‘A beautiful soul’ Memorial in honor of young woman killed in Washington County grows

CALIFORNIA, Pa. — There is a growing memorial for Karoline Heintz, the teenager who police said was stabbed and killed by her boyfriend.

Most of the people going there said they don’t know Karoline personally. They just wanted to honor her.

The murder has left a mark on the community as well as the one she and the suspect came from.

PennWest California fraternity brothers silently laid roses at the growing memorial for Heintz outside the California Borough Library.

The memorial is just steps from where investigators say they found her body in the back of her Jeep Thursday morning.

Heintz was set to start classes as a freshman at the school Monday and was already practicing with the soccer team.

Pennsylvania state troopers say her killer was her boyfriend, 18-year-old Royce Moser, who is now charged with homicide after he said “demons” overcame him.

“Somewhat of a domestic... that goes south,” Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said.

His mother is charged with helping him dispose of Heintz’s body and clean up.

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She apologized after her arrest.

“I’m sorry my son took a life,” Rachel Moser said while being escorted to a police vehicle on Thursday.

Investigators returned to Moser’s house Friday to follow up with his family, while Heintz’s parents grieved.

They wrote in a statement:

“This is a parent’s worst nightmare… Karoline was loved by all. She was a kind, smart, beautiful girl. We want justice for our “sweet” Karoline.”

Her new teammates are writing tributes of their own.

The team’s social media page posted:

“She was a beautiful soul. The happy, bubbly teammate who was always smiling on and off the field.”

“We’re talking about an 18-year-old girl that was ready to start life, and now she can no longer get to pursue her dreams,” Gagliardi said.

We’re waiting to find out if students at PennWest organize any vigils for Karoline once they resume classes on Monday.

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