FBI and Philadelphia Police Investigate Backyard Linked to Seven Missing Women

Police and the FBI have returned to excavate the backyard of a Philadelphia home as part of an ongoing investigation into a potential serial killer. The investigation has already uncovered apparent "snuff" films, ash-filled urns, and evidence linked to at least seven missing women. Images show an excavator in the backyard, with police in protective gear continuing to enter and exit the property this week. Tents have been set up in the backyard and in front of the house, and parts of the lawn are covered with tarps. Investigators were observed wearing various levels of safety equipment, including face masks, hazmat suits, rubber gloves, protective sleeves, and booties. One crime scene investigator was seen with what appeared to be a chemical-spraying backpack. A crime scene photographer was also present on Wednesday. Yellow police tape surrounds the perimeter, and uniformed officers are stationed at the site. Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD cold case sergeant and adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, noted the scale of the investigation, indicating that the number of crime scene technicians involved suggests a thorough examination of the property. Police have visited the home multiple times in recent weeks, carrying out boxes of evidence, including one marked "glass vials." A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department declined to provide specific details about the ongoing searches, citing the active investigation. Raymond "RC" Horsch, a producer of BDSM-themed pornography and books, died last year at age 82. Police searched his former home after arresting his 44-year-old son, Eugene Horsch, in June. The younger Horsch was arrested in a car with a woman carrying an ID belonging to one of the seven missing women linked to the investigation. Earlier searches revealed images and videos that police stated show four of the seven missing women, as well as a drum of chemicals connected to the house's water system. James Gagliano, a retired FBI supervisory agent, explained that investigations based on forensic evidence can lead to repeated visits to a crime scene as new findings may prompt further searches. Only some of the missing women have been publicly identified, including Maribel Fresses, 26, who disappeared in 2018, and Gabrielle Amarando, 27. During Eugene Horsch's arrest, the woman with him had an ID for Blair Tonzelli, 38, who was last seen in Philadelphia in February 2023. Two other women have been identified in local reports as missing persons. One is Horsch's ex-wife, Amy McHale, 54, last seen on June 13, 2016, and the other is Nicole "Nikki" Fusaro, 34, who vanished in July 2019. Investigators have also identified dozens of other individuals from the images, but no arrests have been made as the investigation continues. Police have previously excavated underground pipes, but no bodies have been found. Eugene Horsch's arrest was unrelated to the discoveries made at his father's former home, and he has not been charged in connection with the women's disappearances.