Indianapolis, IN – A Missouri man has been arrested in connection with the 1993 murder of Carmen Van Huss in Indianapolis. Authorities took 52-year-old Dana Shepherd into custody in Columbia, Missouri, on Friday, August 30, 2024.
IMPD detectives, alongside the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, made the arrest after a renewed investigation. Detectives used advanced DNA technology and genealogy analysis to identify Shepherd as a suspect. According to IMPD, the investigation remained active for decades, culminating in a breakthrough in June 2024 when the Marion County Forensic Services Agency matched DNA found at the scene to Shepherd.
In March 1993, authorities discovered Van Huss deceased in her Indianapolis apartment. Despite interviewing dozens of individuals, the case went cold. In 2018, IMPD submitted evidence for DNA analysis, which led to the recent identification of Shepherd.
On Thursday, August 29, 2024, detectives secured a warrant for Shepherd’s arrest. He now faces charges of murder, felony murder, and rape. A hearing for his extradition to Indianapolis will be scheduled in the coming days.
