GUILTY IN - Carmen Van Huss, 19, Indianapolis, 22 March 1993 *arrest 2024 - sentenced 2026*

[dotr]

November 14, 2024

Suspect in 1993 cold-case killing in court to face murder and rape charges

Carmen Van Huss, 19, was found raped and murdered in her north Indianapolis apartment on March 24, 1993.

www.wthr.com

''INDIANAPOLIS — UPDATE: Dana Shepherd appeared in court on Nov. 13 to face two counts of murder and one count of rape. He faces a maximum sentence of 105 years if convicted.
His trial is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2025.
The man accused of killing an Indianapolis woman more than 30 years ago is back in Indiana. He is scheduled for his first court date on murder charges on Nov. 13, 2024.''

''The corner's office said she had 61 stab wounds on her body.
According to court documents, Shepherd was Van Huss's neighbor at the time of her murder.''

 

[meanmaryjean]

Trial to begin Monday, January 26 per the Justice for Carmen FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=justice%20for%20carmen%20vanhuss

 

[meanmaryjean]

Man accused of killing Indianapolis woman more than 30 years ago changes plea to guilty

Court records show that Dana Shepherd will plead guilty to murder and will be sentenced to 45 years in prison. The plea still needs to be accepted by the court.

www.wthr.com

This saves the family from having to endure a trial and virtually assures he will never leave prison alive.

 

[Snoop Sister]

I followed this case since it was first posted on Websleuths and I was shocked when the murderer was finally identified and charged.
I am glad to hear that he will be serving 45 years. And, as another poster previously mentioned, his pleading guilty saves the family from enduring further trauma and pain. Hats off to LE!

 

[meanmaryjean]

I followed this case since it was first posted on Websleuths and I was shocked when the murderer was finally identified and charged.
I am glad to hear that he will be serving 45 years. And, as another poster previously mentioned, his pleading guilty saves the family from enduring further trauma and pain. Hats off to LE!

I am friends with her brother Jimmy's wife, a fellow nurse. And the murder happened adjacent to the hospital where we both worked. I often wondered about Jimmy having to drive past that apartment complex if he drove my friend to work, etc. While my friend never met Carmen, I am so happy for the entire family to finally have a resolution. Carment deserved better.

 

[meanmaryjean]

https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/cold-case-solved-man-who-raped-murdered-indy-teen-in-1993-sentenced-to-45-years-in-prison/

 

[dotr]

Feb. 13, 2026

Man stabbed neighbor 61 times, left body in pool of blood for her dad to find

Dana Shepherd was sentenced to more than four decades in an Indiana prison after admitting to brutally murdering his 19-year-old neighbor.

lawandcrime.com

Inset: Dana J. Shepherd (IMPD). Background: The area in Indianapolis where Shepherd killed his former neighbor (Google Maps).

''A 53-year-old man in Indiana will spend several decades in prison for killing his neighbor, stabbing her 61 times in her home then leaving the mutilated body for her father to find.''

 

[Blue Girl1991]

Many thanks for all the updates! I have been following this case for a long time. It is difficult for me to describe in words the feelings of relief and joy when I read at the time that the monster who committed such a horrific crime was caught after such a long time!, and now it is also clear that he will spend a very long time in prison, hopefully, for the rest of his life.

Finally justice for Carmen and her family and a closure. Carmen was a person with a heart of gold and a great love for animals and cats in particular, this touched my heart.

Thank you so much to everyone who worked in the law enforcement agencies and did not give up until justice was done, special thanks to the wonderful Bill Carter and Meera Patel, to everyone who brought up Carmen's case anywhere and on the web, to all the Websleuths members who didn't let Carmen be forgotten