Overview
- Investigators say Karoline Heintz, an 18-year-old incoming PennWest California soccer player, was found dead in the rear hatch of her Jeep after her family tracked the vehicle and called police.
- Police allege Royce Moser stabbed Heintz after a discussion outside his father’s home and then placed her body in the vehicle before driving to his mother’s house.
- Authorities say Rachel Moser helped clean the Jeep, bagged the knife, laundered her son’s clothes, and then the two left the vehicle near the California Borough Library with Heintz inside.
- Royce Moser is charged with criminal homicide and related counts and Rachel Moser faces charges including hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and obstruction; police recovered the knife and other evidence while executing search warrants.
- Officials have described the case as an isolated domestic homicide, PennWest has offered condolences and campus support, and prosecutors are continuing the active investigation and pretrial processing.