In a recent investigation, Philadelphia police discovered images of seven missing women while sifting through over a million photos taken from a residence. Disturbingly, two of these women seemed to be unconscious and injured. Authorities revealed these findings during a press conference on Wednesday, stating that five urns, believed to hold human ashes, were also found at the home.
Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore noted that the initial examination of the images indicated that the two missing women, Gabrielle Armando, 27, and Maribel Fresses, 26, were lying unconscious in the Chew Avenue home. Both women still have not been located, and their bodies or any DNA evidence have yet to be recovered.
This house was owned by the late Raymond “R.C.” Horsch, a known pornographer, and it was occupied by his son, Eugene Horsch. Eugene’s arrest in June triggered the investigation into this case.
On June 19, a Federal Park Ranger apprehended Eugene Horsch, who was 44 at the time, after noticing him with a female companion in a BMW near Philadelphia’s Independence Mall. Law enforcement officers uncovered firearms, drugs, and fake identification suggesting he was posing as a federal officer. Following this, DEA task force officers obtained probable cause and executed a search warrant at Eugene’s home.
The identification used by the female passenger turned out to be a fraudulent one relating to Blair Tonzelli, a woman who has been missing since February 2023, confirmed a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department.
Following the warrant execution, investigators discovered unusual items such as a makeshift laboratory, five urns believed to contain human ashes, and significant digital evidence that included computers, drives, cameras, and more. They were able to identify 58 individuals appearing in the videos and images; four of these individuals seemed lifeless, and one video appeared to depict a disturbing incident involving a woman.
One video recording reportedly shows R.C. Horsch handcuffing a woman to a bed, subsequently making her unconscious. This woman has been identified as Nicole Fusaro. Additionally, R.C. Horsch’s ex-wife, Amy McHale, has been missing since 2016, and there are other unidentified missing women linked to the residence.
Vanore concluded the press conference by expressing that they’ve only gone through a small portion of the collected media and that thousands of videos remain to be analyzed. They are working closely with the FBI to substantiate their findings and plan their next steps.
