INFAMOUS: The Horsch House of Horrors
It started with a parked car near Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and a woman’s voice from inside: “You’re going to hurt me.” Within hours, investigators were at the door of a boarded-up rowhouse in the city’s Olney neighborhood. What they found inside raised more questions than answers, and months later, they’re still trying to separate what’s real from what was staged. So our team started digging into the house, the men who lived there, and the women whose trails lead back to it.
If you want to learn more about Barbara Rotella’s work documenting underreported and underrepresented missing persons cases, check out UndergroundMysteries.com.
From top left to bottom right: Blair Tonzelli, Amy McHale, Maribel Fresses, Gabrielle Amarando, and Nicole Fusaro.
Source: NamUs, Facebook / Melissa Fresses, Facebook / Gabrielle Amarando, Courtesy: Jonathan Halloran-Koren
The Olney house at the center of the Horsch investigation.
Source: Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
Peter Crimmins, a reporter with WHYY News who interviewed Raymond Horsch in 2014.
Courtesy: Peter Crimmins
Barbara Rotella, creator of UndergroundMysteries.com, a database documenting underreported and underrepresented missing persons cases.
Courtesy: Barbara Rotella
Timeline:
Gabrielle Amarando goes missing. Investigators later identify images of her among digital evidence recovered from the Horsch house.
Amy McHale goes to the Horsch house in Olney and calls her mother from there that night.
Amy leaves her daughter a voicemail saying she is at Ray’s and is OK. She is never heard from again.
Maribel Fresses is reported missing in February. Nicole Fusaro is last known to be alive in July before she disappears.
Blair Tonzelli is last heard from. A friend later tells police Blair was last known to be at the Horsch house.
Blair is officially reported missing.
Barbara Rotella finds a photo of Amy on Raymond Horsch’s website with file data placing it around the time Amy disappeared. She shares the information with police, who interview Raymond.
A park ranger near Independence Mall approaches Eugene Horsch’s BMW after hearing a woman inside say, “You’re going to hurt me.” The woman is carrying a fake ID using Blair’s information. Eugene is taken into custody, leading investigators to his house at 417 W. Chew Ave.
Within hours, law enforcement searches the Olney house and finds weapons, ballistic evidence, a marijuana grow operation, hidden compartments, chemicals and a 55-gallon drum.
Philadelphia police announce that Maribel and Gabrielle are believed to have been killed inside the Olney house after investigators find images in which they appear alive and later appear dead. No bodies have been recovered.
Nicole’s family is notified by Philadelphia police that she is dead and connected to the Raymond Horsch investigation.
Police announce that three additional women may have been harmed after investigators find images and video among the recovered digital evidence. One of the women is later publicly identified as Nicole.
Independence Mall, Philadelphia
A park ranger near Independence Mall encounters Eugene Horsch and a woman carrying a fake ID using Blair Tonzelli’s information, triggering the investigation.
417 W. Chew Ave., Philadelphia
Eugene Horsch’s home in Olney, where investigators execute a search warrant and recover physical and digital evidence connected to the investigation.
Kensington, Philadelphia
Raymond Horsch frequently approached vulnerable women in Kensington, including women struggling with addiction, and recruited them to appear in his photography and videos.
Chalfont, Pennsylvania
Raymond and Eugene Horsch previously lived at a property in Chalfont.
Please contact the authorities if you have any information:
Philadelphia Police Department and FBI
If you have any information about this case, contact the Philadelphia Police Department’s tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477), or the FBI Philadelphia Field Office at 215-418-4000 or tips.fbi.gov.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- Original reporting by Courteney Stuart & Madison Cavalchire
- Associated Press. “3 Charged with Selling Body Parts.” NBC News, 4 Oct. 2007, https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/3-charged-selling-body-parts-flna1c9465147. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Associated Press. “Three Philadelphia-Area Funeral Directors Nabbed in Scheme Selling Body Parts.” Fox News, 4 Oct. 2007, https://www.foxnews.com/story/three-philadelphia-area-funeral-directors-nabbed-in-scheme-selling-body-parts. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Briggs, Ryan W., Max Marin, Barbara Laker, and Ellie Rushing. “Raymond Horsch Had Access to a Kensington Crematorium Linked to Illegal Body Parts Sales, Years Before Missing Persons Investigation.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 21 Sept. 2026, https://www.inquirer.com/news/raymond-horsch-missing-women-kensington-bodies-crematorium-20260921.html. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Calabrese, Joe. “Police Wrap Up Search at Olney Home in Eugene Horsch Drugs, Weapons Case.” FOX 29 Philadelphia, 23 July 2026, https://www.fox29.com/news/police-wrap-up-search-olney-home-eugene-horsch-drugs-weapons-case. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Ciavaglia, Jo. “Bucks County Connection with Philly ‘House of Horror’ Case.” Bucks County Courier Times, 21 Sept. 2026, https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/bucks-county-connection-philly-house-091634860.html. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Jamison, Mikala. “Naked Prostitutes and Heroin: Is the R.C. Horsch Exhibit in Kensington Art or Porn — or a Catalog of Victims?” Philadelphia City Paper, 3 June 2014, https://web.archive.org/web/20151002022349/http://citypaper.net/Blogs/Naked-prostitutes-and-heroin-Is-the-RC-Horsch-exhibit-in-Kensington-art-or-porn-mdash-or-a-catalog-of-victims/. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Kramer, Jillian. “Eugene Horsch Indicted in Federal Court on Firearms, Fake Credentials Charges.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9 July 2026, https://www.inquirer.com/crime/eugene-horsch-olney-house-federal-indictment-20260709.html. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Laker, Barbara, and Ryan W. Briggs. “A Woman Missing Since 2016 Had Close Ties to the Olney House That’s Now the Target of a Massive Investigation.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 27 June 2026, https://archive.ph/LgQGN. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Laker, Barbara, Max Marin, Ryan W. Briggs, and Ellie Rushing. “A Fugitive Pornographer, His Troubled Son, and Missing Women: 5 Takeaways.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 4 Aug. 2026, https://archive.ph/5k9Rq. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Laker, Barbara, Ryan W. Briggs, Max Marin, and Ellie Rushing. “How a Pornographer’s Violent Fantasies Blurred Fact and Fiction as Cops Searched Olney House for Missing Women.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2 Aug. 2026, https://archive.ph/rrdnp. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Marin, Max, Ellie Rushing, Barbara Laker, and Chris Palmer. “Olney House Raid Uncovers Curious Letter, Drugs, Chemicals, Fake DEA Badges — and Possible Links to Two Missing Women.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 26 June 2026, https://archive.ph/USl8e. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Marin, Max, Ellie Rushing, Ryan W. Briggs, and Barbara Laker. “She Disappeared from Kensington Three Years Ago. A Fake ID in Her Name Led Police to a Disturbing Olney House.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 29 June 2026, https://archive.ph/wkyHJ. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Marin, Max, Ryan W. Briggs, and Ellie Rushing. “‘Consumed by Anger’: Inside the 1985 Psych Profile of Raymond Horsch.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3 Sept. 2026, https://www.inquirer.com/news/raymond-horsch-olney-missing-women-psych-exam-20260903.html. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Marin, Max, Ryan W. Briggs, and Ellie Rushing. “Philadelphia Police and FBI to Begin Excavating Olney House in Connection to Missing Women Case.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 21 July 2026, https://archive.ph/YZkIc. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Marin, Max, Ryan W. Briggs, Ellie Rushing, and Barbara Laker. “Police Searched Olney Home Last Summer, but Drugs — Not Missing Women — Were the Focus.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 1 July 2026, https://archive.ph/bOMPg. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Naedele, Walter F. “Police: Olney Raid Nets $1.9 Million Worth of Pot.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 8 Mar. 2013, https://archive.ph/J2g1b. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Nguyen, Hannah. “Man Involved in Olney Missing Women Case Had Ties to Chalfont.” Central Bucks Now, 18 Sept. 2026, https://centralbucksnews.com/news/man-involved-in-olney-missing-women-case-had-ties-to-chalfont/. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Palmer, Chris. “The Olney Man Being Investigated for His Connections to Missing Women Will Be Held in Federal Custody.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 30 June 2026, https://archive.ph/j0xpM. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Pitts, Amanda. “Missing Woman’s Family Says She Was Last Seen at Olney Home Where Police Found Chemicals, Weapons.” 6abc Philadelphia, 27 June 2026, https://6abc.com/post/missing-womans-family-says-she-was-last-seen-philadelphia-home-where-police-found-chemicals-weapons/19392353/. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Rushing, Ellie, and Max Marin. “No Blood or DNA from Missing Women Was Found in Olney House, Sources Say.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 24 July 2026, https://archive.ph/ctpsY. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Rushing, Ellie, and Ryan W. Briggs. “Police Find ‘Significant Amount’ of Blood Inside Olney House Linked to Investigation of Missing Women, Sources Say.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 29 June 2026, https://archive.ph/b8DmN. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Rushing, Ellie, Barbara Laker, Max Marin, and Ryan W. Briggs. “‘I Knew She Was Gone’: Police Say at Least Two Missing Women Likely Killed Inside Olney Home Linked to Violent Pornography.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 Aug. 2026, https://archive.ph/4kYgY. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Rushing, Ellie, Barbara Laker, Max Marin, and Ryan W. Briggs. “Police Believe a New Video Shows Violent Pornographer Raymond ‘R.C.’ Horsch Killing a Woman on Camera, Sources Say.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 28 Aug. 2026, https://archive.ph/wJRDP. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Rushing, Ellie, Max Marin, and Ryan W. Briggs. “Police Find More Photos of Women Who Appear Dead in Pornographer R.C. Horsch’s Home, Bringing the Number of Missing to 7.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 16 Sept. 2026, https://archive.ph/dUdDs. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Rushing, Ellie, Ryan W. Briggs, and Max Marin. “Nicole Fusaro, Missing Since 2018, Identified as Woman Who Police Believe Raymond Horsch Killed.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 11 Sept. 2026, https://www.inquirer.com/crime/raymond-horsch-olney-nicole-fusaro-missing-20260911.html. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Sholtis, Brett, and Ryan W. Briggs. “What We Know About the Olney Investigation into Missing Women.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 27 June 2026, https://archive.ph/AM3en. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Thrasher, Tyler. “Eugene Horsch Investigation: Timeline of Evidence Found at Olney Home.” FOX 29 Philadelphia, 1 Sept. 2026, https://www.fox29.com/news/eugene-horsch-investigation-timeline-of-evidence-found-at-olney-home. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Vadala, Nick. “Eugene Horsch and the Olney House: A Timeline of the Investigation into the Missing Women.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 13 Aug. 2026, https://archive.ph/1pptN. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Vadala, Nick, Isabel Maney, Brett Sholtis, and Michelle Myers. “‘A House from a Scary Movie’: Olney Neighbors Rattled Amid Rowhouse Raid.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 26 June 2026, https://archive.ph/EoPkw. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- Zalot, Morgan. “Police: Cheltenham Car Stop Leads to $1.9 Million Weed Bust.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7 Mar. 2013, https://archive.ph/w8mFv. Accessed Sept. 2026.
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- “Major Drug Bust in Chalfont.” 6abc Philadelphia, 23 July 2009, https://6abc.com/archive/6930702/. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- “Man at Center of Massive Investigation in Philadelphia’s Olney Section Indicted on Federal Charges.” 6abc Philadelphia, 9 July 2026, https://6abc.com/post/man-center-massive-investigation-home-philadelphias-olny-section-indicted-federal-charges/19476064/. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- “Note Mentioning Serial Killer Ted Bundy, Zip Ties Found Amid Investigation at Philadelphia Home.” 6abc Philadelphia, 30 June 2026, https://6abc.com/post/handwritten-note-mentioning-serial-killer-ted-bundy-zip-ties-found-olney-property-center-investigation-philadelphia/19420209/. Accessed Sept. 2026.
- “Timeline of Investigation into Missing Women Connected to Ray and Eugene Horsch in Philadelphia.” 6abc Philadelphia, by 6abc Digital Staff, 16 Sept. 2026, https://6abc.com/post/investigation-timeline-missing-women-connected-ray-eugene-horschs-chew-avenue-house-philadelphias-olney-section/19839936/. Accessed Sept. 2026.
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