Royce Moser, 18, and Mother Charged in PennWest Student's Stabbing Death
Updated
Updated · WPXI Pittsburgh · Aug 21
Royce Moser, 18, and Mother Charged in PennWest Student's Stabbing Death
3 articles · Updated · WPXI Pittsburgh · Aug 21
Summary
Police charged 18-year-old Royce Moser with homicide and his mother, Rachel Moser, with hindering and tampering after PennWest California student Karoline Heintz, 18, was found stabbed to death in her Jeep early Thursday.
Court documents say Heintz drove to Moser's father's home, where Moser told investigators he became angry, fetched a knife from inside, stabbed her in the chest, and moved her body into the vehicle's rear hatch.
Rachel Moser then allegedly had her son bring the Jeep to her garage, helped clean it with disinfectant, gave him latex gloves, and led him back to the university area, where the body was left near the California Public Library.
Heintz's family had tracked the Jeep with an Apple AirTag after she failed to return to campus housing, leading police to the vehicle around 12:24 a.m.
PennWest said Heintz was a first-year student and women's soccer player, while her high school said counselors and social workers would support students after her death.