For most people, an 18-acre estate with a private wooded setting, horse barn, indoor pool, and custom-built home sounds like a dream property.

But for thousands of true crime followers, one address in Westfield, Indiana, is remembered for something far darker.

Fox Hollow Farm located at 1111 East 156th Street, Carmel, Indiana is believed to be one of America’s largest serial killer crime scenes. Nearly three decades after investigators uncovered thousands of human bone fragments scattered across the property, authorities are still identifying victims using modern DNA technology, making this one of the few serial killer investigations in the United States that continues to evolve today.

 

Where Is Fox Hollow Farm?

Fox Hollow Farm is located in Westfield, Indiana, just north of Indianapolis.

The 18-acre estate includes:

• A large custom residence

• Indoor swimming pool

• Horse barn

• Wooded acreage

• Multiple outbuildings

Because the property has been extensively documented through court records, media reports, and law enforcement investigations, its address has long been public.

The Man Behind the Horror

Herbert Richard “Herb” Baumeister appeared to live the American dream.

He was:

• Married

• Father of three

• Owner of the successful Save-A-Lot thrift store chain

• Wealthy businessman

• Active member of the community

Friends and neighbors described him as intelligent, quiet, and sometimes eccentric.

Few suspected investigators would later consider him one of Indiana’s most prolific serial killers.

How Investigators Believe the Murders Happened

Police believe Baumeister targeted primarily young men he met at LGBTQ+ bars around Indianapolis during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Investigators believe he would:

• Meet victims at local bars.

• Invite them back to Fox Hollow Farm.

• Gain their trust.

• Kill them, often by strangulation.

• Burn, crush, and scatter their remains across the wooded property.

Authorities suspect many of the killings occurred near or inside the home’s indoor pool area before victims’ remains were moved outside.

 

The Discovery That Changed Everything

The case began unraveling in 1994 when Baumeister’s teenage son reportedly discovered a human skull while exploring the property.

Baumeister explained it away as a medical skeleton belonging to his late physician father.

For a time, the explanation was accepted.

By 1996, however, additional information—including the account of a man who survived an encounter with Baumeister and reported him to police—led investigators back to Fox Hollow Farm. Baumeister’s wife granted authorities permission to search the property while he was away.

Thousands of Human Remains

What investigators uncovered shocked even experienced detectives.

Search teams recovered:

• More than 10,000 human bones and bone fragments

• Burned skeletal remains

• Crushed bone fragments

• Personal effects belonging to victims

Because many of the remains had been intentionally burned and fragmented, identifying victims proved extraordinarily difficult.

 

How Many Victims?

Authorities believe Baumeister may have killed at least 25 men, though the exact number remains unknown.

As DNA technology has improved, investigators have steadily identified more victims.

The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office has confirmed 13 victims connected to remains recovered from Fox Hollow Farm, while several additional DNA profiles remain unidentified.

Among those identified in recent years are:

• Allen Livingston

• Manuel Resendez

• Jeffrey Jones

• Daniel Halloran

• Roger Goodlet

Each identification has provided long-awaited answers to families who spent decades wondering what happened to their loved ones.

Modern DNA Is Solving a 30-Year-Old Mystery

In 2022, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison reopened identification efforts using forensic genealogy and advanced DNA analysis.

The initiative has partnered with organizations specializing in investigative genetic genealogy to compare DNA recovered from the property with relatives of missing persons.

Officials continue encouraging families of men who disappeared during the 1980s and 1990s to submit DNA samples, believing additional identifications are still possible.

New Searches Continue

The investigation isn’t over.

In late 2025, cadaver dogs alerted investigators to another area of Fox Hollow Farm, prompting a fresh excavation.

Although no additional human remains were recovered during that search, officials emphasized that the homicide investigation remains active and that every credible lead continues to be pursued.

Renewed Interest Through Documentaries

Interest in Fox Hollow Farm has surged in recent years thanks to several documentaries.

ABC News Studios’ Hulu series The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer introduced millions of viewers to the case in 2025. The series generated hundreds of new tips and renewed public attention.

In July 2026, ABC followed with Return to Fox Hollow: New Victims, Darker Secrets, exploring newly identified victims, fresh investigative leads, and ongoing efforts to uncover the truth.

What Happened to Herb Baumeister?

As investigators closed in during 1996, Baumeister fled Indiana.

He crossed into Canada, where he died by suicide at Pinery Provincial Park on July 3, 1996.

His suicide note reportedly mentioned financial and marital problems but made no reference to the murders or the human remains discovered on his property.

Because he was never arrested or tried, no criminal conviction was ever obtained against him. Nevertheless, investigators have consistently identified him as the prime suspect in the Fox Hollow Farm killings.

Is Fox Hollow Farm Haunted?

Fox Hollow Farm has become one of the most talked-about allegedly haunted homes in the Midwest.

Over the years, paranormal investigators have reported claims of:

• Unexplained voices

• Shadow figures

• Strange lights

• Cold spots

• Apparitions

These reports remain anecdotal, and there is no scientific evidence confirming paranormal activity. However, the property’s tragic history has made it a frequent subject of ghost-hunting television programs and paranormal tourism discussions.

Does the House Still Exist?

Yes.

Unlike many notorious crime scenes that have been demolished, Fox Hollow Farm remains standing and is privately owned.

The current owner has cooperated with investigators during renewed searches and has publicly supported efforts to identify every remaining victim.

Why Fox Hollow Farm Still Matters

The story of Fox Hollow Farm is no longer only about Herb Baumeister.

Today, it is about restoring the identities of those whose lives were taken and giving families answers after decades of uncertainty.

Every newly identified victim transforms an anonymous set of remains into a person with a name, a family, and a story.

As long as unidentified remains remain at Fox Hollow Farm, the investigation continues.

Property History Timeline

• 1991 – Herb Baumeister and his family purchase Fox Hollow Farm.

• Late 1980s–1996 – Investigators believe numerous killings occur at the property.

• 1994 – Baumeister’s son discovers a human skull on the estate.

• June 1996 – Police search Fox Hollow Farm and recover thousands of bone fragments.

• July 3, 1996 – Baumeister dies by suicide in Canada.

• 2022 – Hamilton County Coroner reopens victim-identification efforts using modern DNA technology.

• 2025 – Hulu’s The Fox Hollow Murders sparks hundreds of new tips.

• 2026 – Follow-up documentary, Return to Fox Hollow, highlights new investigative developments and ongoing efforts to identify remaining victims.

Why This Story Endures

Fox Hollow Farm remains one of the most significant crime-scene properties in American history because the story is still unfolding. Unlike many infamous homes whose investigations ended decades ago, this case continues to evolve through forensic science, documentary investigations, and renewed public interest. Each DNA identification brings another family closer to answers and reinforces the importance of preserving and investigating the history behind a property’s walls.

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