Shocking new details have emerged amid an investigation into a "mystery house" in Philadelphia's Olney neighborhood. Eugene Horsch’s house is now in focus, with “graphic” videos being recovered by police. Meanwhile, serial killer claims continue to surface on social media.
During the probe, investigators found evidence suggesting an attempt to grow or produce narcotics. Among several items seized was a piece of writing about serial killer Ted Bundy that referenced zip ties and a drum, a source familiar with the investigation told NBC10. The note even mentioned killings and "trash that needs to go."
It remains unclear who wrote the piece. However, Horsch's attorney suggested in an earlier conversation that the author was Horsch's father, Ray "R.C." Horsch, who died last year. Ray was married to Amy McHale, who disappeared in 2016. He reportedly produced snuff films and wrote erotic books with sadomasochistic themes.
Eugene Horsch's house in focus
On June 19, 2026, a park ranger stopped a BMW on the 600 block of Market Street near Independence Mall. Inside were a male driver and female passenger, Philadelphia Inspector Raymond Evers shared during a press conference.
{{/usCountry}}On June 19, 2026, a park ranger stopped a BMW on the 600 block of Market Street near Independence Mall. Inside were a male driver and female passenger, Philadelphia Inspector Raymond Evers shared during a press conference.
{{/usCountry}}The driver was identified as 44-year-old Horsch, and the woman provided fake identification with the name Blair Tonzelli. According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUS), Tonzelli went missing in 2023.
The park ranger found two handguns and $8,000 in illegal drugs inside the house.
Images and videos recovered from a hard drive found during the search of Horsch's Chew Avenue home show what investigators believe are the bodies of two women, Maribel Fresses and Gabriella Amarando, Fox29 reported. While some videos showed them alive, others showed them appearing to be dead.
Also Read | Who were Maribel Fresses and Gabriella Amarando? Olney ‘mystery house’ probe reveals missing women died
As many as 95 search warrants were issued for Horsch’s house on the 400 block of West Chew Avenue. Inside, the DEA and the Philadelphia Police Department found at least one more illegal gun, a marijuana grow operation, another fake FBI badge and five urns filled with cremated remains.
Authorities also found computer parts and what appeared to be a home lab with several containers of an unknown oily substance. The containers were sent to a Chicago lab to be reviewed.
In the beginning of August, a computer forensic lab started to review the digital evidence from the house. They reportedly went through 600,000 images, 70,000 videos and more than 10,000 pages of drawings and writings, which is just 5% of the digital evidence, according to Evers.
Horsch remains in federal custody on charges unrelated to the missing women.
Serial killer claims continue to surface
The details about the house have led social media users to believe Horsch may be a serial killer, though investigators have not suggested so. “A Eugene Horsch from Philly has been arrested & is looking more & more like a potential serial killer. Police raided his place & found drums, chemicals that could dissolve a body, urns with ashes, guns, fake DEA badges, 600k images & 70k videos. Footage of two known missing women who look dead identified so far, one went missing in 2012. No bodies yet but they're ripping up his sewers & going over his hard drives. Could turn out to be one of the craziest & biggest serial killer stories yet,” an X user wrote.
Another said, “Eugene Horsch could possibly be the biggest serial killer of all time.”
“We could be witnessing the case of one of the most prolific killers in history unfolding right now. Eugene Horsh. A few days ago, they found hundreds of thousands of photos and videos of murders and have been able to identify 4 missing women in them so far,” a user wrote.
Horsch was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges connected to false FBI credentials, NBC10 reported. At a preliminary hearing on August 6, Pennsylvania state prosecutors withdrew all five charges against him.
Horsch is still facing federal charges for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of an unlawfully produced document and authentication feature. He was transferred to federal custody after federal prosecutors charged him. A jury trial in the federal case has been scheduled for September 8.