Romantic Dreams End in Motel Stabbing Death
- Share via
A high school girl’s romantic dreams ended in her stabbing death in a Van Nuys motel room Monday, authorities said.
Los Angeles police on Tuesday arrested Christopher Michael Rowland, a 21-year-old parolee, and booked him on suspicion of murder in the death of Roberta Mosenthiem, 18. Rowland was arrested at a Lancaster motel after authorities received a tip that he had registered there under his own name. He was being held without bail at Van Nuys jail.
Eight days before her death, Mosenthiem was introduced to Rowland by her 16-year-old brother, who brought the blond, muscular drifter to the Mosenthiems’ Van Nuys home after meeting him on a bus, an older brother said.
The couple exchanged love letters and planned to marry and move to a farm in Missouri, said Marty Mosenthiem, 33. Rowland was released on parole two months ago from state prison in Chino after serving four years on an assault conviction, police said.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
