The Case He Would NOT Let Go #carmenvanhuss #crimejunkies #truecrimeshorts #podcast | Forensic Files

The detective who solved this murder wasn't even a homicide detective. When 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss was murdered
in 1993, the investigation slowly went cold. Years passed, and then in 2013, someone who wasn't even assigned to
homicide picked up the file. Sergeant Bill Carter. And Bill wasn't a cold case detective, he wasn't even working in
homicide, but he had previously solved another Indiana cold case almost entirely in his spare time. So, another
officer walked up to him and basically said, like, "Listen, there is this case that has haunted me for years. Would you
mind taking a look?" Bill said yes. And that quick look became something that he could not let
go of. He tracked down witnesses no one had spoken to in years and collected DNA
from dozens of men all while still working his regular full-time job. And then DNA technology finally reached the
point where another test could move this case forward, and it cost less than a thousand dollars, but officials wouldn't
pay for it. So, Bill, you know, came up with an idea. He thought this would be simple. He started a GoFundMe. And the
money to cover the testing came in in just seven hours. Problem solved, right? Wrong. His department ordered him to
return the donation, pulled him off the case, and suspended him for 10 days. They reminded the public that people
should stay in their lanes. Carmen's family was furious. They started a petition and demanded that Bill be put
back on the investigation. And I don't know if it worked or if it was a coincidence, but he did end up being
allowed to continue helping very much like Loki on the side. And years later, after genetic genealogy finally became
available, it was Bill who started to build out the family trees. Bill who followed the DNA. Bill who got as close
as he could with whatever help he could find. And with a little funding help and
a genealogist toward the end, he was able to finally name Carmen Van Huss's killer.
Dana Shepherd. Carmen's family once said that Bill Carter was the only person who
never stopped fighting for her. So, you can see why he's making the hero wall at the office.
If you want to really look into the investigation and the politics of policing, listen to our episode on
Carmen Van Huss out right now.

When 19-year-old Carmen Van Huss was murdered in 1993, her case eventually went cold. Then, years later, Sergeant Bill Carter took a look at the file, even though he wasn't assigned to homicide.

Working around his regular job, he tracked down witnesses, collected DNA, and pushed for advanced testing that would eventually help move the investigation forward. His efforts even led to disciplinary action before Carmen's family fought to keep the investigation alive.

Watch the full case tagged below. --------- Follow Crime Junkie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimejunkiepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrimeJunkiePodcast/ Crime Junkie is created and hosted by Ashley Flowers.

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About Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers is the top female podcaster in the U.S. and the host of Crime Junkie, the #1 podcast among women and the #1 true crime podcast globally. As the Founder of Audiochuck, she has built a top-tier podcast production company that has garnered over 2.6 billion downloads, captivating audiences with its gripping storytelling through 10+ chart topping podcasts. Ashley and her team are dedicated to creating responsible true crime content that respects victims and their families.

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Brief Summary

Sergeant Bill Carter solves Carmen Van Huss's cold case against departmental obstacles and identifies her killer through DNA technology.

Key points

The Unlikely Detective. Sergeant Bill Carter, not a homicide detective, takes on a cold case that haunts him.
Crowdfunding a Solution. Bill starts a GoFundMe to fund DNA testing for a cold case, raising money in hours.
Suspended for Justice. Bill is suspended for trying to solve the case, leading to public outrage.

Episode highlights

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