DNA breakthrough closes 30-year-old cold case in brutal 1993 rape and murder

A antheral who raped, stabbed and murdered a 19-year-old Indianapolis pistillate much than 30 years agone was sentenced to 45 years successful situation connected Friday, closing a decades-old acold case.

Dana Shepherd, 53, was sentenced to 45 years successful situation connected Friday, aft signing a plea woody past period admitting to the sidesplitting of Carmen Van Huss, section outlets reported, ending a decades-old acold case.

"While nary transition of clip tin ever heal the unimaginable nonaccomplishment Carmen’s household has endured, we are grateful to unafraid a execution condemnation much than 30 years aft this heinous crime," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said successful a statement. "Our anticipation is that this solution brings a measurement of justness and bid to her loved ones, aft 3 decades of waiting for answers."

Van Huss was murdered successful 1993 astatine the property of 19 aft she was raped and stabbed 61 times by a antheral who broke into her apartment, FOX 59 reported.

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Dana Shepherd was sentenced to 45 years successful situation successful transportation with the 1993 rape and execution of 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss, closing a decades-old acold case. (FOX 59)

According to the outlet, Van Huss' assemblage was recovered by her father, and constabulary said she was lying successful a ample excavation of blood. There were signs of a struggle, constabulary said, including a knocked implicit array and scattered objects.

More than 30 years aft the killing, Missouri constabulary arrested Shepherd and extradited him to Indianapolis to look charges of execution and rape with deadly force, the outlet said.

Shepherd — who was 20 years aged astatine the clip of the execution — wasn't connected to the probe until DNA investigating tied him to the case.

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Carmen Van Huss, 19, was raped and stabbed to decease successful her Indianapolis flat successful 1993. (FOX 59)

Shepherd was arrested successful August 2024 successful Columbia, Missouri, and aft being extradited to Indianapolis, was scheduled to spell to proceedings adjacent week until a plea statement was filed Tuesday, wherever Shepherd admitted to the execution charge. The further charges were dismissed.

FOX 59 reported that Shepherd had a transgression past successful Indiana earlier committing the murder, including charges for artillery and nationalist intoxication. After 1993, helium was besides charged successful Missouri with stealing, disturbing the bid and driving without a license.

The Van Huss household released a connection reacting to the sentencing.

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Dana Shepherd was sentenced to 45 years successful situation for the 1993 rape and execution of 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss.

"While this plea woody was not our archetypal choice, we are grateful that aft 33 years the antheral liable for Carmen’s brutal rape and execution is yet being held accountable," the household stated.

"For decades, the perpetrator was capable to unrecorded a mean beingness aft taking that close distant from Carmen and from our family. Nothing tin undo that nonaccomplishment oregon erase the injustice of him surviving freely for truthful long, but we are thankful that the information has yet travel to airy and that helium has not escaped justice."