Cadaver Dogs Search Suspected Serial Killer's Former Property For Remains

Herb Baumeister

Photo: Indianapolis Police Department

team of cadaver dogs searched the property previously owned by a suspected serial killer for the remains of his victims. Herb Baumeister was suspected of killing nearly two dozen men in the 1980s and 1990s. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before he could be questioned by investigators.

Officials believe that Baumeister may have killed up to 23 men after finding over 10,000 decomposed and charred bone fragments while searching his home, Fox Hollow Farms, in Westfield, Indiana, during their investigation in 1996.

Only eight of Baumeister's suspected victims were identified.

Robert Graves purchased the farm 15 years ago and said he continues to find found human bones scattered throughout the 10-acre property.

"We don't go looking for them, but they do turn up, and I take them to the University of Indianapolis," Graves told WTHR.

Officials are hoping to get closure for the families of missing men who may have been killed by Baumeister. To help locate any additional remains, a team of ten cadaver dogs was sent to scour the property for any human remains that may still be buried in the woods.

The dogs identified 20 locations that may have human remains.

"These are missing people. These remains represent people. They represent someone's family member," Chief Deputy and Coroner-elect Jeff Jellison said. "And, if we can recover additional remains, work to identify those remains, and then get some closure for some family members that don't know what happened to their loved one."

Jellison asked anybody who believes their loved one may have been a victim to provide a DNA sample.

"If we don't get comparison samples from relatives of those missing people, then our investigation will come to a halt very quickly. I need people that if you had someone missing in the middle 80s to middle 90s — I don't care where you're from, where they were from, I need you to come forward and provide us with a DNA sample," Jellison said. "It's just a swab of the cheek, takes just a few seconds. It's painless. We will come to you. We will get you the DNA test kit."


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