Olney "house of horrors" investigation sparks questions over Philadelphia police missing persons handling
Police in Philadelphia are steadily working through digital evidence connected with the Olney house of horrors investigation and the property's late owner, Raymond "R.C." Horsch.
Seven missing women have now been linked to the house at 417 West Chew Ave. Five of them are feared to be dead from what police have discovered in videos. Investigators have identified 58 people from images and videos collected from the house.
The investigation began when the National Park Service arrested Eugene Horsch on weapon and drug charges in June. After months, the investigation shifted to his dead father, Raymond Horsch.
At the time of Eugene Horsch's arrest, sources said that because of the discovery of a complex laboratory, strange chemicals and troubling videos showing missing women, it could be the beginning of a horrific case.
Police on Wednesday added more women to the number they suspect are dead: five total. Some names are known, and two are still labeled as missing. PPD and the FBI are probing where the remains of the women suspected to be dead are.
The question from family members and lawmakers is: Could more have been done as police received missing persons reports?
"I'd be willing to look at any kind of avenues that we can do to stop something like this from happening again, but what?" City Councilmember Jim Harrity said. "What do we do?"
Police launched an exhaustive investigation into the disappearance of Amy McHale, Raymond Horsch's ex-wife.
Investigators said Wednesday they interviewed Horsch in June 2016, shortly after McHale was reported missing by family. She was reportedly last seen at 417 West Chew Ave.
"There was some very extensive investigation that R.C. Horsch was interviewed," Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said. "But when family reported them missing, they were talked to. It was just, nothing was apparent at that point that anything was wrong other than they were missing and they were last seen with him."
An attorney for Eugene Horsch, who also represented his father, declined to comment.
Law enforcement confirmed that in one of the hundreds of thousands of videos that exist, Raymond Horsch is seen strangling a woman with a zip tie, which sources say would implicate him in murder.
Harrity, who is open about his own recovery, is troubled and disgusted by police believing Horsch preyed on women struggling with addiction.
"Because of the drugs, people are not in their right minds, they're taking advantage of them and that's what you see," Harrity said. "This guy isn't the first. He's surely one of the most horrendous."
A spokesperson for Mayor Cherelle Parker said that while the administration declines to comment on the investigation, they will follow the police department's lead.
