Police in Pennsylvania have charged an 18-year-old man and his mother in the fatal stabbing of a college student, whose body was discovered hidden in her vehicle on August 20. Royce Moser of North Strabane Township faces a homicide charge in the death of Karoline Heintz, a student at PennWest California University. His mother, Rachel Moser, has been charged with hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and obstruction.
Newly released bodycam footage shows officers discovering Heintz’s body inside her Jeep in a campus parking lot after her father tracked the vehicle using an Apple AirTag. The footage captures officers breaking two windows to reach the victim, who was found unconscious with significant blood loss. Police radio transmissions from the scene describe the severity of the injuries.
According to a police affidavit, Royce Moser told investigators that during an argument in his driveway, he became angry and claimed a ‘demon took over’, instructing him to stab Heintz. He allegedly used a knife from his home before shoving her body into the vehicle. Prosecutors allege Moser lured Heintz to his home two weeks prior to the killing, where the stabbing occurred.
Evidence presented in court includes surveillance images reportedly showing Moser wearing blue latex gloves after the incident, as well as images of blood in the trunk of Heintz’s SUV and discarded knives. Investigators also noted Moser’s online searches, which included queries such as ‘what removes fingerprints from objects’ and ‘can an 18-year-old get the death penalty?’
Rachel Moser is accused of assisting in a cover-up by helping clean the car, washing Moser’s clothes, and disposing of the knives in a garbage bag. Both defendants appeared at a preliminary hearing this week, where a judge upheld all charges against Royce Moser and added a new charge against Rachel Moser for abuse of a corpse.
Attorneys for both defendants declined to comment on the charges. The case remains under active investigation, with further court proceedings pending.
Background
Karoline Heintz, 18, was a soccer player at PennWest California University. The stabbing occurred on August 20, and her body was located later that day after her father reported her missing. The incident has drawn attention due to the alleged involvement of a supernatural claim and the alleged role of the victim’s boyfriend’s mother in the aftermath.