Investigators searching a Philadelphia home connected to seven missing women have discovered a safe hidden behind a wall and recovered bones from the backyard, law enforcement sources told NBC10.
The discoveries mark the latest developments in a weeks-long investigation at a property on Chew Avenue in the city’s Olney neighborhood that once belonged to Raymond Horsch.
Philadelphia police and the FBI have been searching the property for evidence that could help determine what happened to seven missing women, including five who are presumed dead.
Law enforcement sources told NBC10 that investigators discovered the hidden safe earlier this week while removing walls and floors inside the home. It is not yet clear what, if anything, was found inside the safe.
Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant who is not involved in the investigation, said there could be several explanations for why a safe was concealed inside the property.
“We do know that he was, Raymond was arrested before about manufacturing drugs. He could be using it for a lot of stashing cash, what have you. Maybe put movies in there, who knows. Or maybe it was done by a previous owner and he didn’t even know about it,” Giacalone said.
Investigators made another discovery Thursday, Oct. 15, when they recovered bones from the backyard, according to sources.
The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office was called to the property to help determine whether the bones belong to a human or an animal.
As of Friday, Oct. 16, investigators had not confirmed who the bones belong to.
Giacalone said finding animal bones during searches like this is not unusual.
“I’ve been through these kind of digs before and you come across a lot of bones that end up being animal bones. So, having an anthropologist on the scene would have helped out immediately and they could tell you within a matter of seconds if its human or animal,” Giacalone said.
Search crews have made significant progress in the backyard, where much of their attention has been focused.
Investigators have also been collecting soil samples from the property, according to Giacalone, who offered his professional assessment of the search.
“Right now, it looks like soil samples. We saw them going in and taking some samples. And what they’ll do is, they’ll do it in different places and they’ll do it at different depths to see if there’s any chemicals in there,” Giacalone said.
Crews are expected to eventually shift their search to the front of the property.
Investigators had initially been expected to begin digging in the front yard by Friday, Oct. 16 but that work has not yet started. Sources indicate that the timeline remains fluid as investigators follow potential evidence uncovered during the search.
The investigation remains ongoing.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.
