Manuel Resendez: Human remains at suspected serial killer's home identified as man missing since 1993
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
WESTFIELD, INDIANA: The Hamilton County Coroner’s office in Indiana has confirmed through a statement that human remains discovered in 1996 on the Fox Hollow Farm estate in Westfield, associated with suspected serial killer Herb Baumeister, have now been identified.
The human remains have been identified as belonging to Manuel Resendez.
The identification was established through a DNA match with a sample provided by victim Manuel Resendez's family.
The successful identification comes three decades after the family submitted a DNA sample for testing, aiding forensic experts in confirming the identity of their long-missing relative as per People.
What did the police report say?
Under the direction of Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison, the Coroner's Office has officially verified the identification.
This confirmation follows the matching of one set of human remains, found at Fox Hollow Farm, with a family reference sample submitted the previous year. As a result, the remains have been positively identified as belonging to Manuel Resendez.
It is worth noting that Manuel Resendez was reported missing in August 1993.
Baumeister, suspected of murdering a minimum of 25 young men with potential involvement in additional cases, was reportedly known to frequent gay bars.
Investigators believe he enticed men from these establishments to his residence, where they met their tragic fate, as reported by Fox News.
The AP highlighted that Baumeister, a married father of three, came under intense scrutiny from authorities in 1996 when his son discovered a skull in the family's backyard.
Coroner Jeff Jellison thanks forensic experts
The identification of Manuel Resendez was achieved through the collective efforts of numerous forensic experts diligently working together to identify the extensive collection of almost 10,000 human remains recovered from Fox Hollow Farm.
In the Facebook post, Coroner Jellison claimed, “I would like to thank the entire team of law enforcement and forensic specialist that have come together to support this effort.”
He added, “A special thanks goes to the hardworking people at the Indiana State Police Laboratory and Dr Krista Latham of the Biology & Anthropology Department at the University of Indianapolis.”
Who was Herb Baumeister?
According to Fox59, the investigation into Baumeister, recognized as one of Indiana's most infamous serial killers, commenced nearly three decades ago.
Law enforcement believes that during the mid-80s through the mid-90s, he enticed gay men to his Westfield home, where he allegedly killed them and disposed of their bodies on the rear of his property.
The revelation about Baumeister came in 1996 when the first of approximately 10,000 bone fragments was discovered on his property, prompting an official investigation. Shortly thereafter, Baumeister took his own life in Canada.
Despite the passage of more than 20 years since Baumeister's death, the Jellison and the County Coroner’s Office persist in the effort to identify his victims.
Recent years have seen a revitalization of endeavors to provide closure to victims' families, with success already noted.
In October of the previous year, the coroner identified the remains of Allen Livingston, a suspected victim of Baumeister who went missing in Indianapolis in 1993. Livingston's family, unwavering in their pursuit of answers, played a crucial role in renewing interest in the case.
The approximately 10,000 recovered remains from the Baumeister property are currently housed in the University of Indianapolis’ archaeology department. They are awaiting DNA testing at Indiana State Police labs.
Scientists are actively conducting tests on the recovered remains, utilizing DNA from the families of potential victims and cross-referencing with nationwide databases to further the identification process.
