A serial killer buried bodies on his Westfield property. Now some of the land is for sale.
A developer wants to build homes on Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield. The land once belonged to serial killier Herb Baumeister.
· archived 5/18/2026, 12:42:04 AMscreenshotcached html Fox Hollow Farm murders: Where bodies were buried is now for saleSkip to main content HomeCrimeBusinessIndiana PoliticsInvestigationsElectionsEducationSeason for SharingUSA TODAYA serial killer buried bodies on his Westfield property. Now some of the land is for sale. A serial killer buried bodies on his Westfield property. Now some of the land is for sale.Natalia E. Contreras Indianapolis StarShow Caption Hide Caption Here's what happened at Fox Hollow FarmOn June 24, 1996, investigators recovered human bone fragments buried in the woods at Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield.Natalia E. Contreras, Indianapolis StarMore than two decades ago a Westfield business owner lived a seemingly routine life with his wife and three children on an 18-acre horse farm off 156th Street.Little did his wife and three children know that while they were out of town, Herb Baumeister strangled several men, many of them teens, and buried their dead bodies in the woods on their property, Fox Hollow Farm.Fox Hollow Farm killings: 20 people provide new DNA samples hoping to find loved onesThe events would become one of the most notorious crimes in Indiana history, and over the years, the 11,000-square-foot Tudor-style house has had different owners who claimed the property was haunted. They would hear strange noises, get unsettling feelings and see apparitions. Ghost hunters, national TV networks, filmmakers and curious visitors have frequented the farm to get a peek at where the gruesome crimes by the serial killer took place. Now, anyone, particularly those intrigued by true crime and the supernatural, could own a piece of what was once the killer's land. Hoosier true crime: Notorious crimes in Indianapolis-area historyNoah Herron, the owner of Urban Vines Winery & Brewery and Urban Farmer in Westfield, bought 8 acres of the property just north of Baumeister's former home and wants to sell three lots. He also wants to build a home for his family there.The home itself and the remaining 10 acres of the Fox Hollow Farm estate are owned by Vicki and Rob Graves, who paid $987,000 for the property in the early 2000s after it was originally put on the market for $2.8 millionHerron brought his project at 156th Street and Oak Ridge Road before the Westfield City Council last week for consideration.Delphi murders:Cause of death still unknown, but document links Richard Allen to sceneThe council voted to send the proposed project to the advisory plan commission, and a public hearing will be in June, senior city planner Kevin Todd said.Although Herron is well aware of the murders, he said the beauty and location of the property were too good to pass up. "We asked neighbors around there if they've ever seen ghosts, and they said no. So we're good," Herron said. "We're excited. The property is beautiful and right off the Monon Trail and close enough to downtown Westfield. A lot of people have already shown interest."Retro Indy: Heinous crimes of serial killers in IndianaHerron said if the project is approved, his company will develop the infrastructure for three lots. Each will be 2 to 3 acres and start at $300,000. "I wanted to make a joke at the council meeting and say that we hope we don't find any bones while we're building, but I decided to keep it professional," Herron said. "Everyone in the area is familiar with what happened there, but still, people love the grounds and are interested in buying."According to IndyStar archives, Baumeister, 49, was the owner of Sav-A-Lot thrift stores. On June 24, 1996, investigators recovered more than 5,000 human bone fragments buried in the property. Support our journalismPlease support the work of IndyStar reporters and visual journalists by becoming a subscriber today. Get unlimited digital access here!Indiana investigators believe Baumeister was responsible for as many as 16 deaths of teenage boys and men who they believe he had picked up from bars in Indianapolis. The cause of death was thought to be strangulation.He drove to Canada, where he shot and killed himself about a week after the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department began investigating the discovery of the bones.Two years after Baumeister's death, police concluded he also had killed nine other young men whose partially nude bodies were found dumped into shallow streams along I-70 across Central Indiana and western Ohio during the 1980s.IndyStar reporter Natalia Contreras writes about things to do and development in Hamilton County. She can be reached at 317-444-6187 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter, @NataliaECGKeep up with all things Hamilton County. Get the latest news, things to doand more delivered to your inbox. Sign up for the IndyStar North newsletter. 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