A Missouri man has been charged in connection with the 1993 rape and murder of 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss in Indianapolis. The suspect, 52-year-old Dana Shepherd from Columbia, Missouri, was arrested on murder, felony murder, and rape charges after his DNA matched evidence found at the crime scene and on the victim's body.
Shepherd is currently being held without bond at Missouri's Boone County Jail, awaiting an extradition hearing. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed the arrest and expressed hope that it would bring some closure to Van Huss' family after 31 years of searching for answers and justice.
Carmen Van Huss was found dead in her Indianapolis apartment in March 1993 by her father, who discovered her after she failed to show up for work. An autopsy revealed that she had been raped and brutally stabbed 61 times. Despite initial evidence, the case went cold for many years.
In 2018, the police department submitted DNA evidence from the crime scene to a specialized company for analysis. Last year, detectives used genetic genealogy analysis to identify Dana Shepherd as a suspect. Subsequent DNA testing confirmed that Shepherd's DNA matched that found on Van Huss' body and a paper bag in her apartment.
Investigators revealed that both Van Huss and Shepherd lived in the same apartment complex at the time of the young woman's tragic death. The breakthrough in the case highlights the advancements in forensic technology and genetic analysis that have enabled law enforcement to solve cold cases and bring closure to families affected by violent crimes.
