Former Teammates Of Slain Pittsburgh-Area Student Raising Money In Her Memory

PETERS TOWNSHIP, PA — In the weeks since Karoline Heintz's death, many people have learned about her connection and devotion to soccer. A group of her field hockey teammates who knew her now are coming to honor her memory.

Heintz was a 2026 Peters Township High School graduate and a four-year player on the school's field hockey team. This month, the field hockey program is on a mission to honor her memory by raising $10,000 for the One Love Foundation. The organization is a national nonprofit that educates young people about the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and provides tools to help prevent relationship abuse, while bringing greater awareness to relationship abuse among young people.

Heintz, 18, of McMurray, was found dead in the hatch of her Jeep Cherokee on Aug. 20. Authorities believe her boyfriend killed her during an argument, then enlisted the aid of his mother to help dispose of her body.

Ryan Moser, 18, is charged with criminal homicide, tampering with evidence, obstruction and abuse of a corpse. Rachel Moser, 56, is charged with tampering with evidence, obstruction, hindering apprehension and abuse of a corpse.

Heintz was an incoming student at PennWest California, where she already made the women's soccer team. According to her obituary, she was going to be a biology major and already had been accepted to LECOM medical school in Erie, where she planned to become a physician.

The campaign to honor Heintz began at the field hockey team’s Relationship Abuse Awareness Game on Oct. 5. At the game, the team launched “For Karoline, I Choose…,” inviting students and community members to share their commitment to healthy relationships, such as choosing respect, speaking up, setting boundaries or supporting a friend.

The team also initiated its Karoline25 fundraiser, which also includes leading a “25 for 25” challenge encouraging $25 donations in honor of Karoline, who wore No. 25, along with outreach to local businesses and community members and other student-led fundraising efforts.

Peters women's field hockey senior captain Ceci Reyes called Heintz one of the best people she ever has known.

"To us, this fundraiser means keeping Kar’s light shining," she said.

"She is not defined by what happened to her, and we want to continue to share her story while also giving others the resources to foster healthy relationships in their own lives."

Another senior captain, Lily Rose, said that Heintz was like a sister to her.

"Field hockey wasn’t her main sport, but nobody could ever tell," Rose said.

"She always wanted to be at practice and always had something to say to bring the mood up if we were feeling down. The only time I ever saw Karoline frown was when she was forcing herself to make one of us laugh. Her smile was contagious to everyone around her. Karoline was one of my favorite people to be around on and off the field."