Herbert Richard Baumeister

An evil coward who committed suicide before he was ever brought to trial, Herbert Baumeister was accused in the sadistic murders of at least eleven men. There were most likely many more. He was the owner of the now famous, Fox Hollow Farm.

Baumeister, (April 7, 1947-July 3, 1996) was originally from Westfield, Indiana and the oldest of four children. By all accounts he was normal but, by early adolescence, he began showing signs of antisocial behavior and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Unfortunately, he received no psychiatric treatment after urinating on a teacher’s desk and playing with dead animals. As an adult, he had a few jobs but was always described as bizarre.

Herb Baumesiter married in 1971 and had three children. In 1988 he successfully founded the thrift store chain called Sav-A-Lot and owned two stores both located in Indianapolis. The stores were successful and the Baumeister’s were living a very nice lifestyle.

During the 1990’s police began investigating the disappearance of several gay men. After the attempted murder of a man who was a patron of a gay bar, police were given the license plate of a suspect which led to a patron of the bar who called himself Brian Smart. Police soon discovered that in reality Brian Smart was Herb Baumeister. The man who reported Baumeister for attempted murder claimed that Burmeister had killed his friend. Police told Baumeister that he was a suspect and that they wanted to search his home but he refused, as well as Baumeister’s wife, Julie. Around 1996 Julie had a change of heart after finally acknowledging her husband’s mood swings and erratic behavior. She filed for a divorce and consented to a search of the 18 acre estate named Fox Hollow Farm. Baumeister was on vacation at the time and it was this search that unearthed the remains of eleven men. Only eight were positively identified. Baumeister  is also the suspect in the murder of nine additional men who bodies were discovered in rural areas between Columbus, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana.

After escaping to Ontario, Baumeister committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. This serial killer left a note behind stating the reasons for taking his own life were due to a failing marriage and business. He never confessed to any of the murders.

The Haunting of Fox Hollow Farm

A family by the name of Graves moved into Fox Hollow Farm in Indiana and had no idea what was in store for them. “Paranormal Witness” recounted the legacy of the farm.

 

Authorities eventually removed more than 5,000 bone fragments, but the Graves found more. They reported seeing ghosts and hearing strange knocks on a regular basis. Joe LeBlanc, a man who worked with Mr. Graves and who rented an apartment on their property, had the most specific encounters. He claims to have made contact with the ghost of Baumeister and recorded the session. A voice could be heard repeating the phrase, “The married one.” LeBlanc had been asking who was walking in the kitchen. Since all of Baumeister’s victims had been single, he felt that this answer must mean the spirit was Baumeister himself. Several paranormal investigative teams have been on the property and validate what has been reported by Joe.

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