They Sent The WRONG DNA... #carmenvanhuss #crimejunkies #truecrimeshorts #podcast | Forensic Files

What no one knows at the time is that this $1,600 DNA test, which the city organizes and pays for, somehow ends up
spurring a departmental controversy that throws Carmen's case into jeopardy and lands Sergeant Carter in a bucket of hot
water with IMPD. The controversy in Carmen's case all started in 2015 when the results from
the DNA test come back. >> [music] >> Carter remembers the cold case sergeant coming by his desk and saying, "Well, we
got a problem. Our killer is a European female." >> The original profile was developed from
a semen sample. How is that even possible? >> It's not. Like, it turns out the city
sent the wrong sample to the lab. What they likely tested was Carmen's own DNA. >> Uh I'm sorry, how does that even happen?
>> Not totally clear. I don't know if this has anything to do with the fact that
like early on they sent her profile to CODIS. >> That's like where my mind immediately
went. >> All Sergeant Carter can assume is that the people who sent off the DNA somehow
got mixed up. Whatever, human error, people make mistakes, right? Luckily, this isn't one where we like used up the
last sample or anything. We just like go back and do it again. >> Yeah. >> Well, when Sergeant Carter asks for
another test, he gets shut down. Officials tell him that they won't pay for the test, that they don't usually
cover this particular kind of testing anyway, and that the first time they did it was actually a mistake.
>> [music] >> And this would typically be the point where most investigators would give up
or move on, but if it's not already clear, Bill Carter is not most investigators.

A DNA test was supposed to move the investigation into the 1993 murder of Carmen Van Huss forward. Instead, it created a major setback.

After the results came back, investigators realized the wrong DNA had likely been tested. When Sergeant Bill Carter asked for another test, officials refused to pay for it. Most investigators might have moved on, but Carter refused to let the case end there.

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Brief Summary

A DNA test error complicates Carmen's case, challenging Sergeant Carter's investigation efforts.

Key points

The DNA Test Controversy. A $1,600 DNA test leads to unexpected complications in Carmen's case.
Unexpected DNA Results. The results reveal a shocking profile that complicates the investigation.
Human Error in Testing. A mix-up in DNA samples raises questions about the investigation's integrity.
Carter's Determination. Despite setbacks, Sergeant Carter refuses to give up on the case.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

How is that even possible?

Carter reacts to the unexpected DNA results.

0:35WatchJul 9, 2026

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