Sabrina Kahler, 20, vanished on June 24, 2002, after spending the day with David Heck in Pennsylvania. New witness testimony, including from a man who says he helped bury Kahler, prompted a grand jury to indict Heck on murder, rape and kidnapping charges. Heck was arrested in Indiana on Sept. 21 and is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania. Authorities say they now have a likely burial location, but Kahler’s remains have not yet been recovered and searches continue.
Suspect Arrested in 2002 Disappearance of Sabrina Kahler as Search for Remains Continues
Sabrina KahlerCredit: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
On June 24, 2002, 20-year-old Sabrina Kahler disappeared after spending the afternoon with David Heck, the cousin of her then-boyfriend, in northwestern Pennsylvania. More than two decades later, new witness testimony prompted a grand jury to return an indictment charging Heck with murder, rape and kidnapping. Heck was arrested on Sept. 21 in Indiana and is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania.
Events of June 24, 2002
According to investigators, Kahler was at home when Heck arrived unannounced and suggested they go swimming. The two went to Eagley Park, a lakefront recreation area near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border. After an altercation between Heck and an ex‑girlfriend at the park, the pair left to get ice cream. While at the ice cream shop, Heck reportedly called police to report the earlier confrontation. Sometime after those events, Kahler vanished.
Sabrina KahlerCredit: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
New Witness Evidence
Heck initially told police he dropped Kahler at a nearby shopping center and gave her money to see a movie. That account has been challenged by multiple witnesses over the years. A local fisherman said he saw Heck at the heavily wooded Fairview Gravel Pits on the day Kahler disappeared, shortly after hearing a "blood‑curdling scream," according to a news release from Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday. A former cellmate later told investigators that Heck boasted he "raped and killed a girl at Fairview Gravel Pits and that she screamed."
"A totality of evidence that included key grand jury testimony from previously-reluctant witnesses led to a single conclusion — that David Heck raped and murdered Sabrina Kahler 24 years ago," Attorney General David Sunday said after the arrest. "This is a historical development that brings some answers for Sabrina's loved ones and the Erie community, but it is not a day of celebration as we have not yet brought Sabrina home."
Allegation of Burial and Ongoing Search
Perhaps the most consequential testimony came from Douglas Heim, who told prosecutors that Heck had recruited him at a bowling alley after Kahler's disappearance and asked for help moving and burying a body. Heim said he assisted in burying Kahler, and investigators say that testimony led them to a probable burial location. Authorities continue to search the site and other areas in an effort to recover Kahler's remains.
Sabrina Kahler's Last DayCredit: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Arrest and Next Steps
Heck, now 50, was arrested in Indiana on Sept. 21 after police found him hiding under blankets in a friend's home. A grand jury has issued an indictment recommending charges of murder, rape and kidnapping. Heck is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania, where prosecutors say they will continue efforts to locate Kahler's remains and finalize charges.
Family members and the community have reacted with cautious relief that the case has advanced, while investigators emphasize that recovering Kahler's body remains a critical priority.
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