Police reveal new details in case of missing women linked to Philadelphia home
Investigators are combing through more than 1 million digital images and videos.
Police on Wednesday released new details in the case of five missing women who've been linked to a Philadelphia home after images of the women appearing to be unconscious were recovered there.
The case began in June when Eugene Horsch, 44, was arrested; guns and narcotics were recovered and Horsch allegedly had an ID impersonating law enforcement, Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said at a news conference.
In a search at Horsch's home, authorities discovered chemicals and five urns believed to hold human ashes, Vanore said. One urn is believed to contain Horsch's father's remains, another is believed to be a relative, and another is believed to be a friend, officials said, adding that the remaining two are unidentified.
In the search, investigators also recovered over 1 million digital images and videos, including women "posed in different positions" in the house, Vanore said.
Among the images were two missing women: 27-year-old Gabrielle Amarando and 26-year-old Maribel Fresses, Vanore said. Photos dated 2017 show the women lying unconscious in the house, Vanore said, and they are still missing.
A video dated 2017 shows Hersch's father, RC Horsch -- who has since died -- with a woman, and both were nude, Vanore said.
In the video, the woman used drugs, was "given money by Mr. Horsch and then affixed to the bed with handcuffs by him," Vanore said. "... He puts a zip tie around her neck and she becomes unconscious."
Vanore said investigators "still need to find evidence to corroborate what appears to have occurred in this video."
She appeared to be "lifeless," Vanore said. But he added, "it's just appearing that way," and he stressed that no bodies have been recovered.
Authorities are also looking into two other women seen in the images: a 25-year-old woman who appeared to be unconscious and a woman who has not been identified, he said.
Vanore said police are respecting the wishes of the families and not releasing the names of the woman seen in the video with RC Horsch and the 25-year-old woman.
"So that's five altogether that we've had in this house that we're concerned about," Vanore said.
Authorities added that no remains have been found connected to the house.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel stressed that authorities will "dictate the pace" of the massive investigation. Officials said they have "more than 1 million individual digital evidence items requiring review" and about "30% of that review has been completed."
Authorities said they've identified 58 people in the images reviewed so far; some people have been interviewed and investigators said they're working to speak with the others.
There's no current threat to the community, the chief said.
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