Indiana

Indiana serial killer's 18-acre property littered with 10,000 human remains still hides secrets

Published

7 months ago

June 2, 2024

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Indiana serial killer's 18-acre property littered with 10,000 human remains still hides secrets

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An Indiana serial killer’s property was littered with 10,000 “burnt and crushed” skeletal remains that kept many of his victims faceless for decades.

Herb Baumeister, a successful businessman who was a married father with three children, is believed to have killed at least 25 victims from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.

He hunted mostly gay men in the Indianapolis suburb of Westfield, Indiana, where he lived on an 18-acre property known as Fox Hollow Farm.

Four decades later, authorities are still uncovering secrets buried under the vast property. Jeffrey A. Jones, who was reported missing in 1993, became the latest victim identified by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.

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Jeffrey A. Jones, who was reported missing out of Fillmore, Indiana in 1993, was identified as the latest victim of serial killer Herb Baumeister. (Hamilton County Coroner’s Office)

Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison renewed the investigation into the thousands of human remains that law enforcement recovered from Baumeister’s property after his death in 1996.

Investigators have four more DNA profiles that haven’t been identified yet, which brings Baumeister’s body count up to 12, according to Jellison.

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“Because many of the remains were found burnt and crushed, this investigation is extremely challenging,” the county coroner said in a statement. “However, the team of law enforcement and forensic specialists working the case remain committed.”

Jones became Baumeister’s third victim whom the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office identified in the last six months.

Herb Baumeister is suspected of killing at least 25 victims. So far, 12 victims have been connected to Baumeister. (Indianapolis Police Department)

In December 2023, the coroner’s office identified Allen Livingston, who was 27 when he went missing in August 1993, and Manuel Resendez in January. Resendez was 34 when he seemingly vanished in 1996.

Baumeister and his family moved into the now-infamous, $1 million Indiana home in May 1988.

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He used the vast area and adjacent trail to hide thousands of decomposed remains, charred bone fragments and the human skull that was unearthed by Baumeister’s teenage son, who showed his mom (Baumeister’s wife).

That was the beginning of the end of Baumeister’s reign of terror.

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Manuel Resendez, who was 34 when he seemingly vanished in 1996, was identified as one of Herb Baumeister’s victims in January 2024. (Hamilton County Coroner’s Office)

Baumeister’s wife, who initially blocked law enforcement from searching their property, ultimately divorced Herb as it became clearer that he was a wanted killer.

Authorities searched the property while Baumeister wasn’t home, and dug up the remains of several victims.

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By 1996, there was a warrant out for his arrest, so he fled to Ontario, where he shot himself. He was 49 when he died.

He was never charged with the murders, and he didn’t admit to any crimes in his suicide note.

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About 10,000 remains of Indiana serial killer Herb Baumeister were found on the 18-acre Westfield, Indiana, property. (Google Street View)

While he was alive, Baumeister lived a double life, a common trait among serial killers, according to a 2005 report by the FBI.

In one life, he was a seemingly ordinary husband and dad. He went to work and came home.

In his secret life, law enforcement has said Baumeister went by the fake name of “Brian Smart” and mostly targeted young, gay men whom he met in bars.

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“The majority of serial killers are not reclusive, social misfits who live alone,” the 2005 FBI report says. “They are not monsters and may not appear strange. Many serial killers hide in plain sight within their communities.

“Serial murderers often have families and homes, are gainfully employed and appear to be normal members of the community. Because many serial murderers can blend in so effortlessly, they are oftentimes overlooked by law enforcement and the public,” the report continues.

About 10,000 remains of Indiana serial killer Herb Baumeister were found on the 18-acre Westfield, Indiana, property. (Google Street View)

The Hamilton County coroner’s office is still sifting through the remains.

The FBI, Indiana State Police Laboratory, Dr. Krista Latham of the Biology & Anthropology Department at the University of Indianapolis and DNA experts from Texas-based Othram Lab were all instrumental in helping to identify the remains.

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Othram, which is the largest forensic genetic genealogy lab in the country, partnered with the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office last year to bring closure to Baumeister’s victims.

“Othram scientists developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing.” Othram said in a statement. “After successfully completing the process, the DNA profile was delivered to the FBI’s forensic genetic genealogy team and the FBI team performed the necessary genealogical research to generate new investigative leads in the case.”

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Indiana

Indiana State Police arrest woman accused of helping man wanted for allegedly shooting deputy

Published

2 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Indiana State Police arrest woman accused of helping man wanted for allegedly shooting deputy

FOX59/CBS4 has requested a mugshot of Victoria Howard, which has not been provided as of this article’s publication. The mugshot will be added once it is released.

FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — Authorities have arrested a woman accused of helping a man flee from authorities after he allegedly shot an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy.

Indiana State Police announced the arrest of 35-year-old Victoria Howard of New Albany, alleging that she assisted Austin Schepers after he reportedly shot Deputy Zac Andry on Jan. 3 in Orange Count.

A previous booking photo of Austin Schepers provided by Indiana State Police.

ISP said the incident occurred after Deputy Andry stopped to check on a disabled silver 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix near US Highway 150 and State Road 56. During this interaction, Schepers allegedly shot the deputy several times. Previous reports indicate Andry was transported to a Louisville-based hospital in “critical but stable condition.”

Schepers allegedly fled to a residence located in the 1800 block of Market Street in New Albany after the shooting.

*Photo of Deputy Zac Andry courtesy of Indiana State Police.*

Detectives believe Howard was aware that Scheper was wanted for his alleged role in the encounter and that police were searching for him.

ISP accused Howard of utilizing the ride-sharing app Lyft to assist Schepers as he looked for a ride from her apartment to the area of Craig Street and Wheeler Avenue in Louisville.

Schepers was found on Jan. 4 by investigators in the 3700 block of Wheeler Avenue where he was eventually killed during a shootout with police.

ISP said Howard was arrested without incident on Jan. 9 in Clarksville and taken to the Floyd County Jail where she was preliminarily charged with assisting a criminal (level 5 felony) and false informing (Class A misdemeanor).

ISP added that more individuals could face additional charges for allegedly helping Schepers while law enforcement was searching for him.

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Indiana

Latest forecast: How much snow will Indiana get Friday? When will it fall?

Published

13 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Latest forecast: How much snow will Indiana get Friday? When will it fall?

The Bloomington area will get more snow today. Here’s how much the National Weather Service now expects to fall and when.

How much snow will Monroe County get Friday?

Aaron Updike, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis said the Bloomington area is expected to get between 2 and 4 inches of snow.

Southern parts of Indiana could see even more, with Bedford projected to get close to 4 inches and areas closer to Louisville possibly seeing 6 inches.

When will the snow fall today in the Bloomington area?

Updike said the NWS expects the snow to begin around 11 a.m. and end about 12 hours later. However, he said, the day will bring periods of lulls and peaks, though those are more difficult to predict.

Generally, Updike said, the heaviest accumulation will occur from mid-to-late afternoon, around 2 to 6 p.m.

He urged commuters to take extra time and care, as they may experience slippery roads and sidewalks on their way home.

What kind of snow will be falling in Indiana on Friday?

Updike said the snow should be light and fluffy. The NWS expects only light wind, with gusts of 10 to 15 mph, which means the area should not expect to see much drifting snow.

How cold will it get in the Bloomington area tonight?

The NWS projects that the cloud cover will hang around the area for a while, which will contribute to temperatures falling only to about 20 degrees.

Is there a chance of snowmelt any time soon in Indiana?

Updike said temperatures should rise to near freezing on Sunday, and the area also might see some pockets of sunshine, which should help melt some snow especially on pavement and roads.

However, he said temperatures will not rise enough in the next few days to melt all of the snow.

Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.

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Indiana

Indiana Fever linked to trade for 2-time All-Star

Published

22 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Indiana Fever linked to trade for 2-time All-Star

Satou Sabally was immediately linked to the New York Liberty after announcing that she has played her final game for the Dallas Wings during Unrivaled Basketball’s media availability on Thursday. However, the Indiana Fever are another team who were recently mentioned as a possible trade suitor for the two-time All-Star, via Chloe Peterson of indystar.com.

Satou Sabally announced during Unrivaled media availability that she will not be returning to Dallas, and she has already communicated that with the franchise.
She could be a huge target for the Fever, if Indiana is able to put together a lucrative enough trade package.
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) January 9, 2025

Sabally’s announcement was the primary discussion swirling around the WNBA world on Thursday. The Wings will have the option to core Sabally, which will likely lead to a trade given her comments on Thursday. The chances of Dallas simply letting Sabally walk in free agency while passing on the option to core her are slim, but Sabally will likely still end up with a new team for the 2025 season.

The question is which team will she end up with? The defending-champion Liberty have Satou’s sister Nyara Sabally on the roster, so that may catch Satou’s attention. Joining an up-and-coming team like the Fever may also entice Satou, though.

There will be other candidates aside from Indiana and New York, of course. The Fever and Liberty both make sense as possible trade destinations for Satou Sabally, however. At only 26 years old, Sabally features the ceiling of a true superstar. If she can stay healthy, Sabally can significantly impact any team she joins.

Fever could trade for Satou Sabally

Sabally would add more star-power alongside Caitlin Clark in Indiana. Clark instantly became one of the most popular players in the WNBA in her rookie season during the 2024 campaign. Adding a star or two would help Indiana, though.

The Fever reached the postseason but were quickly eliminated in the first round. Indiana’s future remains bright, but they need to upgrade the roster around Clark. Sabally would turn the Fever into serious contenders.

If the Liberty find a way to acquire Sabally, however, the rest of the WNBA may be in trouble. With Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones already on the roster, the Liberty project to be a championship contender once again. Assuming Stewart returns, the Liberty will compete with or without Sabally, but adding her to the roster would turn New York into a super-team.

Sabally’s announcement on Thursday is already changing the landscape of the WNBA. Rumors will continue to swirl over the next few months. If Sabally is traded, which is seemingly expected at this point, whichever team acquires her will take a big step forward.

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