A 44-year-old man faces gun and drug charges as investigators test materials found in an Olney basement.
PHILADELPHIA, PA — The FBI is helping Philadelphia police investigate a 44-year-old man after officers said they found fake federal IDs, guns, narcotics and a large amount of chemicals at a home in the city’s Olney section.
The case began June 19 near Independence Mall and expanded into a search of a West Chew Avenue property that drew homicide detectives, bomb squad personnel and federal agents. Police said Eugene Horsch is in custody on drug and firearms charges while experts work to identify the chemicals and decide whether they posed a public safety risk.
Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said the first call came around 9 a.m. June 19, when a U.S. park ranger noticed a disturbance involving a man and a woman in a black BMW in the 600 block of Market Street. Vanore said the ranger heard the woman say, “you’re going to hurt me,” and moved closer to investigate. Police said Horsch was found with fake Drug Enforcement Administration credentials, a switchblade and two guns with scratched-off serial numbers. The woman in the car had an identification card with her photo but the name of a missing woman, Vanore said.
The woman told investigators that Horsch gave her the identification card, Vanore said. Police have not released the missing woman’s name as part of that piece of the case, and Vanore said investigators had no evidence that the missing person was inside the Chew Avenue house. The Market Street encounter led police to a home in the 400 block of West Chew Avenue. There, investigators said they found another gun, ammunition, narcotics, signs of a possible marijuana grow operation, more false federal IDs and more than 120 pieces of ballistic evidence. Computers taken from the home were being reviewed as part of the investigation.
Investigators also found a large number of chemicals in the basement, including bottles and a 55-gallon drum connected to water lines. Vanore described the setup as strange and said police had not determined its purpose. “We just don’t know what he was doing,” Vanore said. “If he’s producing something, if he’s making something, if he’s irrigating something, we don’t know.” Police said some of the chemicals could create hazards if combined and ignited, but officials also said the materials were separated, guarded and being handled with help from specialists. Vanore said there was no current danger to the community.
Homicide detectives were part of the search, but Vanore said that did not mean police had found evidence of a killing. He said the unit was involved because its detectives have experience with complex investigations. Vanore also addressed rumors that bodies had been found in the house. “There’s no apparent bodies inside the house,” he said. Police said urns were found inside, including at least one marked with a family member’s name. Investigators also planned to examine activity at the property from before Horsch lived there, including who used the home and what may have been kept inside it.
The search drew attention from relatives of Amy McHale, a woman who disappeared in 2016 after her family said she was last seen at the West Chew Avenue home. McHale had been married to Horsch’s late father. Her daughter, Amanda Stofer, said the news first made her think police might have found her mother. “I immediately thought they had found my mom,” Stofer said. Gloria McHale, Amy McHale’s mother, said she also hoped the search could bring answers after years without closure. Police said no human remains had been found during the search and said they had not tied the missing woman to evidence inside the home.
Horsch is a convicted felon and is not allowed to have guns, police said. He was charged with drug and weapons offenses, including violations tied to the firearms found during the investigation. Police said bail was set at $500,000, and court records cited by local reports listed his next court date as July 6. Horsch’s attorney, Jerry Brown, said his client’s father had lived in the home for a long time and had “a very interesting past.” Brown said he believed much of the chemistry material belonged to Horsch’s father and that police would find the items were harmless.
Neighbors watched Friday as police and FBI agents worked outside the home and investigators in protective gear entered the property. Chopper footage showed law enforcement vehicles near the Olney rowhome while the block remained under police control. “I’ve never seen something like this,” neighbor Chanthan Sin said. Another nearby resident, Brandy Chhoeng, said she was surprised by the size of the response. Police said they were still sorting through the evidence, including the computers, false IDs, ballistic material, narcotics and chemical containers. Vanore said investigators had not ruled out any purpose for the materials but also had not identified a final motive.
The investigation remained active Saturday as federal and local officials continued testing the chemicals and reviewing evidence. Horsch remained in custody, and his next known court appearance was scheduled for July 6.
Author note: Last updated June 27, 2026.