Matthew J. Hoffman was born on November 1, 1980, in the United States. Little is publicly known about his early childhood or family life, but those who encountered him in adulthood described him as reclusive, quiet, and increasingly erratic. He held various odd jobs and was known to spend considerable time in nature, especially wooded areas, where he developed an unusual obsession with trees and leaves.

Hoffman lived in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and was previously convicted of arson in Colorado, for which he served time in prison. After his release, he returned to Ohio. After returning to Ohio, he lived a relatively quiet life in Mount Vernon. Neighbors reported odd activity, including large amounts of leaves stored inside his house and climbing gear found in strange places.

On November 10, 2010, Matthew Hoffman broke into the home of 32-year-old Tina Herrmann in Howard, Ohio. He had reportedly been camping in the nearby woods the night before and intended to burglarize the house. However, as he was inside the home, Tina Herrmann unexpectedly returned, accompanied by her friend, 41-year-old Stephanie Sprang.

Inside the home, Hoffman murdered both Tina Herrmann and Stephanie Sprang. He then waited until Tina's 11-year-old son, Kody Maynard, returned home and killed him as well. After the murders, Hoffman abducted Tina’s 13-year-old daughter, Sarah Maynard, bound and gagged her, and transported her to his residence in Mount Vernon. Over the next four days, he held Sarah captive in his basement, where she was tied to a makeshift bed of leaves. Despite Hoffman’s later claims that he treated her well, allowing her to play video games, watch movies, and eat hamburgers, evidence and Sarah’s own account revealed that he had sexually assaulted her during the captivity.

Hoffman then dismembered the three murder victims and concealed their remains inside a 60-foot-tall hollow tree in the Kokosing Wildlife Area, a remote forested region in Knox County. Meanwhile, concerned family members reported the victims missing, and police began an extensive search.

Investigators found a blood-soaked crime scene at Herrmann’s home and began piecing together evidence. A key breakthrough came when detectives identified a blue tarp and garbage bags at the scene that matched purchases made at a local Walmart. Surveillance video confirmed that Matthew Hoffman had purchased the items, and his vehicle was linked to the area. He had even been briefly stopped by police earlier while walking in the vicinity of Herrmann’s abandoned truck but was let go after questioning.

On November 14, 2010, authorities obtained a search warrant and raided Hoffman’s home. They found Sarah Maynard alive and bound in the basement. Hoffman was arrested on the spot. During their search, officers also discovered disturbing conditions inside the home, including massive piles of leaves covering furniture and floors.

While in jail, Hoffman wrote a ten-page confession letter. In it, he admitted to all three murders and the abduction of Sarah. He provided the exact location of the bodies, enabling authorities to recover the remains from inside the hollow tree. Despite claiming he had “no intention” of hurting Sarah, forensic evidence revealed she had been sexually assaulted.

Hoffman was charged with ten counts, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, rape, burglary, and abuse of a corpse. To avoid the death penalty, he accepted a plea deal. On January 6, 2011, Hoffman was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Matthew J. Hoffman is currently serving life without parole in an Ohio state prison.