On June 13, 2016, Amy Teresa McHale, a 44-year-old mother and grandmother from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, left her mother’s home and was never seen again. That night, she called her daughter in an intoxicated state, who advised her to stay at the home of her ex-husband, Raymond Charles "R.C." Horsch, rather than attempt to take the subway. The following morning, June 14, Amy left a final voicemail for her daughter, confirming she was at Horsch's house on the 400 block of West Chew Avenue in
the Olney neighborhood and that she was okay. It was the last time her family ever heard from her.
Amy, a White female with blonde hair and hazel eyes, was a beloved mother to her daughter, Amanda Stofer, and a doting grandmother to three grandchildren. Her family described her as more than the struggles she faced; she had attended Peirce College to become a paralegal in an effort to get her life on track. However, she battled long-term mental health issues and addiction. She had met Horsch, an erotic photographer and filmmaker 30 years her senior, in the 1990s. Her mother, Gloria McHale, said Amy saw him as a "savior" at the time. They married in 2004, but the union was brief, ending in divorce after a few years. Despite the divorce, Amy maintained a friendly relationship with Horsch and would periodically stay at his home, where he permitted her to use drugs.
In the days following her disappearance, Horsch told police that he and Amy had been drinking vodka together before he went to bed, and when he woke up, she was gone. With no apparent evidence of foul play at the time, the investigation into her disappearance stalled. Her family, however, knew something was wrong. Amy had a history of dropping out of sight for a few days at a time due to her addiction, but she never failed to contact her daughter and grandchildren, whom she adored. "Something happened to her in that house," her mother, Gloria, later stated.
For years, Amy’s case remained a painful mystery. The truth began to surface only after Horsch’s death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in May 2025 at the age of 82. A major break in the case came in June 2026, when Horsch’s son, Eugene, was arrested on unrelated charges. This arrest led investigators back to the West Chew Avenue home he had shared with his father. What they uncovered was a "house of horrors" that pointed to R.C. Horsch being a suspected serial killer who preyed on vulnerable women.
The subsequent investigation by Philadelphia Police and the FBI has been extensive, involving the excavation of the property and the analysis of over a million digital files, including photos and videos, left behind by Horsch. These files contained graphic, disturbing, and violent content, much of it featuring women who, like Amy, struggled with addiction. While no human remains have been found at the property, investigators discovered video evidence implicating Horsch in at least one murder; a video reportedly shows him strangling a missing woman named Nicole Fusaro with a zip tie. Images of other missing women, appearing lifeless, were also recovered.
Raymond Charles Horsch had a long criminal history, including convictions for counterfeiting, drug manufacturing, and the attempted luring of a minor. He self-published books in which he described himself as an "empathetic serial killer" and detailed murdering a woman and disposing of her body through a chemical process. Law enforcement sources now believe he may be responsible for the deaths of at least five women, with two others, including Amy McHale, remaining missing and linked to his home.
Amy McHale’s body has never been found, and no one has been charged in her disappearance. The investigation into the full scope of R.C. Horsch’s suspected crimes is ongoing, as authorities continue to sift through the massive amount of digital evidence and identify other potential victims. For Amy’s family, the horrifying discoveries have brought a new dimension to their grief, confirming their worst fears about the man she once trusted. "She was a mother, she was human, she's missed and she was preyed upon," her daughter Amanda said, remembering the woman she lost.
