Human remains discovered in 1996 in Westfield have been identified as a man believed to be one of the victims of serial killer Herb Baumeister.
Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison announced the identification of remains as those of Manuel Resendez, 31, who went missing Aug. 7, 1993. The remains were recovered in 1996 from Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield, Baumeister’s former home.
According to the coroner’s office, the remains were matched to a reference sample from one of Resendez’s relatives that was submitted early last year.
“I would like to thank the entire team of law enforcement and forensic specialists that have come together to support this effort,” Jellison stated in a press release. “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.”
Jellison’s office noted that the identification of Resendez was the result of the dedication of many forensic experts working collaboratively in an effort to identify nearly 10,000 human remains recovered from Fox Hollow Farm.
Baumeister is suspected of killing as many as two dozen men in the ‘80s through mid-90s, many of whom were seen prior to their deaths at gay bars. Baumeister died by suicide in July 1996 after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
