Topline: A grand jury’s findings have led to murder, rape and kidnapping charges 24 years after Sabrina Kahler disappeared during a swimming outing in Erie County.
Published: September 24, 2026 10:04 pm ET
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Sabrina Kahler, left, and David Heck in 2002
ERIE, PA — A man has been charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the 2002 disappearance of 20-year-old Sabrina Kahler, whose remains have never been recovered.
David Heck, 50, was arrested at his Indiana home late September 21, following a recommendation from Pennsylvania’s 54th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, WPXI reported. State and local officials announced the charges September 22 after an investigation involving Erie County investigators and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Cold Case Section, established in January 2026.
Attorney General Dave Sunday said testimony from witnesses who had previously been reluctant to cooperate helped investigators assemble the case. The grand jury heard from numerous witnesses, including two of Heck’s acquaintances, before issuing its recommendation.
A Swimming Trip on June 24, 2002
According to the attorney general’s account of witness testimony and other evidence, Heck arrived unexpectedly at Kahler’s home at 1203 East Third Street while she was alone. He was a cousin of her boyfriend, Christopher Lee, and had previously gone swimming with the couple.
Kahler agreed to another swimming outing, and Heck drove her roughly 25 miles to Eagley Park. There, authorities said, he had a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend and several of her friends. WPXI reported that Heck was on probation and had been charged days earlier with assaulting the ex-girlfriend.
Heck called police about the confrontation. Officers responded to the nearby Tasty Twist ice cream shop, where they saw him with Kahler.
Witness Accounts at the Gravel Pits
Authorities allege Heck then drove Kahler to Fairview Gravel Pits, a wooded area with bodies of water. Witnesses reported seeing her in his Chevrolet Blazer near the site.
A fisherman reported hearing a woman scream before a man emerged from the woods alone and briefly spoke to him. The fisherman’s account identified the man as matching a photograph of Heck shown in a television news broadcast.
Years later, according to the investigative account, Heck told a cellmate that he had raped and killed a woman at Fairview Gravel Pits and that she had screamed.
Investigators said Heck subsequently went to a bowling alley and recruited Douglas Heim to help move Kahler’s body. Heim testified before the grand jury that he helped Heck move and bury her at Elk Creek Access. The area is susceptible to flooding and has changed substantially over the past 24 years.
Another acquaintance, Terry Kellerman, testified that Heck had made statements about killing a woman.
The Search for Kahler
Friends and relatives searched for Kahler in the days after she disappeared before reporting her missing. Investigators said Heck avoided people asking where she was; police eventually located him hiding beneath blankets at a friend’s house.
A court declared Kahler legally dead in 2009. Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz said her family had continued to remember her and the community had continued seeking answers.
Sunday described the charges as a significant development but stressed that investigators still had not brought Kahler home. Her remains have not been found.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Man Charged in Sabrina Kahler’s 2002 Killing; Her Remains Are Still Missing
A grand jury’s findings have led to murder, rape and kidnapping charges 24 years after Sabrina Kahler disappeared during a swimming outing in Erie County.
By Silvia Torres
Published: September 24, 2026 10:04 pm ET
Sabrina Kahler, left, and David Heck in 2002
ERIE, PA — A man has been charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the 2002 disappearance of 20-year-old Sabrina Kahler, whose remains have never been recovered.
David Heck, 50, was arrested at his Indiana home late September 21, following a recommendation from Pennsylvania’s 54th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, WPXI reported. State and local officials announced the charges September 22 after an investigation involving Erie County investigators and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Cold Case Section, established in January 2026.
Attorney General Dave Sunday said testimony from witnesses who had previously been reluctant to cooperate helped investigators assemble the case. The grand jury heard from numerous witnesses, including two of Heck’s acquaintances, before issuing its recommendation.
A Swimming Trip on June 24, 2002
According to the attorney general’s account of witness testimony and other evidence, Heck arrived unexpectedly at Kahler’s home at 1203 East Third Street while she was alone. He was a cousin of her boyfriend, Christopher Lee, and had previously gone swimming with the couple.
Kahler agreed to another swimming outing, and Heck drove her roughly 25 miles to Eagley Park. There, authorities said, he had a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend and several of her friends. WPXI reported that Heck was on probation and had been charged days earlier with assaulting the ex-girlfriend.
Heck called police about the confrontation. Officers responded to the nearby Tasty Twist ice cream shop, where they saw him with Kahler.
Witness Accounts at the Gravel Pits
Authorities allege Heck then drove Kahler to Fairview Gravel Pits, a wooded area with bodies of water. Witnesses reported seeing her in his Chevrolet Blazer near the site.
A fisherman reported hearing a woman scream before a man emerged from the woods alone and briefly spoke to him. The fisherman’s account identified the man as matching a photograph of Heck shown in a television news broadcast.
Years later, according to the investigative account, Heck told a cellmate that he had raped and killed a woman at Fairview Gravel Pits and that she had screamed.
Investigators said Heck subsequently went to a bowling alley and recruited Douglas Heim to help move Kahler’s body. Heim testified before the grand jury that he helped Heck move and bury her at Elk Creek Access. The area is susceptible to flooding and has changed substantially over the past 24 years.
Another acquaintance, Terry Kellerman, testified that Heck had made statements about killing a woman.
The Search for Kahler
Friends and relatives searched for Kahler in the days after she disappeared before reporting her missing. Investigators said Heck avoided people asking where she was; police eventually located him hiding beneath blankets at a friend’s house.
A court declared Kahler legally dead in 2009. Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz said her family had continued to remember her and the community had continued seeking answers.
Sunday described the charges as a significant development but stressed that investigators still had not brought Kahler home. Her remains have not been found.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Charged in Sabrina Kahler’s 2002 Killing; Her Remains Are Still Missing
A grand jury’s findings have led to murder, rape and kidnapping charges 24 years after Sabrina Kahler disappeared during a swimming outing in Erie County.
By Silvia Torres
Published: September 24, 2026 10:04 pm ET
Sabrina Kahler, left, and David Heck in 2002
ERIE, PA — A man has been charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the 2002 disappearance of 20-year-old Sabrina Kahler, whose remains have never been recovered.
David Heck, 50, was arrested at his Indiana home late September 21, following a recommendation from Pennsylvania’s 54th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, WPXI reported. State and local officials announced the charges September 22 after an investigation involving Erie County investigators and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Cold Case Section, established in January 2026.
Attorney General Dave Sunday said testimony from witnesses who had previously been reluctant to cooperate helped investigators assemble the case. The grand jury heard from numerous witnesses, including two of Heck’s acquaintances, before issuing its recommendation.
A Swimming Trip on June 24, 2002
According to the attorney general’s account of witness testimony and other evidence, Heck arrived unexpectedly at Kahler’s home at 1203 East Third Street while she was alone. He was a cousin of her boyfriend, Christopher Lee, and had previously gone swimming with the couple.
Kahler agreed to another swimming outing, and Heck drove her roughly 25 miles to Eagley Park. There, authorities said, he had a confrontation with his ex-girlfriend and several of her friends. WPXI reported that Heck was on probation and had been charged days earlier with assaulting the ex-girlfriend.
Heck called police about the confrontation. Officers responded to the nearby Tasty Twist ice cream shop, where they saw him with Kahler.
Witness Accounts at the Gravel Pits
Authorities allege Heck then drove Kahler to Fairview Gravel Pits, a wooded area with bodies of water. Witnesses reported seeing her in his Chevrolet Blazer near the site.
A fisherman reported hearing a woman scream before a man emerged from the woods alone and briefly spoke to him. The fisherman’s account identified the man as matching a photograph of Heck shown in a television news broadcast.
Years later, according to the investigative account, Heck told a cellmate that he had raped and killed a woman at Fairview Gravel Pits and that she had screamed.
Investigators said Heck subsequently went to a bowling alley and recruited Douglas Heim to help move Kahler’s body. Heim testified before the grand jury that he helped Heck move and bury her at Elk Creek Access. The area is susceptible to flooding and has changed substantially over the past 24 years.
Another acquaintance, Terry Kellerman, testified that Heck had made statements about killing a woman.
The Search for Kahler
Friends and relatives searched for Kahler in the days after she disappeared before reporting her missing. Investigators said Heck avoided people asking where she was; police eventually located him hiding beneath blankets at a friend’s house.
A court declared Kahler legally dead in 2009. Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz said her family had continued to remember her and the community had continued seeking answers.
Sunday described the charges as a significant development but stressed that investigators still had not brought Kahler home. Her remains have not been found.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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