Investigators suspect Raymond “R.C.” Horsch operated as a serial killer, linking at least seven missing women to his property in the Olney section of Philadelphia, with at least five feared dead. Horsch, who owned and lived at the 417 West Chew Ave. address, died last year at the age of 82.
“It was very alarming to hear that this was going on, and going on for years and right under everyone’s noses without knowing,” said Devon Rodriguez-Cayro, a local worker who frequently waited for the bus near the residence.
Investigation Ramping Up at the Olney Property
Law enforcement operations at the Chew Avenue location are intensifying, with Philadelphia police scheduling road closures and heavy machinery excavations for the property. Police and the FBI plan to dismantle interior sections of the home, targeting flooring, drywall, plaster, and any structural elements that might contain biological evidence such as blood, tissue, hair, or fibers.
Investigators have already removed pipes and various chemicals from the residence.
Among more than 1 million digital videos and images recovered from inside, police have identified at least 58 individuals and conducted interviews with some of them. Authorities reported seeing at least two identified women in the footage who appeared either unconscious or deceased. This aligns with three additional women police believe are dead based on the ongoing probe: Gabrielle Amarando, Maribel Fresses, and Nicole Fusaro. Footage reviewed by law enforcement also reportedly depicts Horsch strangling a woman with a zip tie.
Writings, Manifestos, and Self-Published Books
Before his death, Horsch created adult films, self-published multiple books, and referred to himself in various materials as an empathetic serial killer. In his 2023 self-published manifesto, Worldview: A User’s Guide to the Human Brain, Horsch described humanity as “analogous to a cancer” and characterized humans as an “insignificant life form.”
In his 2013 novel, Empathy: The Memoir of an Empathetic Serial Killer, a fictional character engages in violent acts in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood and describes a chemical body disposal method mirroring details uncovered by detectives. In a 2013 podcast recording, Horsch made disturbing confessions, stating: “I, of course, was kind of a natural as a perverted serial killer, wasn’t much of a stretch at all.”
Traffic Stop Sparks the Broader Probe
The vast criminal inquiry originated from a routine traffic stop during the summer. Horsch’s son, Eugene Horsch—who also resided at the Chew Avenue home—was pulled over by a park ranger near 6th and Market streets in June. A park ranger reported hearing a female passenger tell Eugene Horsch, “You’re going to hurt me.”
The female passenger was carrying the identification of Blair Tonzelli, a woman reported missing in 2023, which immediately triggered alarms among investigators. Eugene Horsch remains jailed on narcotics and weapons charges. An attorney representing Eugene Horsch declined to comment on the broader serial killer investigation, though expressed frustration that police activity would disrupt the Olney residence.
Authorities have identified multiple individuals linked to the case through the recovered digital files and missing persons databases. Gabrielle Amarando disappeared in 2021 at age 22, while Maribel Fresses and Nicole Fusaro both vanished in 2018 at age 27. Other figures linked to Horsch, including his ex-wife Amy McHale and Blair Tonzelli, remain missing. Meanwhile, investigators have located 16 women alive who appeared in the digital files, while attempting to contact 25 others, and noting that three individuals have declined to speak with officers.
