How much did Julie know and when? The police later approached Julie at the Sav-A-Lot store, where she also refused to let them search her property. For more podcasts from [00:22:00] iHeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Great River Greening and Kernza Kernza is the first perennial grain crop in the worldmeaning farmers dont need to replant it every year, allowing the crop to grow deep, complex root systems. However, since there was really no cause for alarm, [00:04:30] the two parted ways. He started playing with dead animals, and friends remember him speaking of wondering what it would be like to taste human urine. Herb replied that it was a relic of his deceased fathers medical career. Did they not care? The home the Baumeisters chose was $1 million 18 acre estate in the Indianapolis suburb of Westfield, Indiana. It would be about two years before she would learn the awful truth about both the bones and the man she thought she knew for nearly 30 years. I could be wrong, but I feel that if I use this series as a way to talk through this, a way to work out some of these demons, I might be able to get to the other side, and I might end up in a better place. In 1989, the couple opened several successfulSave-A-Lotused clothing stores in the Indianapolis area. I guess well never know the answer. Their finances were doing well and their marriage was apparently stable. On the positive side, Herb had taken a job at a local thrift store that inspired him and his wife Julie to start a business of their own. The house they drove to was a large tutor style home, and the pair entered from a side door. Whisman said that Mr. Baumeister, who with his wife owned two thrift stores, was the prime suspect in the disappearances of the young men, some of whom had been missing for more than three years. On further inspection, the pair found a pile of bones - if reassembled it would make a fully formed human skeleton. So why mannequins? You'll also hear a psychological profile of Herb Baumeister, prolific serial killer and murderer who turned his massive estate, "Fox Hollow Farm" into a burial ground. Something Ive only shared with a handful of people until today. This led authorities to conclude that Herb Baumeister had also been the so-called I-70 Strangler, bringing his total body count up to around 20 and making him one of the most prolific serial killers in Indiana history. The only witnesses to his brutal and unusual crimes were the mannequins, and they arent talking. I think now, if there were murders, some must have taken place when I was in that house, Hoff said. Following a tip from an informant, one that wanted to remain anonymous, the hunt for another man, someone known as Brian Smart [00:09:00] was on. With the information and descriptions provided by the informant, the police staked out the gay bars in Indianapolis, interviewed bar patrons, and posted fliers. Authorities knocked on the door of the Baumeister residence in November of 1995 and asked Herb for permission to search his estate. Someone like Herb Baumeister. In spite of the unwholesome reputation of the place, the Graves family says that they love their home, with Vicki Graves describing it as a lifestyle.. Six months after his marriage to Julie, Herbs father had him committed to a psychiatric hospital, where he spent nearly two months. The blog Real Evidence of the Paranormal records a veritable litany of accounts supposedly drawn from the Graves family and their friends. In May of 1993, Indianapolis police began receiving missing person reports. She asked her son to lead her to where he found the skull and the 13-year-old led her to a pile of bones. When police showed up a Judith Mawsons house in late 2001 and informed her that her husband Gary Ridgway had been arrested in connection with the Green River Killer case, she was in complete shock. After Smart revived claiming a sexual rush like no other, it was the informants turn. I wasnt sure Id ever played these again and I definitely didnt think Id be sharing them with anyone else. Julie was justifiably freaked out. According to People, Mawson is still coming to terms with the fact that her ex-husband is one of historys most prolific serial killers: He made me smile every day. Herb and his son were near the road just outside of the property, and they witnessed a road stripping crew passing by. This number, however,is a conservative estimate: Ridgway believes he killed as many as 75 to 80 women. In June of 1996 at the age of 49, Herbs life was continuing to crumble around him. LexisNexis, 2015. I think all of this is related to Herbs untreated condition, his schizophrenia. The bones appear to represent one of the most gruesome acts of serial murder that Indiana has ever seen. Insomnia for me [00:11:30] and many others means my mind is active when I really rather it wasnt. We know plenty about the case, but its also clear that some of the dirtiest details went to the grave along with Herb Baumeister. When the two of them met, Herb Brian Smart turned out to be Herb Baumeister. As the trooper talked with the American traveler, she noted that the backseat held some luggage and a large stack of videotapes. In one incident, he was fired for repeatedly urinating on his supervisors desk, Fannie Weinstein and Melinda Wilson wrote in their book on the case, Where the Bodies are Buried.. Investigators then went to Julies workplace, informing her that her husband was a suspect in the disappearances of gay men in the area. [00:15:30] The summer week she spent away from home didnt help matters either. He likes country music. Her Husband Accidentally Died, Then She Found The Bodies In HisTrunk, 37 Creepy Stories Of Serial Killers That Have Stuck With People Over TheYears, I Always Thought Something Was Off About My Basement, But I Had No Idea How Terrifying The TruthWas, 37 Gruesome Facts I Learned About Ted Bundy From The Stranger BesideMe, 41 Of The Creepiest Unsolved Mysteries Of AllTime, Im Ready To Tell The Truth About My Interviews With Graham Welsh, The Man Found Innocent After 20 Years On DeathRow. Even if you dont believe in ghosts, Taylor told the New York Daily News, there is no denying that a sinister pall hangs over this farm, if for no other reason than it was a place where evil once lived.. Theyre less known crimes, but that doesnt make them any less gruesome. What she means by that is she saw him as a devoted, if often absent husband, a good father [00:15:00] to their three children and a successful provider for the family. For instance, when he was young and on the way to school one morning he picked up a dead crow, pocketed it, and later placed it on his teachers desk when she wasnt looking. I also want to get Early Bird Books newsletter featuring book deals, recommendations, and giveaways. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! If somebody has any information, wed be happy to look at it, Hancock County Sheriff James Bradbury said of the case. [00:06:30] He had a strange fascination with dead animals. It wasnt like I was sitting at home with nothing else to think about, she told People. Feb 2022 - Apr 20231 year 3 months. Its just completely opposite [00:13:00] of the way its supposed to be, its completely flip flopped, and I dont know how to fix this, but Ive got to pretty soon. The informant had spotted Brian once again, and this time he got the mans license plate. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Hoff was a newdivorce and had two daughters from her previous marriage. Smart then excused himself, and when he returned, he was a lot more talkative than before. August 15, 2017. One that will forever have some amount of mystery attached. WebHerb Baumeister: the Hoosier serial killer youve probably never heard of. I dreamed about him all the time. When Herb went away by himself for a vacation in June 1996, police showed up andasked Julie'spermission to search the property, which she granted. [00:06:30] But that presents a problem for the killer. Tony Harris (a pseudonym used to protect privacy) said he met a tall stranger who called himself Brian in an Indianapolis gay bar. Its a neat election-year ploy to get some sheriffs, and some people who are incompetent, re-elected.. When he met Juliana Julie Saiter, his life changed. But Sgt. In the 80s, Herb and Julie opened up two thrift stores and made enough money to buy their dream home. Fox Hollow Farm was a sprawling 18-acre estate complete with a 5 bedroom home and indoor pool. From the outside, it looked as if the Baumeisters had achieved the perfect life. They had three children together, even though Julie would later confess that they had consummated their marriage only six times in 25 years of marriage. If you dont know what schizophrenia is, its a long-term mental disorder that can last for years or even a lifetime. In the fall of 1994, Julie Baumeisters son Erichthe middle of three children she shared with her husband Herb Baumeisterbrought her a human skull. When she asked where hed found it, he said that he got it in the woods of their 18-acre estate, Fox Hollow Farm, a few miles outside Indianapolis. LeBlanc was around the same age as many of Baumeisters victims. Members of the Graves family are far from the only ones who have reported strange goings-on at and around Fox Hollow Farm. Turning it over in her hands, the ice-milled silt tumbled from its hollow center, and Julie Baumeisters stomach sank as she stared into the unmistakable caverns of a human skull. I dont know, just a bad evening, I guess. , and Dennis did not contest the separation. Julie asked where Erich found his new toy. During the day, he was a business owner, a husband and a father, but at night he became someone entirely different. The ordeal frightened Harris, and he went to the police. Riley's murder was one of nine killings between 1980 and 1990 which the police believed were committed by the same person, but which remained unsolved. He just didnt quite know what was socially acceptable. Brian turned out to beHerb, and police immediately set out to search Fox Hollow Farm, which Herb refused to allow. But appearances are often deceiving. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! He had found skeletal remains near a drainage ditch that separated the two properties. On June 24, 1996, while Herb was out of town, Julie allowed the police to search Fox Hollow Farm. one of the most prolific serial killers in Indiana history, Happiness as we knew it is never going to return. News, Julie Chen Moonves revealed why Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady could be a force to be reckoned with if they both were to Herb was missing for 8 days before his body was found at a campsite in Canada. Listener discretion is advised. The good news is that I do see a way out. True crime books were always and still are on his Christmas and birthday wish lists, or as my aunt sometimes called them, his murder books. [00:07:30] By the mid-1990s, the Indianapolis Police and the Marion County Sheriffs Department knew they had a problem. After all, a license [00:09:00] plate search of the Buick with Ohio plates had pointed directly to Herb, and the police were desperate to make any connection that might bring an end to the killings. Were they scared to go to the police? Robinson proposed to Lynchduring one of their first dates. Also, not all of these marriages have ended in divorce. But the cracks were beginning to show and Herbs secret life couldnt stay secret for long. But at the same time, he seems appalled at the callous treatment of this dead raccoon. I find myself looking at crime scene photos [00:01:30] for hours at a time. And I cant get to sleep again. According to the Chillicothe Gazette, weird things started happening about a year after the Graves family moved in. The story of Herb Baumeister and Fox Hollow Farm is bizarre in so many ways. Hes relatively calm. Newscaster: A raccoon which met its demise on the yellow line became one with the paint. That very same year, Herbs father died. For instance, Ronald Dotson, age 39 at the time, was arrested in the city of Royal Oak, Michigan in [00:15:00] 2007. And soon after when the authorities were knocking on her door and asking to search the property, she refused because Herb told her another lie. Indianapolis, Indiana. [00:09:30] They were turned away at the door, but the investigators knew they had an option. Two years later, police were searching the estate to build a case against Herb in connection with the multiple disappearances of gay men in the Indianapolis area. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the two had three children together, two girls and a boy. But I wouldnt necessarily call it entertaining anymore or fun or relaxing in any way. WebWe know that Juliana is single at this point. He may have asked the wrong neighbors. She simply believed he was engaging in extramarital affairs. Police asked for permission to search the property. Which is just how Herb liked it. [00:20:30] The Baumeisters called their new thrift store Save A Lot, not to be confused with the chain of grocery stores that go by a similar name, and it was initially successful. The 11,000 square-foot house features an indoor swimming pool, a five-car garage, stained glass windows, and two libraries. Were they in denial? Not only did he pee on his teachers desk and discuss drinking urine, but when he peed on the letter to the governor of Indiana, well, that answered the question about who had peed on Herbs [00:07:00] managers desk just a month prior. Garry Donna, a former co-worker, was later quoted as saying that people often asked, Whats the deal with this guy?, I just said, Well, Herbs just Herb, Donna replied. Listener discretion is advised. by insomniacpod | Jun 26, 2019 | Uncategorized | 0 comments. 2010 The Thought & Expression Company, Inc. Indianapolis Police Department, Seek the Truth Paranormal, people thought Julie Baumeister was a silly, stupid, or gullible woman, one man was shaken enough by a violent sexual encounter with a wealthy man named Brian Smart, Herb Baumeister could be responsible for an additional nine murders of men along I-70 in the 1980s, The couple who bought the home have seen dismembered spirits. Oh, and one more creepy detailed shared by the informant about the large house some where north of Indianapolis. He noticed that the interior was crowded [00:10:30] with dust covered furniture and boxes as they made their way through the house. But heres how all of this came to be. That doesnt mean Herbs dark side was without its own warning signs. In 1972, not long after his marriage to Julie, Herb spent two months in a psychiatric hospital committed by [00:19:00] his own father. Ive listened to and read so much true crime over the years, I didnt think this process would be any different but it is. Now not all of Dotsons crimes involved mannequins, but a lot of them did. [00:08:30] That doesnt match up with the mixed up confused thoughts and behaviors of someone who is an untreated schizophrenia. Herb Baumeister The I-70 Strangler The I-70 Strangler Scour the web for the tale of the I-70 Strangler, and the mannequins are always a footnote. In 1987 in upstate New York, a convicted [00:21:00] killer was paroled early after he was deemed no longer dangerous to society. I really dont know whats worse the sensation of committing the crime itself or the endless lies and guilt that result from covering up a crime, disposing of a body. Whats the fascination? After finding the scattered remains of at least four separate victims, including bones, bone fragments, and teeth. Of course, but definitely not a serial murderer. When police arrested Robert L. Yates Jr. in connection with the murder of 13 people, his wife, Linda Yates, was in utter disbelief. When Julie asked Herb Baumeister, her husband of 23 years, about the bones, he told her they were from his anesthesiologist fathers medical school skeleton. If Ive been asked to keep quiet about something, I do. Written and hosted by Scott Benjamin and produced by Miranda Hawkins, Alex Williams, Matt Frederick, and Josh Thane. WebView the profiles of professionals named "Julie Baumeister" on LinkedIn. But I always understood. Im exhausted, but at the same time, cant sleep. Ashamed. Theres a breakdown in the relation between thought and emotion and behavior. He would push the mower and I would trim the bushes. Yet, if the police are correct and Herb Baumeister is also the I-70 Strangler, he had a sinister and deadly secret life that he was hiding from his family, stretching back over a decade. The informant felt that Smarts deviant behavior in the pool that evening might explain what happened to his missing friend Roger Goodlet. A lot of them do, however, have a different mental disorder known as Antisocial Personality Disorder or APD [00:08:00] and personality traits of a psychopath as well, which includes no empathy, the ability to manipulate and intimidate others, but also to do these things with a sort of charm that allows them to get exactly what they want. WebSelect this result to view Julie Ann Baumeister's phone number, address, and more. It didnt take long. With that, he pulled out a 357 magnum and shot himself in the forehead. We know plenty about the case, but its also clear [00:20:30] that some of the dirtiest details went to the grave along with Herb Baumeister. She asked Erich to take her to where he had found it. 10 had disappeared in the previous two years beginning in the spring of 1993. Follow on Twitter and Facebook at Insomniacpod, on Instagram at InsomniacPodcast and on our website, InsomniacPodcast.com. Perfect life. Wives of serial killers could genuinely remain obliviousto their husbands' doings, as it's common forserial killers to lead double lives. The police came to me and said, We are investigating your husband in relation to homosexual homicide, Julie would later recall. And yet they deserve their own story: Baumeister spent days arranging and rearranging these life-size playthings around his pool; building a silent cocktail party an audience to witness and admire the acts he couldnt tell anyone about. But the one point that stands out among the rest, the one bit of information, its the hardest for most people to swallow, is that Julie ignored it when her son handed her a human skull and then led her to a full skeleton half buried in her yard. Paula Dietz married Dennis Rader on May 22, 1971. His father had been an anesthesiologist, and Herb said that the skeleton was nothing more than the remains of a medical school anatomical skeleton. [00:09:30] He said his name was Brian Smart, and he was a landscaper from Ohio. Additionally, he started leaving magazines around the home featuring naked men and boys. Ridgway eventually confessed to the crimes, however, stunning his wife who didn'tthink he could beresponsible for such heinous crimes. Didnt even move it. Im supposed to be writing. And he was the perfect killer.. Then Her That was all Harris could offer until 1995, when, in a stroke of luck, Brian revisited the bar. Follow on Twitter and Facebook @InsomniacPod, on Instagram @InsomniacPodcast, and at our website insomniacpodcast.com. This guided journal will help you moveon. Every shovel full of dirt seemed to bring more and more bones to the surface. The couple went on to have four children. Like many predators, its possible Herb tried to protect himself by grooming his family to bring concerns to him instead of an outsider or the police. Happiness as we knew it is never going to return.. I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks. To begin our story, we have to start almost exactly 25 years ago, in a city known as the Crossroads of America. He dropped out of college after just one semester and went to work as a copy boy for the Indianapolis Star Newspaper but returned to IU in the fall of 1967, and thats when he met his future wife, Julianna or Julie as she preferred to be called. Julie investigated and found additional bones. I dont even like talking about psychics, but thats what they say. According to the Gazette, the psychics also say that the place is haunted by at least four of Baumeisters victims, not to mention Herb Baumeister himself. Im certainly not doing anything criminal in real life, nor do I ever want to. Surprisingly, Julie had no more questions about the skeleton in the yard. Of course, thats dangerous for the killer. WebJulie Baumeister Communications & Events Coordinator at Great River Greening; Richfield Foundation Board Member & Secretary Minneapolis, MN. He founded the Sav-a-Lot thrift stores and lived in the beautiful Fox Hollow estate. People who knew Baumeister as a child said he was always an oddball, uneasy with people and known for behavior that was just plain weird. The poor thing deserved a better fate than that. The remaining Baumeister family quickly moved away from Fox Hollow Farm, rumors proliferate that the estate is haunted by the spirits of the men whose bodies were hidden there. WebJulie celebrated 54th birthday on March 16. That those true crime books would be something much more to me than just a relaxing way to pass the time on a plane or well poolside on vacation. Related: 33 Books About the Worlds Most Notorious Serial Killers. The family mans estate was littered with human remains. On the surface, Baumeister, 48, seemed an unlikely candidate for the role of serial sex slayer. When he was younger, he worked as a copy boy at the Indianapolis Star, during which time he and a friend also co-owned a secondhand hearse. It all began with my dad and his fascination with these stories of real life crimes. I had my Polaroid with me, so I took a shot of it. When they returned to the spot, they found an entire cluster [00:05:00] of bones, a half buried full human skeleton. Other members of our family would just laugh and shake their heads and wonder why he was drawn to books about such dark material. Hoff married Gacy in 1972, and they were together for only four years. The sheriffs office has no suspects in the deaths of the seven whose bones were found here. For example, Brudosmadehis wifecall him on an intercom when she wanted to enter their garage. It was at this point Smart began choking him with the pool hose, but when it was clear that he wasnt going to stop, the informant pretended to pass out and Smart released him. Herbs entire life seemed to be in a downward spiral and things were only getting worse. Fox Hollow Farm ranks among its most popular destinations, said Troy Taylor, American Hauntings founder. We were trying to touch each other through the glass, said Mawson. Herb shrugged. Scott Benjamin: I want to let you in on [00:00:30] a dark secret that Ive tried to hide from nearly everyone for the last few years. By continuing to browse, you accept the use of cookies and other technologies. She gave the police [00:10:30] permission for a full search of the property while Herb was away. I wanted to make a joke at the [city] council meeting and say that we hope we dont find any bones while were building, but I decided to keep it professional, Herron told the Indianapolis Star. When Herb was a young man, his father had secretly taken him in for psychological testing, which reportedly diagnosed Herb with schizophrenia, a condition for which he was never treated. When they had finished their poolside fun, the pair collected [00:12:30] themselves, and Smart drove the man back to Indianapolis where they agreed to meet up again the following week. Eric brought the skull to his mother who then asked him where he had found it. He called to tell the authorities about a suspicion. The poster featured a photo of the informants friend Roger Goodlet. Theres no doubt its his fields, his driveway, and his fence. Nothing to worry about, Herb said, explaining that the skeleton had belonged to his late father, a doctor, who used it while studying anatomy in college. But thats what happens when I close my eyes at night. There are instances of this in novels and movies too, and dating much earlier. Scott Benjamin: The poor thing deserved a better fate than that. The question is this, is Herb really that upset about the treatment of a dead raccoon, or is he using this as an opportunity to try to blend in? Scour the web for the tale of the I-70 Strangler, and the mannequins are always a footnote. But in [00:17:30] adolescents, he started developing antisocial behaviors. Happiness as we knew it is never going to return, Julie told People magazine. They had to get to Julie. Herb said it was amedical school skeleton originally belonging to his father. Lots of them. Five annual trips to the property sell out months in advance every time at a price of $90 a ticket.