A renewed effort to identify thousands of bones found at the Indiana estate of a long-deceased businessman suspected in a string of killings has pushed the number of his presumed victims to 13, a coroner announced. Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison revealed that four new DNA profiles have been obtained through the push to identify the remains found at Herb Baumeister’s Fox Hollow Farm estate. These profiles will be sent to the FBI for genetic genealogy analysis in hopes of identifying the victims. Investigators believe that the bones and fragments found on the estate could represent the remains of at least 25 people, with nine men previously identified as presumed victims of Baumeister.
Baumeister, a married father of three who frequented gay bars, is believed to have lured men to his home and killed them at his estate in Westfield, Indiana. Jellison launched a renewed effort to identify the potential victims of Baumeister in 2022 by matching their DNA to the thousands of charred, crushed bones and fragments found at the estate in the 1990s. The investigation remains challenging due to the condition of the remains, but law enforcement and forensic specialists are committed to the case. Jellison is urging relatives of young men who vanished between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s to submit DNA samples to aid in the identification effort.
The identification effort has so far led to the identification of three men based on DNA extracted from the bones found at the estate. Two of these men, Jeffrey A. Jones and Manuel Resendez, were identified in the 1990s as potential victims of Baumeister and have now been confirmed using forensic genetic genealogy analysis. Another set of human remains found at Baumeister’s former home was also identified by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office. Allen Livingston, who disappeared on the same day as Resendez, was identified with the help of a DNA sample provided by his mother. Livingston’s identification made him the ninth presumed victim identified by investigators.
The investigation into Baumeister’s suspected killings began in June 1996 when his 15-year-old son discovered a human skull near their home. This discovery prompted an investigation while Baumeister and his wife were going through divorce proceedings. More remains were found by Hamilton County firefighters a few days later, leading investigators to believe that the estate was an unusual spot to find bodies. Baumeister initially explained the discovery by claiming it was part of his late father’s medical practice, but further investigation led to the discovery of more remains. Relatives of missing persons who may be connected to the case are encouraged to contact the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office for further information.
