INDIANAPOLIS — A judge sentenced a man who killed an Indianapolis woman more than 30 years ago.
In January 2026, Dana Shepherd pleaded guilty to murdering 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss. The judge accepted the guilty plea and sentenced Shepherd to 45 years. However, the judge noted that under sentencing guidelines in 1993, Shepherd is required to serve approximately 50% of that sentence, which is 22.5 years.
“While no passage of time can ever heal the unimaginable loss Carmen’s family has endured, we are grateful to secure a Murder conviction more than 30 years after this heinous crime. Our hope is that this resolution brings a measure of justice and peace to her loved ones, after three decades of waiting for answers,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement…