Investigators in Philadelphia are examining a vast collection of disturbing material recovered from the home of the late erotic photographer Raymond Horsch, which has raised concerns about the fates of at least four missing women. A nude photograph of Blair Tonzelli, 35, who was reported missing in February 2023, allegedly appeared on Horsch's website with injuries for seven months after her disappearance.
Archived records reviewed by The Philadelphia Inquirer showed the image, which depicted Tonzelli with an apparent black eye and bloodied lip, was displayed on Horsch's erotic website until at least September 2023. Horsch had reportedly uploaded the photograph around 2020 after meeting Tonzelli in Philadelphia.
The website has since been taken offline. It remains unclear when the photograph was taken or whether the injuries were staged.
Extensive Digital Material Recovered
Authorities recovered approximately 600,000 images, 70,000 videos, and over 10,000 pages of writings from digital devices at the Horsch property. Philadelphia Police Inspector Raymond Evers stated that investigators had reviewed only a small fraction of this material, describing it as "graphic and dark."
During the examination of one hard drive, detectives found photographs and videos that appeared to show two other missing women, Gabrielle Amarando and Maribel Fresses, alive at the property and later dead. Amarando disappeared in 2012 at age 22, and Fresses was last seen in February 2018 at age 27. Police believe both women are deceased, but their bodies have not been found, preventing a determination of their cause or time of death.
Connections to Multiple Missing Women
The investigation also prompted authorities to re-examine the disappearance of Amy McHale, Horsch's former wife, who was last seen at the Olney property in 2016. McHale had appeared in Horsch's films and photographs.
This connects the property to at least four missing women: Tonzelli, McHale, Amarando, and Fresses. Tonzelli is still missing, and it is unconfirmed if she appears in the recovered digital material.
No human remains have been found at the property. In July, investigators excavated parts of the site, including removing a section of pipe for forensic testing.
Origin of the Investigation
The investigation began after Horsch's son, Eugene Albert Horsch, was arrested in June. During his arrest, a woman presented officers with a fake identification card bearing Tonzelli's name, which she stated Eugene Horsch created and instructed her to use. Police recovered illegal handguns, drugs, and a fraudulent Drug Enforcement Administration badge during the encounter.
This led authorities to the Horsch residence, where they reportedly found additional fake IDs with Tonzelli's name and one of her bank cards. Eugene Horsch remains in federal custody on a firearms charge, but he has not been charged in connection with the disappearances of any of the women.
Raymond Horsch died in May 2025 at age 82 from lung-related health issues. He was known in the erotic art and pornography industries for publishing films, novels, and photo books, some of which depicted violence against women, though he claimed the scenes were staged and consensual. He had acknowledged recruiting women struggling with addiction by offering them drugs or money.
Tonzelli had reportedly battled addiction and met Horsch while living in a known drug house.
Among the items recovered from the property were containers with unidentified substances, five urns believed to contain cremated remains, illegal weapons, and fake federal law-enforcement credentials. Authorities have not announced any definitive links between these items and the missing women.
Police have not commented on whether they visited Horsch's home or interviewed him after Tonzelli was reported missing, nor have they confirmed if they were aware of the photograph on his website. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department cited the ongoing investigation when asked for comment by The Philadelphia Inquirer.