The I-70 Strangler Investigation Begins

• 💡 In the early 1980s, a task force was formed in Indiana to investigate the frequent murders of young gay men, initially believing there were two killers.
• 📌 The discovery of Michael Riley's strangled body in a ditch in 1983 spurred the investigation into a string of similar cases.
• 🛣️ The killer became known as the I-70 Strangler due to victims being found near or along the major East-West highway.
• ⚠️ Police were initially reluctant to connect the cases as a single serial killer due to perceived inconsistencies in the crimes.

Herbert Baumeister Identified as Suspect

• 🔑 In 1994, Tony Harris survived a strangulation attempt by a man named "Brian Smart" and subsequently contacted police and private investigator Virgil Vander Griff.
• 🚗 Harris later spotted "Brian Smart" again, noting his blue car with Ohio plates, which led to the identification of Herbert Baumeister.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Baumeister, a local thrift store owner, used the alias "Brian Smart" and resided on Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield, Indiana.
• 🚫 Detective Mary Wilson faced initial resistance from Baumeister and his wife to search the property without a warrant.

Horrific Discoveries at Fox Hollow Farm

• 🏡 In 1996, while Herbert was out of town, his wife, Julia Baumeister, allowed a search of Fox Hollow Farm, leading to the immediate discovery of multiple human remains.
• 💀 Herbert had previously claimed skeletal remains found by his son belonged to his anesthesiologist father for study, a claim his wife later questioned.
• 🕊️ Herbert Baumeister was found dead by apparent suicide in Canada in July 1996, leaving a note about his divorce and failing businesses, but no confession related to the murders.
• 📊 Forensic anthropologists identified at least 11 different individuals among the remains, all confirmed to be gay men who had disappeared in the area.

Ongoing Victim Identification and Case Status

• 🔄 The pattern of murders shifted from I-70 to Fox Hollow Farm around 1991, coinciding with the Baumeisters' purchase of the property, suggesting a change in body disposal methods.
• 🔬 In 2022, coroner Jeff Jellison reopened the case for DNA testing, leading to the identification of Alan Livingston as the ninth confirmed victim in 2023.
• 💔 Remains from up to 25 victims have been found on Fox Hollow property, with ongoing efforts to identify them, including Manuel Rivas in January 2024.
• 📞 Families of missing loved ones are encouraged to contact the Hamilton County coroner's office for potential connections, as the case remains technically unresolved but strongly points to Baumeister.

Paranormal Claims at Fox Hollow

• 👻 The current owners, Robert and Vicki Graves, who purchased Fox Hollow Farm in 2009, have reported paranormal experiences on the property.
• 🔌 Vicki experienced a vacuum repeatedly unplugging itself, and the Graves family claims they must announce when they vacuum due to heightened activity.
• 👕 Both Vicki and a resident, Joe LeBlanc, reported seeing a red shirt-wearing figure that vanished, with no known connection to identified victims.
• 🚪 LeBlanc also reported being woken by loud knocking and witnessed a friend being pulled underwater in the pool, where Tony Harris was almost strangled.
• 💬 Some paranormal investigators claim Rob's bathroom is a "portal", and LeBlanc believes the farm is haunted by Herbert Baumeister himself, rather than his victims.