Fox Hollow serial killer’s secret tapes could reveal murder horrors if ever found: documentary

Herb Baumeister took many secrets to his grave, but none may be as haunting as the mystery of his missing tapes, which some believe hold the key to understanding how his sprawling 18-acre estate, Fox Hollow Farm, became a killing field. Baumeister, a married father of three, is widely regarded as one of the most prolific serial killers in Indiana history, and his crimes are the subject of a chilling four-part true-crime documentary, The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer, produced by ABC News Studios and available to stream on Hulu. The series delves into the horrifying events that unfolded at Fox Hollow Farm and the enduring questions surrounding Baumeister’s crimes, including the location of the missing tapes and whether he acted alone in his murderous spree.

At the heart of the mystery are the tapes, which Baumeister’s wife, Julie, reported missing from their home. Canadian police also spotted a box of tapes in Baumeister’s vehicle just days before his death in 1996, when he took his own life at the age of 49 to avoid capture. Investigators believe these tapes may have been recording devices used to film his victims, potentially capturing the horrifying acts he committed in the secrecy of his home. A hidden camera was suspected to have been placed in an air vent in the basement, positioning it to overlook a chaise lounge where Baumeister may have carried out or recorded his crimes. Retired Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Detective Cary Milligan, who was part of the investigation, shared in the docuseries that such recordings would have allowed Baumeister to relive his crimes and exert power over his victims.

The sheer scale of Baumeister’s depravity is staggering. Investigators uncovered approximately 10,000 charred bones and bone fragments scattered across the property, suggesting that Fox Hollow Farm was a burial ground for his victims. Baumeister, who frequented gay bars in Indianapolis, is believed to have lured men to his home, where he killed and buried them, often while his family was away. His reign of terror was disrupted in 1994 when his 13-year-old son discovered a human skull in the woods, leading to a confrontation with Julie. Baumeister dismissed the skull as part of a medical skeleton from his late father, an anesthesiologist, but the skull vanished shortly after, and Baumeister disappeared. By 1999, authorities had linked him to the disappearance of at least 16 men, with more victims potentially hidden among the unidentified remains.

Mark Goodyear, who claims to be Baumeister’s sole survivor, shared in the documentary that he was forced to watch some of Baumeister’s tapes in 1994, describing the footage as so disturbing that it made him scream. However, Goodyear’s account has changed repeatedly over the years, leaving some doubts about the specifics of his story. Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison, who appears in the docuseries, doubts that the tapes will ever be recovered, noting that their disappearance has left a yawning gap in understanding the full extent of Baumeister’s crimes. “All I know is what the police report says, that there were tapes in the back seat of his vehicle,” Jellison said. “Will we ever find those? I think the chances of that are probably slim.”

Despite the challenges of the case, Jellison remains determined to uncover the truth and bring closure to the families of Baumeister’s victims. In 2022, he announced a renewed effort to identify the 10,000 pieces of remains, which have been stored at the University of Indianapolis’ Human Identification Center for nearly three decades. Modern DNA technology has finally been brought to bear on the case, leading to a breakthrough in 2023 when the remains of Allen Livingston, a 27-year-old man who vanished in 1993, were identified. Livingston’s identification was made possible by a DNA swab provided by his cousin, Eric Pranger, who reached out to Jellison after learning about the case. Jellison has since urged anyone with a missing loved one to contact him, emphasizing the importance of DNA testing in identifying the remains. “We need to get a DNA swab, and it’s very simple,” he said. “It just takes a few seconds, and it’s the most efficient way to identify the remains. I don’t care where you’re at, what part of the country. … I don’t care who it is that’s missing. What I care about is that you call me.”

One of the most enduring questions surrounding Baumeister’s crimes is whether he acted alone. Jellison, who has handled the remains of countless victims, believes it is unlikely that Baumeister managed the scale of the killings and burials by himself. “I’m a coroner. I move deceased individuals daily,” he said. “That’s not an easy task.” Investigators found shotgun shells, handcuffs, and even a human arm still bound by handcuffs in the woods, raising questions about how Baumeister could have moved and buried so many bodies without assistance. Alex Jablonski, the director of the documentary, agrees that the physical challenges of transporting and burying the victims in the dense, overgrown woods of Fox Hollow Farm suggest that Baumeister may have had help. “You’re talking about fallen trees, roots, thick underbrush,” Jablonski said. “You put 200 pounds in a wheelbarrow and try to move it a hundred feet through the woods like that. … You’re going to lose your mind.”

As the investigation continues, The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring impact of Baumeister’s crimes on the families of his victims and the community at large. Jellison’s dedication to identifying the remains and uncovering the truth highlights the importance of persistence and justice in the face of unimaginable evil. For the families of the missing, the documentary offers a glimmer of hope that their loved ones may finally be found and laid to rest. As Jellison said, “We’re here. That’s what we do for the living.”