Herb Baumeister

The coroner announced that a new DNA profile derived from Fox Hollow remains did not match any CODIS entry; the presumed biological father had been identified, but the mother's identity was still needed to confirm the victim's identity.

State of the evidence

Documented

Coroner Jeff Jellison stated that he doubted Baumeister had necessarily acted alone and wanted further information from a key witness in the case.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Indirectly implicated

Bones found at Fox Hollow Farm were identified as those of Daniel Thomas Halloran, who had not previously been clearly linked to the missing persons investigation.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

The University of North Texas genetically confirmed that certain remains belonged to Roger Goodlet, whose original identification in 1996 had relied on dental records.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

The coroner confirmed that remains discovered in 1996 belonged to Manuel Resendez, who disappeared in 1993, following comparison with a family sample.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

New testing identified Fox Hollow remains as belonging to Jeffrey Jones, already considered one of the missing men linked to the case.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

Remains recovered in 1996 were identified through forensic genetic genealogy as those of Allen Livingston, who disappeared in 1993.

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

The Hamilton County coroner relaunched a systematic effort to identify the thousands of bone fragments using DNA, families of missing people and forensic genetic genealogy.

State of the evidence

Documented

Investigators posthumously linked Baumeister to other murders of men found along the I-70 corridor between Indiana and Ohio in the 1980s and early 1990s.

After a period in which Baumeister opposed a search, investigators eventually obtained access to the estate amid the couple's separation and growing suspicions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Investigators discovered thousands of burned or crushed human bones and fragments on the property, belonging to numerous people. Authorities now estimate that the site may contain remains of at least 25 individuals.

As the investigation accelerated following the discovery of the remains, Baumeister left Indiana and travelled to Canada.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Baumeister died by suicide using a firearm in an Ontario park. His suicide note did not admit to the murders or the remains discovered on his property.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Several men disappeared after frequenting Indianapolis's gay nightlife, causing growing concern within the community and among families.

State of the evidence

Documented

Tony Harris described surviving a violent encounter with a man calling himself 'Brian Smart' and helped private investigators and then police focus their suspicions on Baumeister.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Baumeister's son discovered a partially buried skeleton in the woods at Fox Hollow. Baumeister told his family that it was supposedly a medical skeleton that had belonged to his father.