suspected serial killer Indiana estate presumed victims
suspected serial killer Indiana estate presumed victims identified.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
A fresh effort is underway to identify the numerous bones discovered at the Indiana estate of a deceased businessman suspected in a series of murders, with the number of presumed victims now standing at 13, a coroner revealed on Tuesday. This development marks another somber chapter in a case that has unfolded over several decades.
Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison announced that four new DNA profiles have been obtained as part of the identification process for the remains. These profiles will be sent to the FBI for genetic genealogy analysis in hopes of establishing their identities.
Prior to this recent breakthrough, nine men had been identified as potential victims of Herb Baumeister, who took his own life in Canada in July 1996 as authorities sought to question him regarding the discovery of approximately 10,000 charred bones and bone fragments on his expansive estate, Fox Hollow Farm.
Jellison disclosed that investigators suspect the bones and fragments could belong to at least 25 individuals. “We know that we have at this point 13 victims found on the Fox Hollow Farm property,” Jellison stated.
It is believed that Baumeister, a married father of three who frequented gay bars, enticed men to his residence and subsequently killed them at his estate in Westfield, located around 16 miles north of Indianapolis.
In 2022, Jellison initiated a renewed effort to match potential victims of Baumeister to the thousands of charred and crushed bones and fragments recovered on his property in the 1990s, which had been placed in storage. “Because many of the remains were found burnt and crushed, this investigation is extremely challenging; however, the team of law enforcement and forensic specialists working the case remain committed,” Jellison remarked.
Jellison continues to urge relatives of young men who vanished between the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s to provide DNA samples for the ongoing identification endeavor. “That is the most efficient way that we’ll be able to identify these remains,” he emphasized.
Thus far, this initiative has led to the identification of three men based on DNA extracted from the bones. Two of these individuals, Jeffrey A. Jones and Manuel Resendez, were among the eight men identified in the 1990s as potential victims of Baumeister.
Jones, reported missing at the age of 31, had his remains identified last week through a forensic genetic genealogy analysis conducted by the FBI and Jellison’s office. Resendez, who disappeared at 34, had his remains identified using the same technique in January.
Last October, with the assistance of a DNA sample provided by his mother, additional bone fragments were confirmed to belong to 27-year-old Allen Livingston. Livingston vanished on the same day as Resendez, and his identification at that time brought the total number of presumed victims identified by investigators to nine.
Uncovering a Dark Past
The case dates back to June 1996 when Baumeister’s 15-year-old son stumbled upon a human skull approximately 60 yards from their home, setting off the investigation. This discovery transpired as Baumeister and his wife were in the midst of divorce proceedings, with his wife subsequently obtaining an emergency protective order and custody to safeguard herself and their children.
At the time, Baumeister dismissed the finding, claiming it was related to his late father’s medical practice. Three days later, more remains were uncovered by Hamilton County firefighters, leaving investigators perplexed.
Despite the passage of time, authorities remain committed to resolving this complex case. Those who suspect they may be related to a missing person connected to the investigation are encouraged to reach out to the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office for assistance.
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suspected serial killer Indiana estate presumed victims.
