The Unidentified: 5 Notorious Indiana Serial Killers And The Renewed Quest For Justice At Fox Hollow Farm

The state of Indiana, often known for its quiet, midwestern charm, harbors a dark and chilling history of serial violence that continues to haunt its communities. As of this current date in December 2025, a significant and ongoing effort is underway to finally bring closure to the families of victims from decades-old cases, primarily focusing on the infamous Fox Hollow Farm and the man who lived there, Herbert "Herb" Baumeister.

This renewed quest for justice, driven by advancements in DNA technology and the tireless work of investigators, has recently resulted in the identification of more victims, proving that even the coldest of cases can yield new truths. The story of Indiana's most prolific serial killers is a sobering reminder of the evil that can hide in plain sight.

The Ongoing Horror: Herb Baumeister and the Fox Hollow Farm Victims

The case of Herb Baumeister represents one of the most extensive and tragic serial killer investigations in Indiana history. A seemingly normal businessman, Baumeister was a husband, father, and the owner of the massive Fox Hollow Farm estate in Westfield, Indiana, which concealed a horrifying secret.

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Herbert "Herb" Baumeister: A Brief Profile

• Born: April 7, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Died: July 3, 1996 (Suicide by self-inflicted gunshot)
• Aliases/Known Names: The Fox Hollow Farm Killer
• Victim Profile: Primarily gay men who disappeared from Indianapolis gay bars in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
• Known Victims: At least 11 individuals identified from his property; he is suspected in the deaths of over 25 men.
• Modus Operandi: Luring men to his remote property, where he murdered them and then buried or cremated their remains on the 18-acre estate.
• Status: Deceased. The investigation into his victims is ongoing.

The Fresh Updates: New Victims Identified Decades Later

The most compelling and recent development in the Baumeister case centers on the Hamilton County Coroner's office, which has been diligently working to identify the thousands of "burnt and crushed" skeletal remains and bone fragments unearthed at Fox Hollow Farm in 1996. The sheer volume of remains—over 10,000 fragments—has made the identification process painstakingly slow.

However, modern forensic genealogy and DNA technology have finally begun to break through the decades of silence. In recent years, several new victims have been officially identified, bringing long-awaited closure to their families:

• Daniel Thomas Halloran: Identified as a victim whose remains were found at Fox Hollow. This identification was a major breakthrough in the ongoing investigation.
• Allen Livingston: Identified after more than 30 years. His remains were among those of at least 25 people found on Baumeister’s sprawling estate.

This renewed effort highlights a commitment to providing names to the unidentified remains, many of whom were marginalized individuals whose disappearance was not immediately or aggressively investigated at the time. The Hamilton County Coroner, Jeff Jellison, has stated there are still "several tragedies" left in the case, suggesting more identifications are expected.

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The Highway Killer: Larry Eyler's Reign of Terror

While Herb Baumeister terrorized the Indianapolis area, another notorious serial killer, Larry Eyler, operated along the highways of Indiana and Illinois. Eyler, often dubbed the "Highway Killer," preyed on young men and boys, particularly hitchhikers and runaways, throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Larry Eyler: A Brief Profile

• Born: December 21, 1952, in Crawfordsville, Indiana
• Died: March 6, 1994 (AIDS-related complications, while on death row)
• Aliases/Known Names: The Highway Killer, The Interstate Killer
• Victim Profile: Young men and boys, often sex workers or hitchhikers, primarily in the Midwest.
• Known Victims: Confessed to 21 murders, with a suspected total of 23.
• Modus Operandi: Kidnapping, torture, and murder, often disposing of bodies in remote, rural areas near interstate highways.

Eyler's case also has recent ties to ongoing victim identification efforts. The remains of two young murder victims, found in boxes, belonged to Eyler's victims and had never been identified until new forensic work provided their names. This demonstrates a cross-state effort to identify the forgotten victims of multiple Midwestern serial killers.

Eyler’s accomplice, Robert David Little, who helped dispose of bodies, further complicated the investigation, but Eyler's own confession before his death in 1994 provided critical information, though some of his victims remain unidentified.

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The Black Widow of La Porte: Belle Gunness

To establish full topical authority on Indiana's dark history, one must look back to the early 20th century and the chilling tale of Belle Gunness. Operating in La Porte, Indiana, Gunness is considered one of America's most prolific female serial killers, a true "Black Widow" who lured victims to their demise for financial gain.

Belle Gunness: A Brief Profile

• Born: November 11, 1859, in Selbu, Norway
• Died: Possibly April 28, 1908 (Disputed; she may have faked her death)
• Aliases/Known Names: The La Porte Black Widow, Hell's Belle
• Victim Profile: Suitors and farmhands she lured through "lonely hearts" advertisements, as well as her own family members.
• Known Victims: Suspected of killing between 25 and 40 people.
• Modus Operandi: Poisoning, dismemberment, and burial of victims in her pig pen and property after collecting their life savings or insurance money.

Gunness's story is one of calculated greed and brutal efficiency. She would place advertisements in Norwegian-language newspapers seeking a husband, asking the men to bring all their cash with them. Once they arrived at her "Murder Farm," they would disappear. The discovery of her crimes came after a fire at her farm, where a headless female body was found, initially believed to be Gunness. However, the subsequent discovery of numerous dismembered bodies buried on the property, including her children and former suitors, suggested she may have faked her own death to escape justice. Her final fate remains one of the state's enduring cold case mysteries.

The Legacy of Unidentified Victims and Forensic Progress

The stories of Baumeister, Eyler, and Gunness underscore the pervasive nature of serial crime in Indiana. What links the modern cases is the enduring commitment to identifying the lost. The current momentum in the Herb Baumeister case, driven by DNA advancements, offers a beacon of hope.

The work being done by the Hamilton County Coroner and forensic scientists is a powerful example of how technology is rewriting the history of cold cases. Each new identification, whether it's Daniel Thomas Halloran from Fox Hollow or one of Larry Eyler's previously unknown victims, not only provides answers to grieving families but also completes the official record of these horrific crimes. This ongoing effort serves as a vital reminder that these victims, though long gone, are not forgotten.

Investigators continue to urge anyone with information about the disappearances in the Indianapolis area during the 1980s and 1990s to come forward, as the puzzle pieces of Herb Baumeister's full victim count are still being assembled, ensuring that the legacy of Indiana's darkest crimes is met with a relentless pursuit of truth and justice.