IN IN - Herbert Richard Baumeister AKA Brian Smart Preyed on Gay Men - Remains Found at Fox Hollow Farm - Possibly I-70 IN/OH Serial Killer

[Deleted member 212413]

Resendez is among the first to be positively identified as one of Baumeister’s potential victims.

According to the Indianapolis Star, investigators believe Baumeister targeted gay men, brought them back to his home, and killed them.

In June 1996, Baumeister’s teenage son reportedly found a human skull on their land and brought it to his mother. Baumeister reportedly said the remains were left over from his late father’s medical practice. Baumeister and his wife were in the middle of getting a divorce at the time, and when her son showed her the skull, she filed an emergency protective order against Baumeister.

WXIN-TV reports the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office believes there could be 25 people buried on the property

Missing man's remains identified among 10,000 bones and fragments on suspected serial killer's property

HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind. (TCD) -- Officials positively identified a man who went missing nearly 30 years ago after parts of his remains — along countless others — were discovered on a suspected serial killer’s property in 1996.

truecrimedaily.com

This is just such an unbelievably sick and sad situation. Just heartbreaking for all the victims.

 

[Kell1]

If they have 5 or more victims , theres usually another 1-5 more LE doesn't know about , even if they confess to the others .

 

[dotr]

Wondering if HB had any victims in Ontario prior to committing suicide here? speculation, imo.
January 25, 2024 rbbm

Remains found at a central Indiana estate are those of a man who has been missing since 1993

WESTFIELD, Ind. (AP) — Remains recovered from the central Indiana estate of a presumed serial killer have been identified as those of a man reported missing in 1993, a coroner said Thursday. The remains recovered in 1996 at the Fox Hollow Farm estate of Herbert Baumeister were found to match...

toronto.citynews.ca

''Approximately 10,000 charred bones and bone fragments have been found at Baumeister’s 18-acre (7.3-hectare) estate in Westfield, about 16 miles (25.75 kilometers) miles north of Indianapolis, Jellison has said.

Baumeister was 49 when he killed himself in Canada in July 1996 as investigators sought to question him about the remains discovered at Fox Hollow Farm.

Investigators believed Baumeister, a married father of three who frequented gay bars, lured men to his home and killed them. By 1999, authorities had linked him to the disappearance of at least 16 men since 1980, including several whose bodies were found dumped in shallow streams in rural central Indiana and western Ohio.''

CRIME HUNTER: Serial killer Herb Baumeister ended it in Ontario park

Herb Baumeister put a gun to his head and squeezed the trigger at Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron on July 3, 1996.

torontosun.com

2022

NO SEX: Herbs wife Julie later said they had sex just six times in 25 years of marriage. ISP/HANDOUT
''Knowing police were closing in on him, Baumeister went on the run and slipped across the border into Ontario where he eventually ended his life.''

 

[Kell1]

Very possible

 

[meanmaryjean]

Another victim identified. RIP Jeffery Jones

More remains on former farm of Herb Baumeister identified

WESTFIELD, Ind. — Another set of human remains recovered at the former home of Herb Baumeister has been identified by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office. According to a news release f…

fox59.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

This week, on May 22, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office in Indiana announced that another victim has been identified as Jeffrey A. Jones, who was reported missing in August 1993. His remains were identified through “extensive forensic genetic genealogy investigation," the corner's office said.

Earlier this year, on Jan. 25, the coroner's office also announced the identification of Manuel Resendez, whose remains were found in 1996. Additionally, Allen Livingston was identified as another one of Baumeister’s victims through the same process, CBS News reports.

"According to Jellison, investigators have four additional DNA profiles that have not yet been identified, bringing the total number of victims to 12," the coroner's office said in the May 22 statement.

“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 said in the statement.

Some Victims of Ind. Serial Killer Are ID'd, But Officials Face Stiff Challenge: 10,000 Bone Fragments in His Yard

This week, on May 22, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office in Indiana announced that another victim has been identified as Jeffrey A. Jones, who was reported missing in August 1993. His remains were identified through “extensive forensic genetic genealogy investigation," the corner's office said.

people.com

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Never heard of this one at all.

I guess I just keep wondering how Julie and those kids have done with all this.
Can you imagine growing up knowing who fathered you

 

[?!?]

More than 10,000 human remains found on suspected serial killer’s farm

Authorities in Indiana are continuing to identify human remains found at an alleged serial killer’s property.

www.wymt.com

 

[IceIce9]

Victims of Herb Baumeister to be remembered at memorial dedication in Westfield

It's been almost 30 years since investigators found thousands of remains buried on 18 acres behind Herb Baumeister's Westfield home.

www.wthr.com

 

[Plantlover96]

My great uncle George Curtis was brutally murdered in Indianapolis, Indiana December 19-20,1993 in his apartment. They are unsure of his exact date of death. He was a gay man in his 50s. He was strangled, stabbed, and left with a piece of his skull missing. He lived on the east side of Indianapolis, and was within a couple miles of I-70, and within 10 miles from one of the bars Herb was known to lure victims. I have contacted Marion County numerous times trying to get answers about my uncles case, and recently about how I believe Herb could have killed him. I always have to leave a message to no avail. I also cannot find my uncle listed on any cold case websites, and oddly enough only one news article that was VERY difficult to find from 1993 briefly mentioned a man was found slain in his apartment. It’s like he never existed or was murdered to them. You can easily find other information from around the same time period of others in Indianapolis that had been murdered, but nothing on my uncle. My grandmother (his sister) has said from day one they never treated this as a true investigation and it never went very far, she felt they truly didn’t care at the time because he was an older gay man. I have reached out to multiple different organizations in hopes to get some help. If any of you can offer any advice as to what I should do to help this get moved in the right direction quicker would be amazing and so appreciated. Thank you!

 

[legalmomma]

My great uncle George Curtis was brutally murdered in Indianapolis, Indiana December 19-20,1993 in his apartment. They are unsure of his exact date of death. He was a gay man in his 50s. He was strangled, stabbed, and left with a piece of his skull missing. He lived on the east side of Indianapolis, and was within a couple miles of I-70, and within 10 miles from one of the bars Herb was known to lure victims. I have contacted Marion County numerous times htrying to get answers about my uncles case, and recently about how I believe Herb could have killed him. I always have to leave a message to no avail. I also cannot find my uncle listed on any cold case websites, and oddly enough only one news article that was VERY difficult to find from 1993 briefly mentioned a man was found slain in his apartment. It’s like he never existed or was murdered to them. You can easily find other information from around the same time period of others in Indianapolis that had been murdered, but nothing on my uncle. My grandmother (his sister) has said from day one they never treated this as a true investigation and it never went very far, she felt they truly didn’t care at the time because he was an older gay man. I have reached out to multiple different organizations in hopes to get some help. If any of you can offer any advice as to what I should do to help this get moved in the right direction quicker would be amazing and so appreciated. Thank you!

I would contact Hamilton County Coronor Jeff Jellison since he is investigating the remains found on Fox Hollow Farms.

FBI commits thousands of dollars to renewed Herb Baumeister investigation

The money is through a SAKI grant, the nation's largest cold case sexual assault investigation grant.

www.wthr.com

Work on getting a dna sample to him. He also may likely have the LE contact you need. Good luck and I’m sorry for your loss. Coroner's Office | Hamilton County, IN

 

[Plantlover96]

I would contact Hamilton County Coronor Jeff Jellison since he is investigating the remains found on Fox Hollow Farms.

FBI commits thousands of dollars to renewed Herb Baumeister investigation

The money is through a SAKI grant, the nation's largest cold case sexual assault investigation grant.

www.wthr.com

Work on getting a dna sample to him. He also may likely have the LE contact you need. Good luck and I’m sorry for your loss. Coroner's Office | Hamilton County, IN

I contacted him yesterday actually. He has been the first that was helpful. He took all my information and told me the best he could do is turn it over to Marion County since they have jurisdiction. It’s a constant cat and mouse game. Thank you

 

[imstilla.grandma]

"This investigation is extremely challenging due to the condition of the remains," Jellison stated, noting that many were found burnt and crushed. Despite these obstacles, the team remains committed to identifying the victims.

Key to the investigation was an informant, Tony Harris, who met Baumeister, posing as "Brian Smart," at a gay bar and later escaped an attempted strangulation at Fox Hollow Farm.

Harris reported the incident to authorities, but the police struggled to locate the farm based on his description. It wasn’t until over a year later that Harris encountered "Brian Smart" again, providing a crucial tip to the police. Virgil Vandagriff, a retired Marion County detective who had previously investigated missing queer men in the area, including Goodlet, told local NBC affiliate WTHR that when Harris spotted "Smart" the second time, he managed to record "Smart’s" license plate number. This information was instrumental in identifying "Brian Smart" as Herbert Baumeister.
....".
The investigation into Baumeister's activities has revealed at least 25 victims from the remains found on his property. By 1999, police had linked Baumeister to 16 missing men whose bodies were found in streams across Indiana and Ohio. Renewed efforts to identify more victims began in November 2022, with Jellison partnering with forensic labs to extract DNA from the remains.

Jellison's team continues to urge those with missing loved ones from that period to contact the coroner's office, hoping to bring closure to more families after decades of uncertainty

Indiana Coroner Identifies Another Victim in Herb Baumeister Case

00:11:36 - In a significant development, the Hamilton County Coroner announced that a bone fragment from the 10,000 human remains recovered from the farm of al…

www.listennotes.com

 

[SimsGuy67]

My great uncle George Curtis was brutally murdered in Indianapolis, Indiana December 19-20,1993 in his apartment. They are unsure of his exact date of death. He was a gay man in his 50s. He was strangled, stabbed, and left with a piece of his skull missing. He lived on the east side of Indianapolis, and was within a couple miles of I-70, and within 10 miles from one of the bars Herb was known to lure victims. I have contacted Marion County numerous times trying to get answers about my uncles case, and recently about how I believe Herb could have killed him. I always have to leave a message to no avail. I also cannot find my uncle listed on any cold case websites, and oddly enough only one news article that was VERY difficult to find from 1993 briefly mentioned a man was found slain in his apartment. It’s like he never existed or was murdered to them. You can easily find other information from around the same time period of others in Indianapolis that had been murdered, but nothing on my uncle. My grandmother (his sister) has said from day one they never treated this as a true investigation and it never went very far, she felt they truly didn’t care at the time because he was an older gay man. I have reached out to multiple different organizations in hopes to get some help. If any of you can offer any advice as to what I should do to help this get moved in the right direction quicker would be amazing and so appreciated. Thank you!

First, I am so sorry for your loss. From what I could find, George was described as a very kind man who, as quoted, wouldn't hurt a fly.

I've been able to find quite a few articles about the murder, the most important of which I'll link. His body was found on the morning of December 20, 1993, in the front room of his apartment, feet from the front door, which had been partly locked.

He had been beaten and stabbed, though I couldn't find any note of a part of his skull being missing. He was last seen at 2:30 a.m. on December 19, leaving the Unicorn Lounge, which from research, I believe is a gay bar. He is theorized to have picked up someone there. His car would be found days after his murder at a small shopping center.

Slain man's car is found

Clipping found in The Indianapolis News published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 12/25/1993. Slain man's car is found

www.newspapers.com

Information sought in slaying

Clipping found in The Indianapolis News published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 5/23/1994. Information sought in slaying

www.newspapers.com

Lawrence man found dead; car missing

Clipping found in The Indianapolis Star published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 12/21/1993. Lawrence man found dead; car missing

www.newspapers.com

Man slain in Lawrence was beaten and stabbed

Clipping found in The Indianapolis Star published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 12/22/1993. Man slain in Lawrence was beaten and stabbed

www.newspapers.com

---

Oddly, from what I could find, I found no evidence that George had been strangled in any way, but it's very possibly police didn't disclose this, nor the missing skull piece.

I haven't researched this case extensively, but George's movements shortly before his murder seem very close to Baumeister's known victims. I do recommend contacting to person also mentioned, to see if the missing skull piece may be among the bones found at Fox Hollow Farm.

 

[Deleted member 306806]

First, I am so sorry for your loss. From what I could find, George was described as a very kind man who, as quoted, wouldn't hurt a fly.

I've been able to find quite a few articles about the murder, the most important of which I'll link. His body was found on the morning of December 20, 1993, in the front room of his apartment, feet from the front door, which had been partly locked.

He had been beaten and stabbed, though I couldn't find any note of a part of his skull being missing. He was last seen at 2:30 a.m. on December 19, leaving the Unicorn Lounge, which from research, I believe is a gay bar. He is theorized to have picked up someone there. His car would be found days after his murder at a small shopping center.

Slain man's car is found

Clipping found in The Indianapolis News published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 12/25/1993. Slain man's car is found

www.newspapers.com

Information sought in slaying

Clipping found in The Indianapolis News published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 5/23/1994. Information sought in slaying

www.newspapers.com

Lawrence man found dead; car missing

Clipping found in The Indianapolis Star published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 12/21/1993. Lawrence man found dead; car missing

www.newspapers.com

Man slain in Lawrence was beaten and stabbed

Clipping found in The Indianapolis Star published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 12/22/1993. Man slain in Lawrence was beaten and stabbed

www.newspapers.com

---

Oddly, from what I could find, I found no evidence that George had been strangled in any way, but it's very possibly police didn't disclose this, nor the missing skull piece.

I haven't researched this case extensively, but George's movements shortly before his murder seem very close to Baumeister's known victims. I do recommend contacting to person also mentioned, to see if the missing skull piece may be among the bones found at Fox Hollow Farm.

George's apartment and the shopping center parking lot where his car was found were about half a mile apart. Shopping center was on a more front road leading to the a loop of road around 6 or so apartment buildings. (1)

Interesting to note identified remains found Baumeister's farm were all men who went missing in the spring and summer months - many July and August, some May, June and a March 30th. (2) Time the ground would be thawed. George was murdered in December, in his apartment. Investigators should look at men who fit Baumeister's profile found murdered in their apartments in the winter months.

George's location does seem to be outside of Baumeister's typically area if I am understanding locations correctly. BUT possible victim Jerry Williams-Comer's car was found at at Castleton Square Mall, outside of what I think is being reported as the typical area Baumeister found known victims - around 501 Club/Collage Ave area.

(1) Google Maps - George's apartment, where his car was found, where Jerry Williams-Comer's car was found, 501 Club
(2) This info is found in mary sources, but one quick one is the Wikipedia article

 

[CuriousCricket]

George's apartment and the shopping center parking lot where his car was found were about half a mile apart. Shopping center was on a more front road leading to the a loop of road around 6 or so apartment buildings. (1)

Interesting to note identified remains found Baumeister's farm were all men who went missing in the spring and summer months - many July and August, some May, June and a March 30th. (2) Time the ground would be thawed. George was murdered in December, in his apartment. Investigators should look at men who fit Baumeister's profile found murdered in their apartments in the winter months.

George's location does seem to be outside of Baumeister's typically area if I am understanding locations correctly. BUT possible victim Jerry Williams-Comer's car was found at at Castleton Square Mall, outside of what I think is being reported as the typical area Baumeister found known victims - around 501 Club/Collage Ave area.

(1) Google Maps - George's apartment, where his car was found, where Jerry Williams-Comer's car was found, 501 Club
(2) This info is found in mary sources, but one quick one is the Wikipedia article

Wonder if the shopping center had cameras back in that day? I'd suggest killer had parked his own car in the shopping center and walked the short half-mile in order to have his victim drive and so that no one would have a description of his car nor license plate if they were spotted leaving together. Also, his vehicle would likely go unnoticed at the shopping center if left there for quite awhile. It seems a simple matter for the killer to have driven the victim's vehicle to retrieve his own.

 

[legalmomma]

Memorial planned for Fox Hollow victims

A memorial for victims of Fox Hollow Farm will be unveiled this month in Westfield. Herb Baumeister — who died by suicide in 1996 after human remains were discovered at his estate on 156th Street — is believed to be responsible for the murders of at least 12 men in the mid-1990s. More than 10,000 c

youarecurrent.com

Herb Baumeister — who died by suicide in 1996 after human remains were discovered at his estate on 156th Street — is believed to be responsible for the murders of at least 12 men in the mid-1990s. More than 10,000 charred remains and bone fragments were discovered at Fox Hollow. Those remains were housed at the University of Indianapolis in 1996, where they went untested until the investigation into identifying the victims was restarted by Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison Jellison’s office in 2022.

To date, DNA profiles of four victims have yet to be identified.
…
Jellison said the most efficient way to identify remains that produce a new DNA profile is through family reference samples. ( <— edited to notify @Plantlover96 )

“We are still pleading to anyone who has a missing person in their family to contact us,” he said.

The memorial will be dedicated at 10 a.m. Aug. 29 at Fletcher Buchanan Hamilton Memorial Park cemetery/Prairie Waters Event Center in Westfield. The remains of Jeff Jones, the most recently identified victim of Fox Hollow, will be interred in the ossuary at the memorial garden. The public is invited to attend.

 

[legalmomma]

@Plantlover96 in regard to your uncle’s murder,

Lawrence man found dead; car missing

Clipping found in The Indianapolis Star published in Indianapolis, Indiana on 12/21/1993. Lawrence man found dead; car missing

www.newspapers.com

In this article posted above Lawrence Police Lt. J.D. Bush was quoted and described the crime scene.He’s retired now but here is the contact for Travis Cline ~Deputy Chief of Investigations and Administration
Serving Lawrence since 1998
Investigations Division Commander, oversees all aspects of Criminal & Violent Crimes Investigations

Travis Cline | City of Lawrence, Indiana

Serving Lawrence since 1998Investigations Division Commander, oversees all aspects of Criminal & Violent Crimes InvestigationsSupervisor assigned to the multi-agency Metropolitan Drug Task Force since 2009

www.cityoflawrence.org

He may be able to provide some info as looks like Laurence Police were at the scene.

 

[legalmomma]

Memorial dedicated to victims of suspected serial killer Herb Baumeister

This morning, a memorial for the victims of suspected serial killer Herb Baumeister was dedicated at Hamilton Memorial Park Cemetery.

www.wrtv.com

WESTFIELD — This morning, a memorial for the victims of suspected serial killer Herb Baumeister was dedicated at Hamilton Memorial Park Cemetery.

Thursday's dedication comes two years after Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison re-opened the case with hopes of identifying more remains from the fragments originally found on Baumeister's property. Those remains had been sitting in the lab at the University of Indianapolis for nearly 30 years.

The memorial will have the names of the nine men whose remains have been identified. Behind the memorial, there will be a place where victims' cremated remains can be placed in the ground.

Jellison says that the remains of at least 13 men have been recovered, but only nine are identified.

 

[Elley Mae]

Vandagriff was the first investigator to link Baumeister to the killings of gay men who were picked up in Indianapolis.

One key witness told Vandagriff about a harrowing night he'd spent with a man he met in a bar. That strange man, the witness said, took him to a fancy house with a swimming pool in the suburbs. That man, who would later turn out to be Baumeister, used a fake name and told the witness he was the groundskeeper.

"Him and Herb drank, did some drugs and Herb took a hose and wrapped it around his neck tried to strangle him," Vandagriff said. "He acted like he passed out."

Baumeister soon realized the informant was alive, Vandagriff said. Instead of killing him, Baumeister decided to drive the witness back to Indianapolis.

The informant didn't know exactly where he had been taken that night, but the informant remembered the guy's face when he saw him again at a gay bar in the city.

“What really broke the case is one night he (the informant) was at a gay bar and Herb came into the gay bar," Vandagriff said. "So (the informant) jumped up on one of the tables and yelled out 'This guy's a serial killer! Somebody to get his license number!'"

This private investigator cracked the case of notorious serial killer Herbert Baumeister

The biggest case in Virgil Vandagriff's long career as a police detective and private investigator began when two families hired him to find their missing loved ones in the mid-1990s.

www.wrtv.com

….

I can’t imagine how many more there would have been without Virgil Vandagriff.