In October 2023, the renewed effort identified a ninth victim: Allen Livingston. His family had long suspected his fate, and DNA samples from his mother and sister confirmed their fears.
Sharon Livingston, Allen’s mother, passed away in November 2024, finding some closure before her death.
Progress and Challenges
To date, scientists have extracted eight unique DNA profiles from the remains, with four matching victims identified in the 1990s: Jeffrey Jones, Manuel Resendez, Johnny Bayer, and Richard Hamilton.
The discovery of three additional profiles has raised Baumeister’s presumed victim count to 12. However, the work is far from over.
Most of the remains were crushed or burned, making DNA extraction challenging. Some fragments are being preserved in hopes that future technologies may unlock their secrets.
Honoring the Victims
Families of identified victims can choose to have remains cremated and interred at a memorial in Westfield.
Dedicated in August 2024, the site features a plaque listing the names of the nine identified victims, with space for more names as the identification effort continues.
