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Philadelphia investigators extend search to garden at Olney property linked to missing women
Detectives searching an Olney duplex connected to seven missing women dug up its front garden Wednesday, extending a weeks-long investigation. Authorities say they have found no human remains; evidence from inside the home, including DNA and a hidden safe, is still being examined.
Philadelphia detectives expanded their search Wednesday to a small garden in front of a duplex on West Chew Avenue in Olney, a property connected to seven missing women. The search, now in its third week, has included areas inside and outside the home.
Investigators previously dug up parts of the backyard, where they found animal bones. As of Tuesday, the medical examiner had determined that evidence recovered during the search was not human remains, a spokesperson said. A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation also said none had been found.
The property once belonged to Raymond “R.C.” Horsch, an erotic photographer and filmmaker who died in 2025 at age 82. Police have said photographs and videos may indicate Horsch was involved in the deaths of five women. The investigation has not established what happened to the seven women linked to the property.
During an interior search using luminol, a chemical that can reveal traces of bodily fluids under specialized light, detectives found DNA. Because Horsch, his son and other people lived in the home, investigators are testing whether the DNA has value to the case. Authorities were also examining a safe discovered inside the house. The excavation was expected to conclude this week.
Horsch’s son, Eugene, inherited the property and remains in custody on federal charges involving false credentials and firearms. He has not been charged in connection with the missing women. His attorney has said Eugene was not involved in the searches or raids at the home.
Anyone with information can contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-8477. To reach a homicide investigator directly, call 215-686-3334.