Approximately 10,000 pieces of human remains were discovered on a million-dollar farm in Indiana that belonged to a suspected serial killer.
Authorities in Westfield, Indianapolis are still in the process of trying to identify the victims after searching his 18-acre farm and finding thousands of pieces of human remains dotted about the place.
Herb Baumeister is believed to be responsible for a handful of crimes in the 80s and 90s though the exact number is unknown.
So far, 12 victims have been linked to Baumeister, but authorities believe that this number could rise if they could identify any other people via the remains that were found on his property, which he shared with his wife, Julie, and the pair's three children.
Herbert Richard Baumeister was born on April 7, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
He had a seemingly normal childhood, but as he grew older, he began to exhibit increasingly erratic behavior and in his early 20s, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, though he never received consistent treatment to tackle the condition.
Despite this, hewent on to live a seemingly ordinary life; he worked numerous jobs before starting his own company, Sav-A-Lot thrift stores, and then settling down and getting married.
He went on to have three children with his wife, and spent most of his time on Fox Hollow Farm with his family.
However, he was apparently living a double life.
Baumeister's alleged crimes came to light when several young men in the Indianapolis area went missing during the early 1990s. These men were primarily gay, and many were last seen at gay bars in downtown Indianapolis before they suddenly vanished.
While initially there were no leads, the investigation gained traction when a man who had narrowly escaped an encounter with Baumeister, provided crucial information to the authorities that led to him becoming the prime suspect in the case.
Because of this, the alleged killer fled to Canada where he ended up taking his own life. In his suicide note, he never confessed to his crimes though he did mention his failing business and the breakdown of his marriage as reasons that led to his death.
After searching his farm, the police stumbled across thousands of human remains, many belonging to men who had been missing for years.
Authorities believed that Baumeister lured his victims to his home, where he would strangle them and dispose of their bodies on his property. He is suspected of killing at least 11 men, although a recent investigation into the matter has seen the number increase.
The latest victim has been identified as Jeffrey A. Jones, as per a Facebook post published by Hamilton County Coroner's Office Indiana.
On May 21, Hamilton County Coroner, Jeff Jellison announced that the identification of a human remain originally recovered in 1996 from Fox Hollow Farm was complete and belonged to Jeffrey A. Jones.
Jones was reported missing in August 1993 and was never found until now. His last known address was in Fillmore, Indiana.
This brings the total number of victims to 12.
Speaking of their investigation, Coroner Jellison described the difficulties the authorities are facing when it comes to the evidence at hand.
“Because many of the remains were found burnt and crushed, this investigation is extremely challenging; however, the team of law enforcement and forensic specialists working the case remain committed," Jellison said in a statement.
"A special thanks goes to the very talented and hardworking people at the FBI, Indiana State Police Laboratory, Dr. Krista Latham of the Biology & Anthropology Department at the University of Indianapolis, and DNA experts from Texas-based Othram Laboratory," he added.