INDIANAPOLIS — An arrest has been made in an Indianapolis homicide 31 years after the crime took place.
52-year-old Dana Shepherd of Missouri is now charged with Murder and Rape in connection to the 1993 death of 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss.
On Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, Shepherd was arrested for the Murder of Van Huss.
On Tuesday afternoon, her family, IMPD, and the Marion county prosecutor spoke about the case during an emotional briefing.
The brother of Van Huss says he's thankful the man who investigators say committed the crime is where he needs to be.
"She was taken from me when i was a freshman in high school," said Jimmy Van Huss. "For my dad to have to find her after what was brutally done to her makes this day bittersweet and I wish he was here to see it."
Prosecutors say that in 2018, they used DNA and blood found in a trash bag at Van Huss's apartment to create a profile of the suspect.
"For 31 years, the family of Carmen Van Huss has been searching for answers and justice. While nothing can ever replace their loved one, we hope that today's arrest brings them some measure of peace. We remain dedicated to bringing justice to all victims and will continue to pursue every lead, no matter how much time has passed,” Deputy Chief Kendale Adams said.
According to court documents, Van Huss was found murdered inside her northside apartment on March 24, 1993.
Van Huss’s apartment was in the 8200 block of Harcourt Road.
According to court documents, Van Huss’s father was called by a co-worker of his daughter after she didn’t show up for work. Her father later found her dead inside the apartment.
In court documents, the coroner’s office report shows Van Huss was stabbed 61 times.
In 2000, after years without answers for the family, Carmen Van Huss’s DNA was entered into the national database.
After 23 more years of waiting, IMPD was able to tell Van Huss’s family that a match was found.
That match led police to Shepherd.
According to court documents, Shepherd lived in the same apartment complex as Van Huss at the time of the crime.
An extradition hearing is scheduled for Shepherd on Wednesday in Missouri.
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