The Coroner’s Office conducted the excavation in partnership with experts from the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Center. (Photos provided by Hamilton County Coroner’s Office)
Coroner’s Office collaborates with forensic experts in ongoing investigation
Submitted
On Saturday, Oct. 18, the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office, in collaboration with forensic experts from the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Center, returned to Fox Hollow Farm to conduct a targeted excavation of an isolated area on the property.
This effort was initiated after two certified cadaver dogs independently alerted to the same location during a recent assessment.
Although the excavation did not result in the discovery of additional human remains, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison emphasized the continued importance of the work being done.
Jellison
“Although no additional remains were recovered during this excavation, the return to the property represents an important step forward in this nearly 30-year-old cold case,” Coroner Jellison said. “We are committed to exploring all credible leads and using every available scientific tool to bring resolution to this case.”
Background on the case
Fox Hollow Farm, located in Westfield, became the focal point of a major investigation in the mid-1990s, when it was revealed to be the residence of suspected serial killer Herb Baumeister. In 1996, investigators discovered the remains of multiple individuals buried on the property after Baumeister was allegedly connected to the disappearances of numerous men from the Indianapolis area throughout the early 1990s.
Baumeister died by suicide in Canada in 1996 before he could be formally charged. Authorities have recovered thousands of bone fragments and partial remains from the Fox Hollow Farm site.
In recent years, renewed forensic efforts led by Coroner Jellison include the use of advanced DNA analysis, forensic anthropology, and canine detection have contributed to the identification of 11 total victims.
The excavation is part of a continued effort by the Coroner’s Office and partnering with forensic experts to locate and identify victims.
Photo provided by Hamilton County Coroner’s Office
Ongoing investigation
The investigation at Fox Hollow Farm remains active as the Coroner’s Office and its partners continue to analyze forensic evidence, follow new leads, and utilize advanced investigative techniques to help identify the nearly 10,000 bone fragments and partial remains recovered from the property.
