Epifanio IX Ramos Gaminde has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the disappearance of his wife, Maria Gaminde, from DeBary, Florida. Her family reported her missing in January 2024 after losing contact and later questioning messages, emails and credit-card activity that appeared to come from overseas. Investigators say the activity may have been created to make Maria appear alive, although her body has not been found. Authorities searched the couple’s property Tuesday while continuing to build the case without recovered remains.

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Family questions messages and financial activity

Maria’s relatives contacted investigators by July 2024 after receiving texts and emails that purportedly came from her overseas. They also noticed credit-card activity that appeared inconsistent with the family’s loss of contact. Authorities say Epifanio IX Ramos Gaminde told investigators that marital problems existed and that Maria had left for either the Philippines or Japan.

The family’s concerns became a central part of the investigation because the communications continued after Maria’s disappearance. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said relatives recognized that something was wrong with the messages and spending. Investigators later examined digital, financial and forensic evidence to determine whether the activity was genuine.

“The family starts to contact us and say, ‘Hey, something’s not right. These text messages and emails that we’re getting, the spending on her credit cards, too. Something’s not right.’”

Investigation traces the last known activity

Investigators traced Maria’s last confirmed activity to December 2023. They determined that Maria and her three children entered Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on December 16 after their fingerprints were used to access the park. Four days later, authorities say Gaminde sent Maria a text asking where she was.

Communications from Maria then stopped, while messages purportedly written by her began coming from overseas. Investigators said they found no financial trail or other evidence indicating that she remained alive. The FBI assisted Volusia County investigators and prosecutors with international legal issues, and a detective and prosecutor traveled to the Philippines to interview Gaminde’s niece.

Authorities examine the DeBary property

Authorities searched the couple’s DeBary home and property Tuesday after a neighbor reported seeing Gaminde conducting extensive work behind the residence around the period when Maria disappeared. Investigators focused on an area where concrete appeared to have been added.

The sheriff said Gaminde allegedly sent his niece Maria’s identification documents and credit cards, along with instructions about what to do with them. Investigators believe those actions were intended to create the appearance that Maria was alive and avoiding her family, friends and law enforcement. The search could produce evidence or remains, but authorities cautioned that its outcome was uncertain.

“We may get lucky, we may not get lucky,” Chitwood said.

Prosecutors prepare to proceed without a body

Gaminde was already in custody when a grand jury returned the indictment. He had been stopped for allegedly driving without a license and is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail. He also faces an immigration detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

State Attorney R.J. Larizza said prosecutors are prepared to pursue the first-degree murder case even if Maria’s remains are never recovered. Investigators also said Gaminde had previously been arrested twice for domestic violence. The investigation remains active, and authorities have said they do not believe the explanations he provided during repeated interviews.

“We’re fully prepared to move forward without the body,” Larizza said. “And I have complete and total confidence in our ability to prosecute this case.”

Children reunited with their mother’s family

Maria and Gaminde came to the United States together around 2008 and have three young sons, according to the sheriff. The children were with their father when he was taken into custody and were later reunited with Maria’s relatives.

Chitwood said the children had previously been denied contact with their mother’s side of the family. Their placement with relatives follows the arrest and indictment while investigators continue examining the disappearance, the alleged overseas communications and the evidence gathered from the Florida property.

Key Points

Summary

The investigation into Maria Gaminde’s disappearance has led to a first-degree murder indictment against her husband, despite the absence of a body. Authorities say digital evidence, financial activity, international interviews and the search of the DeBary property support the case. The investigation remains ongoing, and Gaminde is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Frequently Asked Questions

What charge does Epifanio Gaminde face?

He faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Maria Gaminde.

Has Maria Gaminde’s body been found?

No. Her remains have not been recovered, although investigators searched the couple’s DeBary property.

Why did investigators question the overseas messages?

Maria’s family received messages and observed financial activity that appeared to come from her overseas, but investigators found no evidence or financial trail indicating that she was alive.

Where is Gaminde being held?

He is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail and also faces an immigration detainer.

©2025 News Journos. All rights reserved.

South Carolina prosecutors are rejecting claims that Alex Murdaugh’s defense was denied critical raw cellphone evidence in the murder case. In a new court filing, the state says defense records and emails show investigators provided extraction files, logs and related materials before Murdaugh’s first trial. Prosecutors also point to a January 2023 request for a duplicate extraction after the defense reportedly misplaced the original. Murdaugh is scheduled for a retrial in April 2027 after his 2023 convictions were overturned.

Prosecutors challenge the defense evidence claim

The South Carolina state prosecution filed its response after Murdaugh’s legal team argued in September that it had not received cellphone extraction files, key chain files and extraction logs from seized smartphones. The state disputes that account and describes it as false and contradicted by the defense’s own communications.

The filing was submitted in the ongoing criminal proceedings before Circuit Judge Debra McCaslin in Lexington, South Carolina. Prosecutors are seeking to establish that the relevant digital evidence was disclosed during the preparation for Murdaugh’s first trial, rather than withheld before the upcoming retrial.

“The State will be glad to send the cell phone evidence to the defense yet one more time if they have somehow messed up or lost their copies again.”

Records outline earlier cellphone disclosures

The state released 40 pages of emails, file-folder screenshots and signed discovery receipts covering late 2022 and early 2023. According to the filing, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigators provided defense experts with full, unredacted raw extractions, password logs, key chain files and reports in October and November 2022.

Those materials are central to the dispute because the defense has argued that access to the original extraction data is necessary to evaluate the prosecution’s digital evidence. Prosecutors say the disclosure records show the defense received the information, in some instances more than once, before the 2023 proceedings began.

A duplicate extraction was requested before trial

The prosecution’s filing highlights emails dated January 20, 2023, three days before jury selection began in Murdaugh’s first trial. In those messages, the defense reportedly requested a duplicate copy of Murdaugh’s phone extraction because its team had misplaced the original.

The exchange is significant because it directly addresses whether the defense lacked access to the cellphone material. Prosecutors say the request indicates the defense had previously received the extraction and was seeking another copy for its records. The defense position may still be considered by the court as part of the broader discovery dispute.

The case is headed toward a 2027 retrial

Murdaugh was convicted in March 2023 of killing his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and his son, Paul Murdaugh, in 2021. He received two life sentences. In May 2026, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned the convictions after finding that former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill improperly influenced jurors.

The reversal did not resolve the underlying murder allegations. Murdaugh is scheduled to face a new trial in April 2027, with pretrial motions being argued in Lexington. The cellphone evidence dispute is therefore part of the preparation for a second jury proceeding rather than an appeal of the original verdict.

The court is reviewing recreated digital evidence

During a recent court session, legal representatives said they were auditing discovery materials years after the first trial. They also discussed spending hours recreating a corrupted August 2022 murder download for the defense.

The court clarified that the recreated file was recopied data, not new evidence. That distinction matters to both sides as they determine what digital records remain available, whether the files are complete and how the material should be handled before trial. The defense has not publicly responded to the latest filing in the information provided.

Summary

The latest filing places the dispute over cellphone evidence at the center of pretrial proceedings in Murdaugh’s case. Prosecutors rely on disclosure receipts and emails to argue that the defense had access to the relevant digital material and later sought a replacement copy. The court must determine how the evidence dispute affects discovery and preparation for the April 2027 retrial.

Frequently Asked Questions

What evidence is at the center of the dispute?

The dispute concerns raw cellphone extractions, password logs, key chain files, extraction logs and related reports from seized smartphones.

Why do prosecutors cite the January 2023 emails?

Prosecutors say the emails show that the defense requested a duplicate phone extraction after its team misplaced the original, indicating that the material had previously been received.

When is Murdaugh’s retrial scheduled?

The retrial is scheduled for April 2027 in South Carolina proceedings being handled in Lexington.

©2025 News Journos. All rights reserved.

A Philadelphia investigation involving seven missing women has expanded after authorities found chemicals, weapons, drugs and a large collection of digital files at a home in the Olney neighborhood. Police believe at least five of the women may be dead, although no homicide charges had been filed as of Friday. A forensic psychologist said the case could involve more than individual acts of violence if alleged videos were distributed through an underground network. Investigators had reviewed less than one-third of more than one million digital items found at the property.

The investigation began after Eugene Horsch, 44, was arrested in June on allegations involving firearms, drugs and forgery. Searches of the family home on West Chew Avenue subsequently drew participation from Philadelphia homicide detectives, the FBI and other agencies. Authorities have not publicly established the full meaning of the evidence, and the investigation remains active.

Evidence found at the Olney home

Law enforcement agencies began focusing on the West Chew Avenue property after Eugene Horsch was arrested in Center City in June. Investigators later reported finding chemicals, ammunition, drugs and an autoclave during searches of the home and surrounding areas. Utility crews and law enforcement personnel have excavated outside the property and searched beneath it, including nearby sewer infrastructure.

The home belonged to a family associated with Raymond “RC” Horsch, an 82-year-old producer of sexually explicit and violent material who died last year. Authorities have not said that the items found at the property, by themselves, prove that any person was killed there. Their significance is being assessed alongside the digital files and missing-person investigations.

Missing women linked to the investigation

Police have said the property is connected to the cases of seven missing women. At least five are believed by investigators to be dead, while four have allegedly been identified in images recovered from the home. Two women have been publicly identified as Gabrielle Amarando and Maribel Fresses.

The investigation also followed an allegation that, around the time of Eugene Horsch‘s arrest, a woman with him was carrying identification belonging to one of the missing women. The younger Horsch has not been charged in connection with the missing-person cases. Authorities continue to determine what happened to each woman and whether the evidence can support criminal charges.

Questions surrounding alleged videos

Police reportedly found photographs and videos that investigators believe may depict several missing women. The material has raised questions about whether the alleged crimes were recorded for personal use or potentially shared with others. Those questions remain unproven, and officials have not publicly confirmed the existence of an organized distribution network.

Kris Mohandie, a board-certified forensic psychologist, said the family history in violent pornography could raise the possibility of a profit motive connected to alleged recordings.

“There may very well also have been a participation in distributing so-called snuff films to underground networks of people that are into this stuff. It’s scary, and I’m hoping that the investigators are able to resolve some of those questions.”

The description of the videos and any criminal interpretation of them remain matters for investigators and prosecutors to establish.

Searches, digital evidence and investigative limits

Philadelphia police said they recovered more than one million pieces of digital evidence, including photographs and videos. By Friday, investigators had reviewed less than one-third of the material. That volume means the scope of the inquiry could change as analysts identify people, locations, dates and other information within the files.

The FBI and Philadelphia homicide detectives have returned to the property multiple times, including searches in July. Crews have also removed physical items and examined the ground and infrastructure surrounding the house. Investigators must still authenticate the digital material, establish when it was created and determine whether it can be used in court.

Legal status and remaining questions

Eugene Horsch remains in custody on charges that include alleged firearms, drug and forgery violations. As of Friday, prosecutors had not filed homicide charges against him, and he had not been charged over the missing women. The investigation therefore remains at an evidence-gathering stage rather than a completed murder prosecution.

Key unresolved issues include the identities and whereabouts of all seven women, the cause of death for anyone confirmed deceased, the origin and purpose of the chemicals, and whether anyone else participated in the alleged crimes or distribution of recordings. Authorities have not announced a final conclusion about the case.

Summary

The Philadelphia inquiry is examining a large body of physical and digital evidence connected to seven missing women. Alleged recordings have prompted questions about possible outside participants, but investigators have not confirmed an organized network or filed homicide charges. The case is expected to develop as authorities review the remaining digital evidence and complete searches of the Olney property.

Frequently Asked Questions

What prompted the investigation?

The investigation expanded after Eugene Horsch was arrested in June and authorities found chemicals, weapons, drugs and digital evidence at his family home in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood.

How many missing women are linked to the home?

Police have said seven missing women are linked to the case. At least five are believed to be dead, and four have allegedly been identified in recovered images.

Has anyone been charged with murder?

No homicide charges had been filed as of Friday. Eugene Horsch remains in custody on separate charges involving alleged firearms, drugs and forgery.

What is the alleged video network?

A forensic psychologist raised the possibility that alleged violent recordings may have been distributed to an underground network. Authorities have not publicly confirmed that such a network existed.

©2025 News Journos. All rights reserved.

Philadelphia police found five urns believed to contain human ashes and images of seven missing women during a search of a Chew Avenue home. Investigators recovered more than one million images and other digital files, including material that appears to show two missing women unconscious and injured. Authorities said the evidence remains under review and that no bodies or DNA evidence have been recovered.

The investigation began after the June arrest of Eugene Horsch, who occupied the home owned by his deceased father, former pornographer Raymond Horsch. Police said the search also uncovered a homemade laboratory, weapons-related evidence, narcotics and extensive digital media.

Evidence recovered from the Philadelphia home

Police searched the Chew Avenue residence after obtaining a warrant on June 19. Inside, investigators found a homemade laboratory in the basement, five urns believed to contain human ashes and a large collection of electronic devices. The material included computers, hard drives, flash drives, DVRs, cameras and phones.

Authorities said they identified 58 people in the videos and images recovered from the property. Four of those people appear lifeless, according to investigators, although officials have not established the identities or circumstances surrounding every person shown.

Missing women identified in images and videos

Initial analysis identified images of seven missing women. Two, 27-year-old Gabrielle Armando and 26-year-old Marabel Fresses, appear in images lying unconscious and showing apparent injuries. Metadata indicates the images were taken in 2017. Both women remain missing, and police said neither their bodies nor DNA evidence has been recovered.

Investigators also connected the home to Nicole Fusaro, who police said appears in a video in which Raymond Horsch handcuffs a woman to a bed and uses a zip tie around her neck until she becomes unconscious. Another missing woman, Amy McHale, was Raymond Horsch‘s former wife and has been missing since 2016. Police also identified a 25-year-old woman and another woman whose identity has not yet been established.

The arrest that led to the search

The case developed after a federal park ranger arrested 44-year-old Eugene Horsch outside Philadelphia’s Independence Mall on June 19. He was with a female passenger in a BMW. Police said officers recovered two firearms, narcotics and identification that allegedly impersonated a federal law enforcement officer.

The passenger used identification in the name of Blair Tonzelli, a woman reported missing since 2023. Police have not released the passenger’s true identity, and Blair Tonzelli‘s whereabouts remain unknown. Investigators said a Drug Enforcement Administration task force developed probable cause the same day and served the warrant at the residence.

Investigators continue processing digital evidence

Police said only a small fraction of the recovered media has been processed. Thousands of videos remain to be analyzed, while investigators work to determine whether the images accurately reflect events and to corroborate them with physical evidence.

Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said the department is working with the FBI as it examines the files and decides its next investigative steps. The inquiry is focused on identifying people shown in the media, locating missing individuals and determining whether the urns contain human remains.

What remains unknown in the case

Authorities have not confirmed that the ashes are human, identified whose remains they may be or linked them to any missing person. They also have not announced the identities of all 58 people found in the media or explained the circumstances involving the four people who appear lifeless.

The seven missing women connected to the images and residence have not been located based on the information released. Police said the investigation remains active, and further conclusions will depend on digital analysis, forensic testing and corroborating physical evidence.

Summary

The Philadelphia investigation has linked a searched residence to extensive digital evidence involving missing women and possible human remains. Police have identified several women in the material but have not recovered bodies or DNA evidence. The investigation remains ongoing, with officials continuing to analyze files and pursue forensic confirmation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did police find in the home?

Investigators found five urns believed to contain human ashes, a homemade laboratory and computers, storage devices, cameras, phones and other digital evidence.

How many missing women were connected to the evidence?

Police identified images of seven missing women. Officials said two appear unconscious and injured, while other connections involve video or links to the residence.

Have authorities confirmed any deaths?

No. Police have not confirmed that the ashes are human, identified any remains or recovered bodies or DNA evidence connected to the missing women.

©2025 News Journos. All rights reserved.

Newly released FBI files provided to the Senate show that Thomas Matthew Crooks maintained accounts on Snapchat, Gmail, Amazon and Mailfence. A Snapchat account linked to Crooks may contain recoverable evidence despite the platform’s disappearing-message design, according to a retired FBI agent. Crooks attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, killing one person and seriously injuring two others before he was shot and killed by Secret Service agents. FBI Director Kash Patel told senators that investigators found no evidence Crooks was connected to anyone else.

The documents identify a Snapchat username associated with Crooks as “tom_crooks19.” They also show that he used an encrypted Mailfence email account multiple times between April 15 and July 8, 2024, in addition to a Gmail account and an Amazon account.

The digital accounts identified in FBI files

The FBI files turned over to the Senate identify multiple online services used by Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Investigators located a Snapchat account with the username “tom_crooks19,” along with accounts on Amazon, Gmail and Mailfence. The records do not, in the material described, establish what specific messages, purchases or communications each account contained.

The Mailfence account is notable because the documents say it was accessed repeatedly between April 15, 2024, and July 8, 2024, days before the Butler rally. The accounts form part of the digital evidence investigators examined while seeking to understand Crooks’ actions and planning.

Why Snapchat data may still be recoverable

Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jason Pack said the Snapchat account could contain substantial investigative material. Although Snapchat is widely associated with disappearing images and messages, Pack said data can sometimes remain available through account records, device evidence or information returned in response to a search warrant.

“When you snap and that picture goes away that everything is gone, and that’s not true. When I’ve served search warrants, there’s been a treasure trove of information that has come back.”

Pack cautioned that some elements may not be recoverable, but he said investigators could still find a significant amount of information. The potential evidence could help establish account activity, contacts or timing, although the released material does not specify what investigators ultimately recovered.

Crooks’ efforts to conceal parts of his digital footprint

Pack said the account information should be considered alongside indications that Crooks may have taken steps to avoid public scrutiny. He pointed to reported efforts involving aliases and attempts not to be seen collecting deliveries, suggesting that Crooks may also have been deliberate about his online activity.

According to Pack, Snapchat is not fully encrypted, meaning investigators may have had several avenues for examining the account. The use of multiple services, including an encrypted email provider, may give investigators different sources for reconstructing activity, even if individual messages or files were deleted.

What investigators have said about possible associates

At a Senate Oversight Committee hearing, FBI Director Kash Patel testified that investigators found no evidence that Crooks was linked to another person in connection with the attack. Patel said investigators found no evidence Crooks was speaking with anyone other than his parents, with whom he lived.

That testimony addresses the question of whether Crooks had outside assistance or a broader network. The existence of online accounts does not by itself show that he communicated with accomplices. Any recovered Snapchat, email or account records would have to be evaluated against the FBI’s broader investigation.

The continuing significance of the Butler investigation

The July 13, 2024, attack occurred during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Donald Trump was grazed by a bullet and was rushed from the stage by Secret Service agents. One attendee was killed and two others were seriously injured, while Crooks was shot and killed by agents.

The newly disclosed account information keeps attention focused on how investigators reconstructed the attacker’s activities before the shooting. Digital records may help clarify chronology and intent, but the documents described publicly so far do not provide a new finding that Crooks was directed by another person.

Summary

The FBI files provide additional detail about the online accounts connected to Thomas Matthew Crooks, but they do not establish that he acted with assistance from another person. Investigators may still be able to recover useful information from Snapchat and other services. The findings remain part of the continuing effort to document the 2024 Butler attack and Crooks’ activities before it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Snapchat account was linked to Thomas Matthew Crooks?

The FBI files identify a Snapchat account using the username “tom_crooks19.”

Can Snapchat messages be recovered after they disappear?

According to retired FBI agent Jason Pack, some information may remain available through search warrants, account records or digital evidence, although not every message or file can necessarily be recovered.

Did the FBI find evidence that Crooks had an accomplice?

FBI Director Kash Patel testified that investigators found no evidence Crooks was connected to anyone else and said he appeared to have communicated only with his parents.

©2025 News Journos. All rights reserved.