Who is Mark Goodyear? All about the alleged accomplice of Herbert Baumeister from The Fox Hollow Murders on Hulu
Mark Goodyear is a central figure in The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer, a four-part Hulu documentary investigating the disappearance of gay men in Indianapolis during the 1990s. His account of a near-fatal encounter with Herbert Baumeister led authorities to the businessman, a married father of three, suspected in multiple murders.
However, Baumeister took his own life before police could question him, leading to a case closure without a deeper investigation. Over time, suspicions arose that Baumeister may not have acted alone, with some questioning Mark Goodyear’s potential involvement.
In 1996, he voluntarily testified, stating he had interacted with the suspected perpetrator. Despite occasional police scrutiny, no charges were filed against him. By 2016, Mark Goodyear had turned to religion, sharing cryptic messages on social media about faith-based events as per The Cinemaholic, February 18, 2025. Little else is known about his personal or professional life, leaving his role in the case a subject of ongoing speculation.
In 1996, Mark Goodyear told authorities he met Brian at a gay bar in August 1994, visited his home, and later learned he was Herbert Baumeister
Mark Goodyear is one of the most discussed figures in the investigation of Herbert Baumeister, a businessman accused of being responsible for multiple disappearances in Indianapolis during the 1990s. His testimony in 1996 led authorities to Baumeister, but over the years, inconsistencies in his accounts have drawn scrutiny, raising questions about his potential involvement.
According to The Cinemaholic (February 18, 2025), Mark Goodyear unexpectedly reached out to authorities in 1996, claiming he had encountered someone he believed was behind the disappearances. He told the police that in August 1994, he met a man named Brian at a gay bar and later visited his home in the northern suburbs. It was only later that he realized Brian’s actual identity was Herbert Baumeister.
During his testimony, Goodyear struggled to recall the exact location of Baumeister’s house, as he had not paid attention to directions. However, he described key details of the property, including a long driveway, an indoor swimming pool, a bar, and mannequins placed throughout the home. He also noted that the interior was covered in cobwebs. Regarding the mannequins, he stated,
“Well, they were all posed. One woman in a dress reaching into a cabinet in the kitchenette…One was a lifeguard. Several others just posed around as if they were enjoying the day” (The Cinemaholic, February 18, 2025).
According to WRTV.COM (September 6, 2023), Goodyear further alleged that Baumeister introduced him to erotic asphyxiation, instructing him on how restricting the jugular vein creates a high. During their time together, Baumeister reportedly asked Goodyear to choke him in the pool. Goodyear told investigators,
“Well, the whole deal was was really what he (Baumeister)wanted. Was for me, to put, he showed me how to do it. Put a neck hold on him and to strangle him basically, why he was in the pool m*sturbating, okay. So I did this” - Mark Goodyear's interview with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (WRTV.COM, September 6, 2023).
The situation escalated when Baumeister allegedly attempted to strangle Goodyear from behind using a pool hose. Goodyear claimed he fought back, forcing Baumeister to stop. He later told police that had he been intoxicated, Baumeister might have killed him, as per WRTV.COM, September 6, 2023.
A year after the encounter, Goodyear saw Baumeister again at a bar. He and a group of friends confronted him, leading to a brief argument. When Baumeister left, Goodyear arranged for someone to follow him and record his license plate number. This information led police to identify Baumeister and investigate his property, as reported by The Cinemaholic on February 18, 2025.
Upon searching Fox Hollow Farm, authorities found thousands of human bone fragments in the wooded areas surrounding the estate, confirming their suspicions of Baumeister’s involvement in multiple disappearances, as per WRTV.COM.
Despite being credited for leading investigators to Baumeister, Mark Goodyear has also been viewed with suspicion. Over the years, police have questioned his detailed knowledge of the crimes and his inconsistencies in retelling the events. According to The Cinemaholic, one of the key reasons investigators suspected him was that his version of events changed multiple times.
In The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer, he stated that Baumeister never attempted to harm him and that he had only gone to the police to push them into investigating the case. While Mark Goodyear has never been charged with any crimes related to Baumeister’s alleged murders, his role in the case remains debated.
By 2016, he had become involved in religious events, sharing messages on social media that offered little insight into his personal or professional life, as noted in the publication by The Cinemaholic. Though The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer on Hulu presents Goodyear as a survivor, his varying accounts and police scrutiny continue to raise questions about his role in the case.
Stay tuned for more updates.
