The family of one of five missing women linked to a notorious pornographer claims she was strangled on camera for a disturbing homemade film.
Nicole Fusaro, who was 27 when she disappeared in 2018, was allegedly shown in footage made after her disappearance by the late adult filmmaker Ray Horsch.
A cousin told NBC10 that investigators believe the woman in the video is Fusaro. Authorities, however, have not formally confirmed her identity.
Fusaro is among at least five missing women connected to Horsch’s former home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Police believe at least three of the women are dead.
Last month, authorities said digital footage recovered from a hard drive at the property indicated that two other women—Maribel Fresses and Gabrielle Amarando—may also have died, along with Fusaro.
Fresses, 27, disappeared in 2018, while Amarando, 22, was last seen in 2012. Investigators have found none of the women’s remains.
Horsch, who died last year at 82, was known for producing graphic snuff films and writing erotic books centered on sadomasochism.
His former wife, Amy McHale, vanished in June 2016. Investigators did not uncover the disturbing evidence believed to connect the disappearances until after Horsch’s death.
Police say late adult filmmaker Ray Horsch is linked to at least five missing women
Nicole Fusaro disappeared in 2018 at age 27; her family says she may appear in footage made by the late filmmaker
The Pennsylvania investigation began in June 2026, when Horsch’s 44-year-old son, Eugene, was stopped while driving near Philadelphia’s Independence Mall.
Police reportedly became suspicious after a woman traveling with Eugene identified herself using the name Blair Tonzelli, who disappeared in 2023.
Officers also found two handguns and more than $8,000 worth of illegal drugs inside the vehicle. Eugene was subsequently taken in for questioning.
He allegedly told investigators that Tonzelli would “never be seen again.” The statement prompted authorities to execute several search warrants at the Olney home once owned by his father.
Eugene Horsch has not been charged in connection with any of the women’s disappearances.
In an initial search of the home on June 20, police said they found at least one additional illegal gun, a fake FBI badge, a marijuana growing operation, and five urns containing cremated remains.
In another search on June 25, investigators said they found over 50 hard drives holding over 600,000 images, 70,000 videos and 10,000 writings and drawings.
In one of the hard drives, police said they found images and videos appearing to show Fresses and Amarando alive inside the house, followed by ‘graphic and dark’ depictions of their dead bodies, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Police said they notified the families of Fresses and Amarando in August, and Fresses’ father Ricardo told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he knew in his gut that his daughter had been dead for years.
A number of search warrants have been carried out on Horsch’s home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Police said Gabrielle Amarando, who disappeared in 2012 aged 22, among the women they believe is deceased
Ray Horsch’s ex-wife, Amy McHale, also disappeared in June 2016
A woman travelling in a car with Horsch’s son Eugene allegedly gave her identification as Blair Tonzelli (above), who had been missing since 2023. Eugene allegedly told investigators that Tonzelli would ‘never be seen again’
Police also believe Maribel Fresses (above), who vanished in 2018 aged 27, is connected to the sprawling missing womens’ case
‘She called me every day. Absolutely every day she called me, and one day she stopped calling me,’ he said. ‘And as the years went by I knew she was gone.’
The women’s families said both girls had struggled with drug addictions, and Horsch reportedly often offered drugs, cash and shelter to women struggling with addictions in exchange for nude photo and video shoots, reports the Inquirer.
Horch had a reputation for creating violent pornography, and he also wrote books featuring serial killers who preyed on women.
Computer parts and a home laboratory with various ‘containers of an unknown oily substance’ were also discovered in the home, reports NBC10.
Investigators reportedly interviewed people who knew Ray Horsch who said that he had often bragged about killing people and melting their bodies with chemicals.
The FBI’s Evidence Recovery Team was then drafted in to process the homemade laboratory, and another search warrant was served on the home on July 22 to excavate the property.
Investigators sent the oily substance to a Chicago laboratory, however it is not determined yet whether the substances contain human remains, reports say.
Pennsylvania authorities said the investigation into Ray Horsch began in June 2026, when his son Eugene, 44, (above) was pulled over in his car near Independence Mall in Philadelphia, and a woman with him gave identification of a missing woman
Horsch, who died last year aged 82, was known for publishing horrific snuff films and writing erotic, sadomasochistic books
Police said said the investigation has been complicated because police have not recovered any human remains from the home, and forensics tests have failed to find any blood or DNA
In August, Philadelphia Police Inspector Raymond Evers said teams were scouring the huge trove of digital evidence from Horsch’s home.
Evers said the cache represented just five percent of the evidence seized from the property.
However, Evers said the investigation has been complicated because police have not recovered any human remains from the home, and forensics tests have failed to find any blood or DNA.
Evers said without bodies, the Philadelphia Office of the Medical Examiner cannot officially declare the women dead.
Eugene Horsch has not been charged with any crimes in connection with the missing women, and Evers declined to say whether he or his father are believed to be the perpetrators.
He told a press conference: ‘Eugene lived there. He lived there for a long time. His dad lived there for a long time.’
Eugene Horsch remains in federal custody on charges related to illegal gun possession.
Anyone with information is asked to call Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS (8477).
