501 Ghosts
501 Ghosts
The Dark Legacy of the 501 Eagle
Strange Occurrences: Paranormal Investigation at 501 Eagle
When my friend Jason Ammerman mentioned he was experiencing strange occurrences in a newly renovated business, I was immediately intrigued. As someone deeply involved in the paranormal, I couldn’t resist the chance to explore what might be behind the disembodied voices, footsteps echoing in empty corridors, and shadowy figures glimpsed from the corner of his eye—these were not just any run-of-the-mill disturbances. These are classic claims of paranormal activity. The location in question? The 501 Eagle, a former gay bar in Indianapolis housed in a historic building that has seen its fair share of life… and, unfortunately, death.
A Haunted History: Tragic Deaths at the 501 Eagle Building
The Eagle’s building, constructed around 1900, carries with it the weight of more than a century of history. Originally, it served as a pharmacy, witnessing the comings and goings of countless locals over the decades, with records as early as 1894 mentioning Smith H. Mapes and later, Lender’s Pharmacy. Before the current structure, a one-story double residence occupied the lot, perhaps hinting at an even older, more storied past. This place has seen it all—multiple robberies, a few fires, and even a death. Wallie Roberts, a man who met his end in 1941 from a heart attack while in the drugstore, may still linger in the ether of that address. Interestingly enough, during one of our sessions, the name “Robbie” came through the Andy’s Box at exactly the 4:10 mark in the video. Could this be a nickname, a ghostly echo of Roberts?
Video:
The building later transitioned into a tavern known as the M & M Tavern, operated by Tewfik Hallal until his death in 1969. Though Hallal passed away in the hospital, his time at the tavern might have left a residual imprint.
Herb Baumeister and Larry Eyler: Serial Killers at 501 Eagle
What I didn’t know at the time of my investigation—and what now sends a chill down my spine—was that the 501 Eagle was also a hunting ground during a particularly dangerous time in Indianapolis’s history, frequented by not just one, but two notorious serial killers. Both Herb Baumeister and Larry Eyler are believed to have stalked their unsuspecting victims in this very bar.
Herb Baumeister, active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, was responsible for the deaths of at least 11 men—though the real number is likely higher. Many of his victims were lured from gay bars in Indianapolis, with the 501 Eagle being one of his known haunts. Baumeister’s modus operandi involved inviting men back to his home under the guise of a party, where they were ultimately murdered. The bodies of his victims were later discovered buried in a mulch pile on his property at Fox Hollow Farm. His story came to light in 1996 when, after the discovery of human remains on his property, Baumeister fled to Canada and committed suicide before he could be apprehended.
What’s eerie is that I had previously visited Fox Hollow Farm, unaware at the time that my path would lead me back into the dark web that Herb had spun. This investigation at the 501 Eagle was building up to my next visit there—a visit that would yield some of the darkest and saddest messages I’ve ever documented in my years of ITC research.
Larry Eyler, known as the “Interstate Killer,” was another predator who stalked his victims in the same era. Eyler was convicted of the 1984 murder of a 15-year-old boy, but his crimes likely spanned much further, with authorities believing he may have killed as many as 23 young men across multiple states. Eyler’s predation tactic was similar—he picked up men from bars, including the 501 Eagle, before brutally murdering them. Eyler’s reign of terror came to an end in 1994 when he died of AIDS-related complications while on death row.
ITC Sessions at 501 Eagle: Evidence of the Paranormal
Given all this, it’s no wonder my friend was starting to think this place was haunted. To help him get to the bottom of things—or at least to see if we could catch anything on tape—I set up a few ITC sessions in the space. Armed with a Frank’s Box, Andy’s Box B-2, the Lear Geobox, and an ITC app, we aimed to connect the building’s past reputation to the phenomena being observed in the present.
The results were… interesting. ITC sessions yielded some compelling audio, with the relevancy of names and sometimes explicit phrases that came through making us pause more than once. At the very least, they added fuel to the growing speculation that the past and present at the 501 Eagle are more intertwined than we can fully comprehend—a mystery that continues to unfold as my research into this dark legacy presses on.
Historical Notes:
- Construction and Early Use: The building, recorded as built circa 1900, may have been constructed even earlier. It originally served as a pharmacy, with early records from 1894. Before this, a one-story double residence occupied the lot.
- Notable Incidents: Multiple robberies, a few fires, and at least two recorded deaths—Wallie Roberts, who died of a heart attack in 1941 while in the pharmacy, and Tewfik Hallal, who passed away in 1969 after owning the M & M Tavern.
- Potential Hauntings: During the ITC session, the name “Robbie” was recorded on Andy’s Box at 4:10 in the video. Could this refer to Wallie Roberts? It’s something to ponder.
- Herb Baumeister Connection: Unbeknownst to me during the investigation, the 501 Eagle was a place frequented by serial killer Herb Baumeister in the late 80s and early 90s. His presence adds an unsettling layer to the building’s history. My investigation at the 501 Eagle ultimately led to a return visit, where I recorded some of the darkest and saddest messages in my ITC research.
- Larry Eyler Connection: Similar to Baumeister, Larry Eyler also frequented the 501 Eagle. Eyler, known as the “Interstate Killer,” targeted young men from gay bars, including the Eagle, during his killing spree in the 1980s.