WESTFIELD, Ind. — Decades after thousands of human bones and fragments were discovered on the property of a suspected Indiana serial killer, a new effort has emerged to uncover the identities of the victims. Authorities are seeking assistance from relatives of men who disappeared between the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s to provide DNA samples, which could be crucial for identification.
These DNA samples are being compared with profiles extracted from remains found at Herbert Baumeister’s property in Westfield, Indiana, starting in 1996. Based on the discoveries, investigators initially believed that at least 25 individuals were buried on Baumeister’s estate, where over 10,000 bones, handcuffs, and shotgun shells were uncovered.
Baumeister, a 49-year-old thrift store owner, took his own life in Canada in July 1996, just prior to police questioning. Investigators suspect he lured men to his home while his family was away, leading to their deaths.
By the end of the 1990s, officials had identified eight men through dental records and early DNA testing. Unfortunately, efforts stalled afterward, leaving at least 17 remains unidentified.
Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison stated that inadequate funding for further DNA testing at the time significantly impeded victim identification and placed undue financial burdens on families of missing individuals.
As years went by, countless bones and fragments remained stored at the University of Indianapolis’ Human Identification Center. A turning point occurred when a concerned individual reached out to the coroner seeking answers for his missing cousin, Allen Livingston, prompting renewed investigative efforts.
Livingston vanished in August 1993, sparking suspicions among family members that he may have been a victim of Baumeister. With new DNA samples taken from Livingston’s family, Jellison teamed up with local law enforcement, state police, and genetic genealogy experts to push the investigation forward.
After nearly a year of extensive work, an announcement in October 2023 confirmed the identification of a ninth victim: Allen Livingston, providing much-needed closure for his family.
However, Pranger, who played a key role in this identification, emphasized the need to focus on other families still seeking answers, as many victims remain unidentified.
Approximately 40 DNA samples have been submitted by relatives of potential Baumeister victims, and these are being entered into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) for identification purposes. The coroner and his team are actively pursuing more DNA samples from families of men who may have traveled through Indianapolis and went missing during that era.
To date, scientists have successfully extracted eight unique male DNA profiles from the remains, with matches already found to some of the men identified in the 1990s. This includes the recently identified Livingston and others such as Jeffrey Jones and Richard Hamilton, raising the number of presumed victims to 12.
The long-term identification effort may continue for several years, with many remains too damaged to yield usable DNA. However, advancements in DNA technology provide hope for uncovering more identities in the future.
The investigation underscores the importance of ensuring that the memories of marginalized individuals are honored and recognized, as many were estranged from their families or faced societal challenges.
The coroner has successfully obtained DNA reference samples from relatives of seven of the men initially identified, while efforts continue to locate the family of the eighth victim, Steven Hale.
Families interested in contributing DNA samples for the identification of remains are encouraged to reach out to local authorities.
As more remains are identified, families will have the option to have them memorialized at a recently dedicated site in Westfield, which currently honors nine identified victims with the potential for more names in the future.
The tragic yet hopeful endeavor reflects a commitment to bring closure to affected families and honor the lives lost in this heartbreaking case.
