Episode 568: Herb Baumeister Part I - The Bone Twins
This episode delves into the disturbing case of Herbert Baumeister, a suspected serial killer who exhibited signs of mental illness from a young age. His secret, murderous life involved the killings of at least 25 young gay men whom he brought to his Fox Hollow Farm in the 1990s, as well as the unsolved murders of the I-70 Strangler in the 1980s.
The hosts recount the chilling details of the case, including the gruesome evidence discovered at Baumeister's property and the survivors who shed light on his crimes. The episode traces the investigation that led to Baumeister's shocking downfall and his eventual suicide in Canada as police closed in on him.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Mar 30, 2024 episode of the Last Podcast On The Left
Sign up for Shortform to access the whole episode summary along with additional materials like counterarguments and context.
1-Page Summary
Mental Illness
Herbert Baumeister showed early signs of mental distress, exhibiting odd and antisocial behaviors from childhood. As Henry notes, Herb's antisocial traits intensified through adolescence with acts like asking uncomfortable questions about human suffering and leaving a dead crow on a teacher's desk.
Herb's strict, abusive father likely exacerbated his psychological issues. Some sources claim Herb was diagnosed with schizophrenia and potentially institutionalized, though the veracity of these claims is uncertain.
Secret Murderous Life
I-70 Strangler murders
Herb Baumeister is suspected of being the elusive I-70 Strangler who murdered 11 men, often by strangulation, during the 1980s. His victims were usually found discarded along Interstate 70 after being targeted from gay bars.
Fox Hollow Farm murders
After acquiring his Fox Hollow Farm in 1991, Baumeister shifted to murdering at least 25 young gay men he brought home from bars. As detailed, he burned bodies near the "mulch pile" before later leaving remains in plain sight, even scattering bone fragments across the property.
Investigation & Downfall
Haunting evidence
Testimony from survivor Tony Harris and bone fragments found by Herb's son led his wife to allow a search of Fox Hollow Farm, unveiling its grisly secrets.
Incriminating finds
As Henry describes, the investigation uncovered a horrific scene - thousands of burned, crushed bone fragments, mannequins posed by a pool, and videotapes. Over 5,000 fragments were found, with Baumeister suspected of filming the murders.
Caught in Canada
After police discovered remains, Baumeister fled to Canada with potential evidence tapes before ultimately taking his own life in Pinery Provincial Park, avoiding trial.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- The evidence found at Fox Hollow Farm included mannequins posed near a pool, which were believed to have been used in disturbing ways related to the crimes. Additionally, videotapes were discovered, suggesting Baumeister may have recorded his heinous acts. These items added a chilling dimension to the investigation, indicating a level of premeditation and disturbing behavior beyond what was initially suspected.
- Herb Baumeister, a suspected serial killer, fled to Canada after authorities began investigating him for multiple murders. He took his own life in Pinery Provincial Park in Canada, avoiding facing trial for his alleged crimes. This act prevented the legal system from holding him accountable for the murders he was suspected of committing.
Related Shortform Content
Get access to the context and additional materials
Mental Illness
Herbert Richard Baumeister's life, marked by early antisocial behaviors and turmoil, teeters on the edge of psychological distress potentially exacerbated by an abusive childhood.
Troubled childhood & antisocial behavior
Born into a middle-class life in 1947 in Indianapolis, Herb’s early years were not outwardly abnormal, but he did exhibit behaviors that were socially off-kilter. Even as a child, who was considered a bit of a nerd, he portrayed peculiar traits, such as forming a "Weather Club" with a friend and reporting on the weather in random global locations.
Upon entering adolescence, Herb's social challenges deepened. He began to exhibit increasingly odd and antisocial behaviors, leading him to struggle to fit in. His unusual actions included asking people uncomfortable, unprompted questions about human suffering and experimenting with odd substances.
One of the more disturbing incidents from his youth involved him bringing a dead crow to school and leaving it on his teacher's desk. This act, coupled with his obsession with urine, led to rumors that he had been committed to a mental hospital.
In the isolation of this institution, it’s said that Herb was diagnosed with schizophrenia, although the veracity of this diagnosis and the sources claiming it are doubtful, with citations often going in circles.
Herb's home life contributed to his psychological strain. His father, a strict disciplinarian, was known to verbally and physically abuse his son. This abuse caused Herb to emotionally withdraw and become indifferent to the punishment meted out by his father. Instea ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Mental Illness
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- The mention of citations going in circles regarding Herb's schizophrenia diagnosis suggests that there are inconsistencies or uncertainties in the sources that claim he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. This ambiguity can cast doubt on the accuracy and reliability of the information provided about Herb's mental health history. It implies that there may be conflicting accounts or lack of concrete evidence to definitively co ...
Counterarguments
...
Related Shortform Content
Morbid: A True Crime Podcast | Episode 2: Edmund Kemper “The Coed Killer” & Chatty Cathy
Ash Kelley, Edmund Kemper, Alaina Urquhart
The Silent Kansas City Butcher - Unnoticed For Far Too Long. | Mystery & Makeup | Bailey Sarian
Bailey Sarian
What Led Victor Marx to Become the World's Fastest Gun Disarmer? | SRS #83
Shawn Ryan, Victor Marx
Get access to the context and additional materials
Secret Murderous Life
Herbert Baumeister's dark and secretive life as a serial killer reveals a horrifying series of events that plagued the Midwest in the latter part of the 20th century.
I-70 Strangler murders
Herb Baumeister is strongly suspected of being the elusive I-70 Strangler. Over the 1980s, the bodies of 11 men, suspected to have been strangled to death, were discovered discarded in various locations along Interstate 70. These men targeted from gay bars were found dumped in rivers and streams or left in ditches near abandoned railroad tracks.
Baumeister's killings saw a peculiar restraint, with about one victim per year, usually between the warm months of May to October. This spaced-out pattern may have helped diminish public and media scrutiny between the incidents. The strangulation, often performed with ropes or other makeshift tools, halted abruptly in 1991, the same year Baumeister purchased his Fox Hollow Farm property.
Fox Hollow Farm murders
Herb Baumeister’s reign of terror shifted to a more secluded arena, the Fox Hollow Farm, after he stopped the I-70 Strangler killings. Between 1991 and 1996, he murdered at least 25 young gay men he brought home from bars, though the actual number of victims may be higher. Baumeister's property, an 18-acre farm situated about 30 minutes away from downtown Indianapolis, became the final resting place for his victims. Here, he burned the bodies, crushed the bones, and scattered the remains, making sure no intact skulls were found. He initially disposed of his victims near a spot on his property known as the "mulch pile," and later, out of either laziness or arrogance, left bodies closer to the house, sometimes in plain sight.
Victims
The young men Baumeister targeted were part of the Indianapolis gay community. They were often found dead or simply vanished after frequenting popular gay bars in the city. These men were not hitchhikers; they were someone's friends or loved ones who met their killer while seeking camaraderie and ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Secret Murderous Life
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Herb Baumeister is suspected of being the I-70 Strangler, linked to 11 murders along Interstate 70 in the 1980s. After the I-70 Strangler killings ceased in 1991, Baumeister's murders shifted to his property, Fox Hollow Farm, where he killed at least 25 young gay men between 1991 and 1996. Baumeister disposed of his victims' remains in various ways on his property, including burning bodies near a "mulch pile" and scattering bone fragments across the grounds. The murders occurred over a period of time, with a distinct pattern of spacing between the incidents.
- Fox Hollow Farm was the property owned by Herbert Baumeister where he committed a series of murders between 1991 and 1996. It was located about 30 minutes away from downtown Indianapolis and served as the final resting place for his victims. Baumeister disposed of his victims' bodies on the farm by burning them, crushing the bones, and scattering the remains to conceal his crimes. The farm became a significant location in the investigation of Baumeister's crimes due to the gruesome acts that took place there.
- Baumeister disposed of his victims' remains by burning the bodies near a spot called the "mulch pile" on his property. He later left the bodies closer to his house, sometimes in plain sight. Bone fragments were scattered across the grounds, and animals also played a role in moving t ...
Counterarguments
...
Related Shortform Content
The Cookie Monster KILLER: Harrison Frank Graham | Mystery & Makeup | Bailey Sarian
Bailey Sarian
Morbid: A True Crime Podcast | Episode 5: Ted Bundy Part 1
Ash Kelley, Alaina Urquhart, Advertiser
A Murder Castle in America?! - Self Made Psycho H.H. Holmes | Mystery & Makeup | Bailey Sarian
Bailey Sarian
Get access to the context and additional materials
Investigation & Downfall
The downfall of Herb Baumeister is a chilling tale highlighted by haunting evidence and incriminating finds which led to a grim resolution in the Canadian wilderness.
Haunting evidence
Following a terrifying encounter with Baumeister, survivor Tony Harris provided critical evidence that eventually guided investigators to the truth. Bone fragments found by Herb’s son eerily prompted his wife to finally consent to a search of their property. This momentous decision unveiled the macabre secrets hidden in Fox Hollow Farm.
Incriminating finds
Investigators discovered a horrific tableau at Baumeister’s residence. Countless human bone fragments were unearthed; these remains had been grotesquely burned and crushed. Notably, full humeri were among the morbid assortment, indicating the violence endured by the victims. The area, tainted with raccoon feces, urine, and strewn with refuse, also contained mannequins bizarrely positioned around a pool and a collection of videotapes from the television show "Dallas".
However, the most damning evidence might have been on the tapes that Baumeister took with him when he absconded, presumed to contain footage of the actual murders. Uncovering this evidence, the site was transformed into a mass investigation scene, undeniably akin to the gruesome discoveries made at the home of John Wayne Gacy.
Baumeister's property was a scene of chaos: cluttered with garbage and rife with a significant raccoon infestation. But it was also a silent testament to his crimes. Amidst this disarray, mannequins stood sentry around a pool site where murders were suspected to have occurred. A methodological marking of sites where bones were found saw a hundred orange flags deposited within a mere half hour, painting a grim picture of the scale of Baumeister's atrocities. Further search unveiled a mulch pit where Baumeister would watch bodies burn until the bones turned brittle, only to be smashed to fragments.
In total, over 5,000 bone fragments were found scattered throughout the property, a reminder of the many lives brutally ended there. The haunting image of Baumeister drinking beer as he disposed of remains near the mulch pit leaves a haunting image of his callous indifference.
Caught in Canada
After police discovered human remains on his property, Bau ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Investigation & Downfall
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Herb Baumeister was an American suspected serial killer who operated in the 1980s and 1990s. He lived in Indiana and owned a property known as Fox Hollow Farm, where he is believed to have committed his crimes. Baumeister's modus operandi involved luring men to his property before allegedly murdering them. He gained notoriety for the gruesome discoveries made at his residence after fleeing to Canada and ultimately taking his own life.
- Baumeister committed heinous crimes at his property, Fox Hollow Farm, where he murdered numerous victims. The remains of his victims were burned, crushed, and scattered throughout the property, with over 5,000 bone fragments discovered. Baumeister fled to Canada to escape capture but ultimately took his own life before facing trial, leaving behind evidence of his atrocities.
- John Wayne Gacy was an American serial killer who was active in the 1970s. He was known for assaulting and murdering at least 33 young men and boys. Gacy often lured his victims to his home with the promise of work before assaulting and killing them. His crimes shocked the nation and he was eventually arrested, tried, and convicted for his heinous acts. Gacy's case is infamous for the sheer number of victims and the gruesome details of his crimes.
- The "Dallas" videotapes found at Herb Baumeister's residence were significant because they provided insight into his interests and potentially his state of mind. The presence of these tapes amidst the grim discoveries added a peculiar element to the investigation, hinting at Baumeister's personal preferences or influences. The tapes may have served as a contrast to the macabre nature of the crimes, sparking curiosity about their role in Baumeister's life. Their inclusion in the disturbing setting of the crime scene raised questions about any potential connections or significance they held in relation to the murders.
- Baumeister's tapes were believed to contain footage of the actual murders he committed. These tapes were seen as crucial evidence that could directly link him to the crimes. It was suspected that the tapes c ...
Counterarguments
...
Related Shortform Content
Mommy Dearest Frames Her Daughter for Murder?! Ew. Stacey Castor | Mystery & Makeup | Bailey Sarian
Bailey Sarian
Morbid: A True Crime Podcast | Episode 5: Ted Bundy Part 1
Ash Kelley, Alaina Urquhart, Advertiser
The “Family Man” Grim Sleeper - Kept Photos Of ALL His Victims? | Mystery & Makeup | Bailey Sarian
Bailey Sarian
Get access to the context and additional materials
Create Summaries for anything on the web
Download the Shortform Chrome extension for your browser
