Authorities revived a large-scale investigation at Fox Hollow Farm, the crime scene where Herb Baumeister, a notorious serial killer, concealed the remains of several victims decades ago.
According to the Daily Mail, An extensive renewal of the case using cutting-edge DNA technology aims to identify thousands of human bones found on Baumeister's property.
Baumeister’s young son stumbled upon a human skull in the woods surrounding their estate in Indianapolis during the winter of 1994, marking the beginning of this grim saga. Although this creepy discovery prompted little immediate investigation, broader suspicions emerged a couple of years later.
In the spring of 1993, a series of men began disappearing, many of whom were last seen at local gay bars. This fact led investigators to focus on Baumeister in 1996. By June of the same year, police gained access to investigate the sprawling 18-acre Fox Hollow Farm, where they uncovered shocking evidence.
The search at Fox Hollow Farm rapidly turned into one of the most gruesome crime scene investigations in the state. Hundreds of human bones, including skulls and leg bones, were unearthed, pointing to multiple unsolved disappearances and murders.
From the vast collection of skeletal remains, forensic experts only managed to identify eight victims initially utilizing conventional methods such as dental records and the DNA technology available at the time. Baumeister, who had led a seemingly respectable life as a businessman and family man, never confessed to any crimes; he killed himself in Canada as the investigation drew closer.
Over the next decades, the thousands of remains discovered went largely unidentified due to the limitations of forensic technology at the time, resulting in around 10,000 bones being stored at the University of Indianapolis.
In 2022, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison launched a renewed effort to identify each unidentified victim. By using modern DNA technology and forensic genetic genealogy, Jellison’s team aimed to resolve these cold cases. Consequently, the team focused on bringing justice and closure to families affected by these unsolved tragedies.
Jellison described the investigation as one of the largest ever undertaken for unresolved cases, second only in size and scale to the post-9/11 efforts to identify World Trade Center victims. "It's an investigation unlike anything the county, state, and even the nation has seen," Jellison told DailyMail.com, underscoring the investigation’s unprecedented scope.
Given the magnitude of the endeavor, the effort required cooperation across multiple agencies, significant funds, and an abundance of manpower. All of these elements were driven by a shared commitment to bring closure to numerous grieving families.
So far, this painstaking labor has borne fruit as the team identified a ninth victim, Allen Livingston, and is nearing confirmation for two more promising leads. "We have one DNA profile right now that we know belongs to another individual, but we just don't know who that person is," Jellison says, illustrating the ongoing challenges.
Despite the complexities of genealogical forensics, which can extend over several months per case, Jellison remains optimistic. "I am confident we will identify that person quite soon. This investigation is the result of Allen Livingston’s family reaching out; what are the odds that out of 10,000 human remains, Allen Livingston’s were the first to be identified?" he shared.
Jellison has made a statewide appeal, urging anyone with missing family members or information relevant to cases from the mid-80s to mid-90s to come forward, stressing the importance of filing detailed missing person reports to aid the identification process.
Hamilton County Sheriff James Bradbury has echoed Jellison's call for community involvement. "If somebody has any information, we don’t care who it is, we’d be happy to look at it," Bradbury said, emphasizing the collaborative nature of this monumental investigative effort. In doing so, he reinforced the importance of public cooperation in solving these cold cases.
Jellison's promises further reflect the determination of each team member. "We're not going to stop. This is an expensive investigation, it's time-consuming, it takes a lot of manpower and a lot of agencies are involved, but we’re all committed to seeing this through," he affirmed, highlighting the team’s unwavering resolve.
As this significant investigation continues, many remain hopeful that the advanced techniques now available will finally bring answers to the many unanswered questions left in the wake of Herb Baumeister's horrific crimes. Ultimately, these efforts aim to offer long-awaited closure to the victims' families.
