Saylorsburg Search Continues, New Details Emerge

By Brianna Strunk | bstrunk@pahomepage.com

ROSS TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)-  For three days, state police have been digging behind a home in the Poconos. Sources confirm this is a death investigation. But what or who they're searching for on that Ross Township property still remains a mystery.

Eyewitness News learned this is State Police Bethlehem and Fogelsville's case. Dozens of investigators, Monroe County Coroner Bob Allen, Monroe County District Attorney's Office, and the Game Commission are also involved. State police won't say much at this time.

For days, morning into night, state police have literally been digging into a crime scene. Investigators have lights and tents set up behind the Saylorsburg home, off Kunkletown Road on Woodhaven Drive. They're focused on a small corner patch of land below an embankment.

Investigators spent Thursday digging up land with an excavator, filling buckets with dirt, then sorting it through a screen sifter.

"Usually it's quiet here. It's quiet back this dirt road here. Nothing really going on," is how neighbor Mike Shafer describes the area.

A Michael and Cathy Horvath bought the property in the late 1990's and built there home from scratch.

"They keep to themselves. They are very nice people every time I've talked to them. Nothing suspicious has ever come up with them," explains Stephen Lemmon, neighbor.

Neighbors say a few years ago, the Horvath's decided to fix their back yard. The couple filled it with dirt, and rented an excavator. Now neighbors say it seems suspicious.

"This is the first time anything like this has ever happened up here," explains a nervous Lemmon.

According to court paperwork, in May, 49-year-old Michael Horvath was charged with DUI in Lehigh County. On September 26th, Horvath was formal arraigned and granted ARD.

One day later, investigators started digging up his yard.

"Happens everywhere I guess. Any neighborhood it can happen in," says Shafer.

Another neighbor says when undercover cars started lining the street Tuesday, he walked to the Horvath's home to find out what was happening. That neighbor found the couple standing at the end of their driveway. They said they did not know what state police are searching for.

Investigators say this search will continue into next week. This is a developing story.

Story from WBRE/WYOU/pahomepage.com