New Albany family mourns, raises money as mother's remains found on ex-husband's property

Rae Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read

A GoFundMe has raised more than $33,000 for a woman from New Albany, Indiana, who police believe was cremated by her ex-husband at their residence in Florida, local authorities said.

After a four-day investigation at the couple's home in Labelle, Florida, Katie Baunach's remains were found on the property in a fresh burn pile, according to a report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

In the early morning, according to the Hendry County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Steve Whidden received a call from one of Baunach's friends who said she was concerned for her safety. The friend said Baunach, 39, left her two children with her the night before to go to the home of her ex-husband, Ian Baunach, to retrieve some personal items.

Friends and family were unable to reach Katie by phone, the friend said, according to a release from the department.

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Police were unable to locate either Katie or Ian after they arrived at the residence and subsequently requested a search warrant. The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team searched the home and found a large number of steroids, which Ian later admitted belonged to him, police said.

Ian Baunach was charged with 13 counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and was taken to the Hendry County Jail at that time, according to local police. But officials were still unable to locate Katie Baunach and obtained a second warrant for the home and property, according to the release.

According to the ATF filing, detectives searched Ian's car with luminol, a chemical that reacts to blood by turning blue, and found that his trunk glowed when the chemicals were applied. A hallway and surrounding area on the premises also glowed blue after luminol was applied, police said, signs that a struggle may have taken place.

Over the course of four days, police discovered and confirmed Katie's remains on the property, and Ian was charged with the following crimes, according to the Hendry County Sheriff's Office:

  • First-degree pre-meditated murder

  • Destruction/concealment of physical evidence

  • Use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony

  • Cremating a dead body 48 hours after death

  • Failure to report a death to a medical examiner

Ian Baunach is currently being held at the jail with no bond as of Friday afternoon.

Federal law enforcement also found multiple guns and unregistered silencers on the property, according to the filing, which said he did not possess a federal firearms license.

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Annie Moore, Katie's cousin from Louisville, said Katie's life revolved around being a mother and was devoted to her two children.

Moore tweeted last week that the children, ages four and six, "have to start a new life as our family grieves."

"The rest of the family will wrap our arms around them and do what they can for them," she said.

You can donate to the family's GoFundMe here.

Contact reporter Rae Johnson at RNJohnson@gannett.com. Follow them on Twitter at @RaeJ_33.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Indiana woman Katie Baunach's remains found on ex-husband's property