A Pennsylvania mother and son are accused of attempting to conceal evidence after the son allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death and they transported her body. Royce Moser, 18, is charged with fatally stabbing his girlfriend, Karoline Heintz, 18, following an argument on August 19 in Washington County, near Pittsburgh.
According to police complaints, the incident occurred outside Moser's father's home. The argument reportedly concerned the future of their relationship as Heintz prepared to leave for college. Royce Moser allegedly went into his father's house, retrieved a large kitchen knife, and stabbed Heintz in the chest while she waited in her Jeep Cherokee.
Following the stabbing, Moser is accused of placing Heintz in the back of her vehicle and driving to his mother's home in Beallsville, about 30 minutes away. He contacted his mother, Rachel Moser, 56, early the next morning, requesting assistance in dropping off Heintz's vehicle at the Pennsylvania Western University campus in California.
Royce Moser reportedly confessed to his mother that he had stabbed Heintz and was unsure if she was alive or dead. Instead of contacting authorities, Rachel Moser is accused of helping her son clean the Jeep with disinfectant spray. The pair then allegedly drove in a convoy, both wearing blue latex gloves, to a library parking lot in California, approximately 15 minutes away, where they abandoned Heintz's vehicle with her body still inside.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows the two driving in tandem, both wearing the gloves. Rachel Moser claimed she was wearing the gloves because she had previously picked up dog waste. After leaving the Jeep, they returned to Rachel Moser's home, where she reportedly instructed her son to shower and then cleaned the knife used in the stabbing, placing it in a trash bag outside her residence. She also allegedly put Royce Moser's clothes in the washing machine.
Heintz's family alerted police to her disappearance after tracking her vehicle and realizing she had not arrived at the university. Detectives reported finding blood spatter inside and on the exterior of the driver's side of the Jeep. Royce Moser and Rachel Moser were arrested later that Thursday.
During her arrest, Rachel Moser reportedly told reporters, "I'm sorry, my son took a life." She also denied charges of hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence.
Karoline Heintz was an incoming freshman at Pennsylvania Western University, where she was set to play Division II soccer. She was also a hockey player for her high school team. The university issued a statement expressing deep sadness over her death and extending condolences to her family and friends. Friends held a vigil in her memory, with her hockey teammates participating in a tribute called 'sticks out for Karoline.'
Royce Moser faces charges including 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 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.
Heintz's family released a statement through the Pennsylvania State Police, describing her as a "kind, smart, beautiful girl" and stating their desire for justice. They requested privacy during their grieving process.