Naman Shrestha
Roger Allen Goodlet was a 33-year-old Indianapolis, Indiana, resident when he suddenly went missing after a night out in the summer of 1994. His mysterious disappearance, alongside the disappearance of several other young men in Indianapolis, is explored in a detailed manner in Hulu’s ‘Return to Fox Hollow: New Victims, Darker Secrets,’ a follow-up to ‘The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer.’ The documentary features new interviews and explores new evidence and fresh developments in Roger’s case.
Roger Allen Goodlet’s Remains Were Found at a Westfield Property
Roger Allen Goodlet was born on July 30, 1961, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to John Robert “Jack” Goodlet and Catherine Goodlet Araujo. Growing up with his brother, John Robert “Johnny” Goodlet Jr., and a sister named Cynthia Catherine Jarrett, Roger attended Cardinal Ritter High School. After graduating in 1978, he pursued higher studies at Vincennes University and the Pontiac Business Institute. Being a believer in God, he was also a proud member of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Indianapolis. An avid movie lover, he enjoyed watching his favorite film, ‘Poseidon Adventure,’ again and again.
An outgoing and sociable individual, he also loved spending time with his friends at local bars. That’s what he was out for on July 22, 1994, when the 33-year-old suddenly went missing from a gay bar in Indianapolis. After he didn’t return home, his friends and family reported him missing. It took nearly two years for the police to discover his remains on June 25, 1996, at a sprawling property in Westfield, Indiana. Through the dental records, his remains were tentatively identified before advanced DNA analysis conducted by the Center for Human Identification at the University of North Texas Health Science Center confirmed the same in November 2025.
Roger Allen Goodlet’s Alleged Killer Took the Lives of Dozens of Other Men Too
After Roger Allen Goodlet disappeared, the police launched an extensive search for him, talking to his family and friends. One of his friends, Tony Harris, told the detectives that a gay bar patron named Brian Smart could be responsible for Roger’s disappearance. As per Tony, he based his suspicions on him because when he had an encounter with Brian, he allegedly tried to strangle him to death with a pool hose after they met at a gay bar. Without a proper lead, the authorities reached a dead end. However, about a year later, when Tony spotted Brian at a downtown bar again, he managed to obtain his license plate number and gave it to the police.
Following up on this tip, the investigators identified Brian Smart as Herbert “Herb” Baumeister, a successful local businessman. Initially, Herb refused to let them search their property. However, in June 1996, after his marriage and his business began crumbling, his wife, Julie, allowed the detectives to conduct a thorough search of the property while Herb was out of town. It led to the shocking discovery of thousands of bones and bone fragments, including human remains belonging to about 11 men, including Roger Allen Goodlet, on the sprawling 18-acre farm.
Now that they had plenty of evidence, the authorities issued an arrest warrant for Herb Baumeister, who fled to London, Ontario, to avoid getting arrested. On July 3, 1996, he ended up taking his own life. Although he left a note behind, he didn’t admit to any crimes or mention the names of his alleged victims. Besides Herb, Thomas Ackerman was also suspected of killing Roger. According to the show, Roger was allegedly seen at the Our Place bar in Indianapolis, and then getting into a blue Chevrolet. The alleged witness’ description of the car’s driver resembled Thomas, who also owned a blue vehicle. However, no other incriminating evidence was found against him.
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