Bones found in Philadelphia's "house of horrors," sources say

Bones were discovered extracurricular the alleged location of horrors successful the Olney conception of Philadelphia, but it's unclear whether they are related to the ongoing probe into Raymond "R.C." Horsch, a suspected serial killer who died past year, sources told CBS News Philadelphia connected Thursday. 

The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office responded to the location at 417 West Chew Ave. on Thursday, sources adjacent to the probe confirmed. 

The bones were recovered successful the backyard, wherever agents and detectives person been painstakingly searching for immoderate motion of quality remains and immoderate grounds of astatine slightest seven women connected to Horsch and the house, immoderate of whom are feared dead, sources told CBS News Philadelphia. 

It's not wide whether they were quality oregon carnal bones, sources stressed. More investigating is needed to find the bones' root and whether they are connected to the investigation.

Richard Marx, a retired FBI supervisory cause who specialized successful grounds collection, said the beingness of the aesculapian examiner is simply a important development. 

"If they find thing related to the body, past that's erstwhile they would privation to telephone the aesculapian examiner, bring them aboard, person them cod it, and person them instrumentality it to their bureau for examination," Marx said.

Investigators person been methodically sifting done the ungraded successful layers, going down astir 3 feet.

Investigators found quality DNA erstwhile they utilized luminol to hunt the home, constabulary sources confirmed earlier this week. 

A root besides said investigators had recovered opossum carcasses adjacent the house. The remnants of a ceramic outhouse were besides uncovered successful the yard.

Investigators besides recovered a harmless containing documents hidden wrong a partition of the location arsenic they took the location apart, a root confirmed Friday.

The probe astatine the location is expected to proceed until astatine slightest the mediate of adjacent week, sources said. Investigators are acceptable to excavation up the beforehand gait erstwhile they are finished successful the back.

Investigators judge Horsch utilized a process known arsenic alkaline hydrolysis to dispose of bodies, instrumentality enforcement sources said. He elaborate the steps successful one of his books successful which helium called himself an empathetic serial killer. Chemicals found successful the location person been sent to laboratories for testing.

Before his death, Horsch lived successful the location with his son, Eugene, whose apprehension during a postulation halt successful June kicked disconnected this monolithic investigation. 

Stay with CBS News Philadelphia for ongoing sum of this probe and follow connected YouTube for extended "House of Horrors" sum each Friday. 

In:

• Pennsylvania
• Olney
• Philadelphia