In the mid-1990s, young men began disappearing after nights out at gay bars in Indianapolis. For years, their disappearances went unexplained—until a human skull was found on the estate of a wealthy businessman, leading authorities to suspect Herb Baumeister as one of the most prolific yet least-known serial killers in American history.
The case is explored in Unknown Serial Killers of America, which details how Baumeister allegedly lured gay men to his 18-acre property, Fox Hollow Farm, before killing them. Investigators now believe the number of victims may far exceed the original estimate.
Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison told producers that the case is second only to the 9/11 investigation in terms of unidentified human remains. “We have 9,900 remains yet to test,” he said. “We’re sitting on four more DNA profiles that we don’t have names to yet.”
The disappearance of Manuel Resendez in 1993 became one of the earliest indicators of the horror to come. After leaving for a night out, he never returned. His sister, Janie Brock, said police were initially dismissive due to his age and sexuality.
“I was talking to whoever would talk to me,” she said. “We were scared.”
In 1994, another man, Roger Goodlet, went missing. A friend, Mark Goodyear, spotted a man at a bar staring at Goodlet’s missing persons flyer. The man introduced himself as “Brian Smart” and invited Goodyear back to a mansion with an indoor pool lined with mannequins. When Smart attempted to strangle him during a discussion of erotic asphyxiation, Goodyear managed to escape and reported the encounter.
It wasn’t until Goodyear saw the man again a year later and tracked his license plate that police learned his real identity: Herb Baumeister.
Baumeister and his wife Juliana owned second-hand Sav-A-Lot stores and lived on a luxurious estate in Westfield, Indiana. Authorities had no cause to search the property until their son discovered a human skull in 1996. Baumeister claimed it was a fake, but further discoveries led Juliana to contact her lawyer and allow a search of the property.
What followed was a massive forensic investigation that unearthed more than 10,000 human bone fragments scattered around Fox Hollow Farm. At least 11 individuals were initially identified, with forensic anthropologist Dr. Stephen Nawrocki playing a crucial role.
Detectives found personal items, evidence of strangulation, and even bones in a nearby creek. Among the remains was an arm bone with handcuffs still attached.
Inside the home, investigators were unsettled by a basement pool surrounded by mannequins. A lounge under a loose ceiling vent led them to believe Baumeister may have recorded his killings. Baumeister fled Indiana and was found dead by suicide in Canada in July 1996, leaving behind a note citing personal struggles but never admitting to the murders.
To date, 13 victims have been identified, including Manuel Resendez, Roger Goodlet, Jeffrey Jones, Richard Hamilton, Steven Hale, Alan Broussard, Michael Keirn, Jerry Comer, and Allen Livingston. Investigators continue to work through the remaining remains with advanced DNA testing.
In August 2024, Resendez’s family was notified of newly identified remains. “It’s not acceptable that these men haven’t had proper burials,” said Jellison, who vows to continue the work.
Anyone who believes a missing loved one may be a victim of Herb Baumeister is urged to contact the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office at 1-317-770-4415 to provide a DNA sample.
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