Bodycam footage has revealed the moment a Pennsylvania police officer discovered the body of 18-year-old college freshman Karoline Heintz stabbed to death in the back of her car, screaming for emergency help at the horrifying scene. Heintz's boyfriend, Royce Moser, also 18, has been charged with her murder, while his mother, Rachel Moser, 56, faces charges for allegedly helping him dispose of the body afterwards. The case has drawn attention both for the harrowing nature of the discovery and for the unusual allegation that a parent assisted in covering up her son's alleged crime.

Heintz, who had been due to play Division II soccer at PennWest University, was found in the boot of her grey Jeep on 20 August in California, Pennsylvania, roughly 36 miles from Pittsburgh, after her parents reported her missing and tracked an Apple AirTag to the scene. According to a criminal complaint, Royce allegedly stabbed Heintz following an argument at his home before dragging her body to the back of the vehicle and phoning his mother, who then helped him dispose of the body. At a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, prosecutors presented six witnesses and 32 pieces of evidence, including a knife set found in a bin bag, saying the pair initially avoided police before confessing their roles. Neither has yet entered a plea, and it remains unclear how long Heintz and Royce had been dating.