Pennsylvania college student found dead in her car after boyfriend allegedly said a “demon” made him stab her

Royce Moser, 18, of North Strabane Township, Pennsylvania, is facing a homicide charge after his girlfriend, 19-year-old Karoline Heintz, was found dead inside her Jeep. Heintz was a student at PennWest California University and had failed to return to campus. Her father asked police to locate her vehicle after an AirTag showed it was in a nearby parking lot.

Per AP, Moser told investigators that he became angry during a conversation with Heintz. He allegedly said a “demon” took over his body and told him to stab her. His mother, 56-year-old Rachel Moser, is also facing charges over what police say she did after the killing.

Police later released body camera footage showing officers discovering Heintz’s body inside the Jeep. The 37-minute video shows an officer approaching the vehicle in the dark and looking through its back window. He then calls for emergency medical help after finding an unconscious woman inside.

The affidavit reads like something out of a horror movie

According to the police affidavit, Moser told investigators he said, “wait, I have something for you” before going inside his home to get a knife. He allegedly stabbed Heintz, then put her in the back hatch of her Jeep. He then got behind the wheel and moved the vehicle.

Moser allegedly asked his mother to follow him to PennWest California University. The affidavit says he wanted to leave Heintz’s Jeep there. Her father had already asked police to look for the vehicle, and the AirTag helped investigators trace it to the parking lot.

The AirTag also showed that Heintz had previously been at Moser’s home. Police eventually found her body inside the Jeep. Investigators then located Royce and Rachel Moser at Rachel’s residence in Beallsville.

That’s where the allegations against Rachel Moser become even more serious. According to the affidavit, she told her son to bathe and change his clothes. She allegedly put those clothes into a washing machine before taking the knife and placing it in a garbage bag for disposal outside the home.

Investigators later recovered the knife after obtaining a search warrant. Both Royce and Rachel Moser are charged with tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and obstruction of justice. Rachel Moser also faces charges of hindering the apprehension of a fugitive and criminal use of a communication device.

Both mother and son are being held without bail in the Washington County jail. An attorney for Royce Moser declined to comment on the charges, while a message left for Rachel Moser’s public defender was not immediately returned. Heintz’s family has asked the public to respect their privacy as they seek justice for her.