Hamilton County Coroner’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1996 Homicide Victim
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Hamilton County Coroner’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify a 1996 Homicide Victim
After almost 30 years, a man whose remains were discovered at Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield, Indiana, has been identified as Daniel Thomas Halloran.
In 1996, the partial skeletal remains of multiple unidentified individuals were discovered at Fox Hollow Farm in Westfield, Indiana, north of Indianapolis. Fox Hollow Farm is an 18-acre farm and the former home of alleged serial killer Herb Baumeister. Investigators recovered thousands of burnt and crushed skeletal remains belonging to as many as twelve different people at the residence. It is believed that the remains belonged to men who were killed by Baumeister. No identifying information was available for the men and their identities have remained a mystery for decades.
With a need to identify these victims, Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison launched a renewed investigation in hopes of identifying the remains recovered at Fox Hollow Farm. To do so, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office collaborated with the University of Indiana at Indianapolis to submit forensic evidence to Othram for advanced DNA testing.
In 2024, Othram received forensic evidence belonging to one of the victims. Othram scientists developed a comprehensive DNA profile for the unknown man using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing®. After successfully completing the process, Othram's team worked to develop new investigative leads for a follow-up investigation, which led investigators to potential relatives of the man, who is now known to be Daniel Thomas Halloran of Indiana, born May 10, 1972.
This latest identification marks another step toward bringing closure to families of victims who have remained unidentified for decades. “This identification is a significant development in our ongoing efforts to provide answers to the families of those who went missing,” said Jeff Jellison, Hamilton County Coroner. “We are grateful for the expertise of Othram and the advances in forensic science that made this possible.”
Othram previously assisted in the identification of
Jeffrey A. Jones of Fillmore, Indiana. Jones was reported missing in August 1993 and his remains were found in the same way. His remains were identified in May 2024.
