her Jeep when "she said something he didn't like that angered him." Royce Moser told Bishop he tried to give Heintz a hug and a kiss, but it was "not welcomed."

That's when Royce Moser told Bishop that he told Heintz to wait while he went into the house and grabbed a knife and then stabbed her. Bishop testified that Royce Moser told her Heintz had fallen out of the vehicle and onto the ground.

"He said he dragged her to the back of the hatch. He then got into her car and put the knife on the passenger seat," Bishop testified.

Bishop testified that Royce Moser then called his mother, who told him to come to her house and put the car in the garage where she allegedly had cleaning products and gloves.

Bishop testified that Royce Moser claimed his mother told him to shower and put his clothes in the washing machine.