Eric Allen Roettger, a 17-year-old male, tragically lost his life on May 7, 1985, in Preble County, Ohio. His death was linked to the infamous serial killer known as the 'I-70 Strangler,' an unidentified perpetrator believed to have murdered at least twelve young boys and men between 1980 and 1991. Roettger's body was discovered near a stream in rural Preble County, east of Lewisburg. His shirtless corpse bore signs of strangulation, with a rope used as the method of killing.
Additionally, an apparent burn mark was found on his left shoulder.
On the day of his disappearance, Roettger had planned to attend interviews for a summer job, but he never arrived at any of them. Witnesses reported seeing him at a bus stop in the early morning hours, where he accepted a ride from a passing car instead of waiting for the bus. His friends and relatives denied any connection to the LGBTQ+ community, but later investigations suggested that Roettger had acquaintances involved in drug trafficking and substance abuse.
The 'I-70 Strangler' was known for targeting young boys and adolescents, often meeting them in popular gay bars in Indianapolis before dumping their bodies near Interstate 70. The victims were typically found naked or partially clothed, discarded in rivers, streams, and ditches in rural areas. Each had been strangled to death. Though the case remains officially unsolved, law enforcement named deceased businessman Herb Baumeister as the prime suspect in April 1999. Baumeister, who was linked to over a dozen homicides in Indiana, was believed to have ceased dumping bodies along I-70 after purchasing Fox Hollow Farm in 1991, where he later buried his victims.
Despite extensive investigations, no arrests were made in connection with Roettger's murder. The case remains one of many unsolved homicides attributed to the I-70 Strangler, leaving lingering questions about justice for the victims and their families.
