A Pennsylvania teenager has been charged with killing his girlfriend, a college soccer player, and enlisting his mother’s help to hide her body, according to authorities. Police say Royce Moser, 18, fatally stabbed Karoline Heintz, also 18, late Wednesday night before moving her body with assistance from his mother, Rachel Moser.

Heintz, a freshman at PennWest California and former Peters Township High School soccer captain, was reported missing by her family after she didn’t return to campus as expected. Using a location tracker, Heintz’s family traced her vehicle to a parking lot near the California Borough Public Library in California, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles south of Pittsburgh. Officers discovered her body in the back of her Jeep Cherokee around 12:24 a.m. Thursday (August 20) with visible trauma.

Investigators believe the fatal stabbing occurred outside Royce Moser’s father’s home in North Strabane Township. According to a criminal complaint, he couple argued in Heintz’s car, and Moser allegedly retrieved a large knife from inside the house before stabbing her in the chest.

After the stabbing, police say Royce placed Heintz in the rear hatch of her Jeep and drove to his mother’s home in Beallsville. Rachel Moser, 56, allegedly helped clean the car and gave her son latex gloves. The pair then drove separately to California Borough, where they abandoned the vehicle with Heintz’s body inside. Rachel reportedly instructed Royce to bathe, shower, and change clothes, later washing his clothing and disposing of the knife, according to court documents.

Both suspects were arrested Thursday (August 20). Royce Moser faces charges of criminal homicide, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse. Rachel Moser has been charged with hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and obstruction of justice. Both were denied bail.

Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh called the incident an “isolated” domestic case, and PennWest University expressed condolences, saying its counseling center would offer support to students and staff. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities say there is no continuing threat to the community.

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