Pennsylvania teen and his mother are charged in the stabbing death of
the son's girlfriend
[September 04, 2026]
By JOHN RABY
Authorities released police bodycam footage Thursday showing the
discovery of a Pennsylvania college student’s body that led to the
arrest of her boyfriend, who said in court documents that a “demon” told
him to stab her.
The boyfriend's mother, meanwhile, is accused of helping him cover up
the crime, according to state police.
Royce Moser, 18, of North Strabane Township, faces a homicide charge in
the death of Karoline Heintz, a student at PennWest California
University whose body was found Aug. 20 after she failed to return to
the southwestern Pennsylvania college, according to a criminal
complaint.
Moser said he became angry with Heintz during a conversation in her
vehicle in Moser’s driveway and that he had a “demon take over” and tell
him to stab her, according to the police affidavit. A preliminary
hearing was held Tuesday for Moser and his mother, Rachel Moser, in
Heintz’s death.
An attorney for Royce Moser declined to comment on the charges against
him, and a message left for a public defender representing Rachel Moser
was not immediately returned.
The 37-minute video released Thursday is from an officer’s body-worn
camera. It shows the California, Pennsylvania, police officer walking up
to Karoline Heintz’s Jeep in the dark. The officer points a flashlight
inside the back window, yells toward another officer nearby, then gets
on his radio.
“Control, I need EMS here right now,” the officer said. “I’ve got an
unconscious female in the back of this car right now. Any additional
units, any in the available area, please.”
An operator radios back, “Is she breathing?”
“Negative,” the officer responds as sirens are heard in the background.
“I’ve got blood everywhere.”
The officer then breaks two windows to gain access inside the vehicle.
“Get someone here now,” he said.
According to the affidavit, Moser said he told Heintz, “wait, I have
something for you” before retrieving a knife from his home. The victim
fell out of her vehicle after being stabbed and Moser put her in the
back hatch before getting into the driver’s seat. Moser then asked his
mother to follow him to PennWest California University in southwestern
Pennsylvania to drop off the vehicle, the affidavit said.
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Police body cam footage released by the California Borough Police
Department in Washington County, Pennsylvania shows the moment
officers discovered the body of a college student in a vehicle in
Washington County, Pa. on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026. (California
Borough Police Department via AP)
Heintz’s father had asked police to look for his daughter’s vehicle
after she failed to return to campus, and indicated an AirTag in the
vehicle showed she was in a parking lot, according to a criminal
complaint. Police found Karoline Heintz’s body in the vehicle. The
AirTag also indicated Heintz had been at Moser's home earlier.
Royce and Rachel Moser were later located at Rachel Moser’s
residence in Beallsville. According to the affidavit, Rachel Moser
told her son to bathe and change his clothes, which she placed in a
washing machine. She then took the knife and put it in a garbage bag
to dispose of in the trash outside her home, according to the
affidavit. The knife was retrieved after investigators obtained a
search warrant.
Royce and Rachel Moser both were charged with tampering with
evidence, abuse of a corpse and obstruction of justice. Rachel
Moser, 56, also was charged with hindering the apprehension of a
fugitive and criminal use of a communication device. Their next
court appearance is a formal arraignment scheduled for Oct. 13.
Mother and son are being held without bail in the Washington County
jail.
Heintz’s family issued a statement asking the public to respect
their wishes for privacy.
“This is a parent’s worst nightmare,” the statement said. “It has
been devastating for family, friends, and the whole community.
Karoline was loved by all. She was a kind, smart, beautiful girl. We
want justice for our “sweet” Karoline.”
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