Eugene Horsch Held on Gun, Drug Charges After Olney Search Uncovered 55-Gallon Drum

Q: Who penned the chilling Ted Bundy note: the late horror-writer father or his son?

It has not been definitively determined, but the strongest public indication so far points to the late father, Raymond Charles “R.C.” Horsch, not his son Eugene. The note found in the Chew Avenue house was unsigned, and investigators have said they are still trying to establish who wrote it and whether it was fiction rather than evidence of a crime. Police have emphasized that the scene is still being processed and that DNA and other forensic testing are ongoing. The main reason suspicion has shifted toward R.C. Horsch is his background. He lived at the property until his death in 2025, had a long criminal history, and was known as a horror-fiction writer and filmmaker whose work included violent and dark themes. Eugene Horsch’s attorney, Jerry Brown, said the Ted Bundy writing sounded more like something the elder Horsch would have written, adding that it was difficult to separate which items in the house belonged to the father and which belonged to the son. That said, the authorship remains unresolved. The note referenced a “2ft zip tie,” “a drum set up,” and said “it was fun,” language that has drawn intense scrutiny because investigators also recovered a 55-gallon drum, chemicals and zip ties from the home. Until handwriting analysis, forensic testing, or other evidence ties the note to a specific person, any attribution remains provisional.

3 articles · Updated · WPVI-TV · Jun 30

Federal court ordered 44-year-old Eugene Horsch held in custody Tuesday after his initial appearance on gun and drug charges tied to a Friday search of his Olney home.
Police said the search followed a June 19 disturbance on Market Street, where Horsch allegedly carried fake DEA credentials and a woman with him used false identification matching a missing woman.
Investigators recovered a 55-gallon drum, chemicals, zip ties and an unsigned handwritten note referencing Ted Bundy and trash disposal methods, while officers continued securing the Chew Avenue property five days later.
Amy McHale's family renewed attention to the case because she was last seen at the home in 2016, but police said no bodies have been found and DNA testing is still underway.