Philly police excavating pipe at Olney home linked to missing woman
Jul 21, 2026
Philadelphia police began digging up a pipe Wednesday at the Olney property at the center of an ongoing investigation that is possibly connected to the disappearance of at least one woman.
Earlier this week, Philadelphia police spokesperson Sgt. Eric Gripp said police, alongside federal partners,
had planned to excavate the pipe in the near future.
That excavation effort began on Wednesday.
What police found at the home so far
The FBI, DEA and Philadelphia police raided the West Chew Avenue home in late June following the arrest of Eugene Horsch, 44.
Federal park rangers arrested Horsch on June 19 on drug-related charges, according to court records. Information obtained after his arrest led investigators to search a home on West Chew Avenue beginning June 25.
Police remained stationed outside the property Tuesday, more than a month later.
After the initial search in June, officers discovered “a lot of ammo and some narcotics,” along with a 55-gallon drum, Philadelphia police said after the raid. Investigators also found evidence suggesting an attempt to grow or produce narcotics.
Among the items seized was a piece of writing about serial killer Ted Bundy that referenced zip ties and a drum, a source familiar with the investigation told NBC10.
The note also mentioned killings and “trash that needs to go.” It was not clear who wrote the note.
The charges against Eugene Horsch
A federal grand jury indicted Horsch on charges connected to his initial arrest and the raid, including possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of an unlawfully produced document and authentication feature, as the NBC10 Investigators first reported.
The document-related charges stem from alleged false DEA and FBI credentials, according to court documents.
Horsch was transferred to federal custody after prosecutors charged him late last month. He also faces state charges connected to his June 19 arrest. A preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for Aug. 6. A jury trial in the federal case is scheduled for Sept. 28.
An attorney for Horsch declined to comment on the grand jury indictment. He previously said much of the items discovered in the home belonged to Horsch’s late father. There was no connection Wednesday to Horsch and the excavation and no additional charges have been filed.
Who was the woman last seen at the West Chew Avenue home?
The family of a woman who disappeared 10 years ago told the NBC10 Investigators that police have not connected her case to the ongoing investigation at the home.
Amy McHale disappeared in June 2016, her daughter, Amanda Stoffer, said.
McHale was married to Eugene Horsch’s father, who owned the home at the time. Though the couple divorced, they remained friends.
The elder Horsch died last year.
At the time of her disappearance, McHale was actively using heroin and receiving methadone treatment, Stoffer said.
However, her last known location was the West Chew Avenue home, according to her daughter.
To submit a tip regarding McHale’s disappearance, contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Philadelphia police’s online tip form.
NBC10 investigative reporter David Charns can be reached at [email protected].
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