IN IN - Carmen Van Huss, 19, Indianapolis, 22 March 1993

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bessie said:
I'd think you're right, and the wounds were compared to knives in the apartment, assuming the weapon was a knife.

I thought of another possible scenario. Suppose she told the truth about washing her uniform. Did she have to use a laundry room in the complex? Could she have met up with the suspect in there? Did she recognize him because he was a neighbor? So after standing around the hot w/d's for awhile, they go to her apt to wait. Which raises another question, was her uniform found in her apartment? Clean, or dirty?

ETA: One more thought. There's a picture of Carmen with blonde hair. I can't get to it at the moment (on my phone), but it looks as though she's sitting near a swimming pool. I wonder if that was taken at the same complex, or if not, did her complex have a swimming pool. And if so, was it customary for tenants to socialize in the evenings around the pool. I have a hunch this guy either was a tenant, or a friend of a tenant -- part of a secondary circle of friends, as indicated in the article.
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If the studio apartment is as most were and some still are to this day. Depending on the size and how much you wanted to pay. There very small, the bed would be pulled out of the wall and then put back in the wall. As far as laundry, studios at the time, small ones did-not have washer and dryer or hookups, you had to use the ones on site.........Wish we knew if her uniform was actually washed that evening............And maybe we can find out about the other murder. The one found in the laundry room on site at another apartment complex in the 90s, Trying to remember if that one was loved or still unsolved. It could be important.

If these studios at the time were as I imagine them being, And they heard get off me get off coming from the room. They probably heard more than that!!.......Studios here are very close by each other, and if someone speaks loud enough or closes a door or run water if its quite in your studio you can hear these sounds.
 
willcarter said:
Carmen VanHuss was brutally stabbed and raped in 1993 in her studio apartment on the Northside of Indianapolis. The suspect still remains at large.


http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/04/19/indiana-unsolved-carmen-van-huss/7903283/
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Are you a LEO??.......If you are and have been verified by websleuths can you tell us if the woman murdered on the Northwest side I believe it was in the 90s has been solved or not??......She was found in the laundry room on site at a apartment complex I believe it was. I just don't remember if it had been solved........Thank you in advance.
 
Justiceforever said:
I forgot how to embed a video here but here's a link to an article about a 48 hour feature.

http://wishtv.com/2014/04/19/48-hours-to-feature-solved-indianapolis-cold-case/

"It’s the story of how IMPD Sergeant William Carter managed to solve a case that had been cold for more than two decades."

"Carter is a nuisance abatement officer, primarily dealing with underage drinking. On Saturday, he told 24-Hour News 8 why he took up the case on his own time, slowly combing through evidence to see what might have been previously overlooked."

"That motivation paid off, because in just six months he was able to make an arrest."

"Carter is also working on another Indianapolis cold case. Carmen Van Huss was killed in her apartment on Harcourt Road in 1993. She was raped and then stabbed more than 50 times. No one has been held responsible for the crime. Carter heard about the case after a tip from an acquaintance and began looking into the murder. He wants his efforts to give her family hope."

Nice to meet you Will Carter. If you are that Will Carter, GREAT WORK! :seeya:

And here's a link to Justice for Carmen's FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-for-Carmen-Vanhuss/208612462636298

What a beautiful young woman! RIP

View attachment 44314

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Central Indiana Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 under Crime Stoppers Case #130705.
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I am the Det Sgt mentioned on 48 hours. My hope on Carmen's case is that someone may have a similar crime that they recall. I work one cold case at a time in addition to my other duties. The suspect's dna was uploaded into the national database. There is a chance that whoever came with her earlier in the night may have left but not likely.
 
:+:MrTT:+: said:
Are you a LEO??.......If you are and have been verified by websleuths can you tell us if the woman murdered on the Northwest side I believe it was in the 90s has been solved or not??......She was found in the laundry room on site at a apartment complex I believe it was. I just don't remember if it had been solved........Thank you in advance.
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I am not sure if I have been verified but Trish Meredith was the laundry room case. It is still open case and is not suspected of being connected to Carmen's case.
 
Will, may I suggest you become verified member here on WS? You can contact any mod and they will tell you what to do. It's a simple process.

ETA: ah we posted at the same time! lol
 
Welcome!
willcarter said:
I am the Det Sgt mentioned on 48 hours. My hope on Carmen's case is that someone may have a similar crime that they recall. I work one cold case at a time in addition to my other duties. The suspect's dna was uploaded into the national database. There is a chance that whoever came with her earlier in the night may have left but not likely.
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Welcome Sgt. Carter (sorry, I just keep channeling my inner Jim Nabors when I type that) :)
 
willcarter said:
I am the Det Sgt mentioned on 48 hours. My hope on Carmen's case is that someone may have a similar crime that they recall. I work one cold case at a time in addition to my other duties. The suspect's dna was uploaded into the national database. There is a chance that whoever came with her earlier in the night may have left but not likely.
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Welcome Sgt

Before I ask any questions, is there any aspects of this crime or its findings you are unable to disclose?
 
How long had Carmen lived in her apartment? Was everyone in the apartment complex interviewed? Did anyone move out soon after the murder? Were background checks done on the residents of her building?

We need to eliminate the obvious suspects first which IMHO would be Carmen's neighbors. If the complex had more than one building, all the buildings really should be considered. The murderer probably interacted with Carmen in some way. He probably saw their relationship in a different context than Carmen did. Carmen may have viewed the murderer as harmless but her rejection may have triggered violence.

The next set of suspects would be from Carmen's work. Someone must stand out as suspicious either in their behavior, their demeanor or their actions immediately after the murder.

Thank you Det Sgt Carter for your work on this case. Carmen deserves justice.
 
So, at least one neighbor says they heard her in the hallway talking and laughing with someone. How did they know it was her? If I heard people talking in a hallway I wouldn't presume to know who it was unless I looked out the peephole. Did the apartment doors have peep holes?
 
Two things that stand out to me; the talking heard in hallway, and her using the words "get off of me".

The talking in the hallway indicates that it wasn't a friend who came to visit. Let me clarify, if a friend comes to your apt., you don't stand around in the hallway chatting. They arrive, knock on door, you open door and they enter. If the police believe the two arrived together, then there should have been someone or some video of them together.

As far as the "get off of me" is concerned, that strikes me as something a person would say to someone they did not know very well. I almost wonder if the perp was in her apt. for some other reason all together. If someone I knew was on top of me, and I was trying to stop them, I would use their name. It also seems like something that would be said if the attempt was a surprise to her.

How large is this apt. building, in terms of units?
What floor was she on, and where in the hallway would her apt have been?
Are there elevators?
How many separate apts. are there on each floor, and how is the floor divided? (two wings with elevator in middle and stairs at each end, etc.)
Does the apartment building employ maintenance people and if so, are they on site as residents?
Were there any units in the laundry room that were being serviced or not functioning at the time?
Does the apt. manager maintain records for any type of service calls or repairs from that period of time?
 
BethAnn777 said:
IMO the prearranged meet up is more plausible than the laundry room scenario. The news article stated fast food wrappers and beer bottles/cans were found. Either he, she or they picked up the food. Where was the food from? Were any fast food employees questioned?
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OK, So I don't know how they were able to determine the food wrappers and beer bottles were from the night of the murder and not older. If they were from that evening, did they find a receipt. If not, did LE interview the employees at the fast food place to find out if Carmen had been seen? What time was the food purchased? Did Carmen have any of the remnants of this food in her stomach at time of autopsy?

Carmen is not 21, so if the beer receptacles were from the night she was killed, the person is probably over 21. (granted, there are numerous scenarios where underage people acquire alcohol)

ETA: Sorry BethAnn, I did not see you already asked the question about the employees being questioned.
 
I live I an apartment and can recognize some of the tenants voices, even though we aren't "friends" I can be on my patio and know who is outside talking if its most of the people in my building. I don't think we can assume she didn't know the person well from her saying "get off" it's hard to really know what anyone would say in the moment of being "gotten on" unless you are in the moment, in my opinion, I don't know if I would use a name? I think they were heard talking while walking down the hall, if I remember correctly, like maybe walking together towards her apt?
 
willcarter said:
The person that was heard with Carmen earlier as she was entering her apartment never came forward. So there is a chance he is the suspect as well. The weapon was never found or recovered.
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Hello. Glad you've joined us.

Do you have access to the 1993 newspaper articles about this murder?
 
Were their any other common crimes in the area or surrounding areas? Even any sex offenders or anyone with rape convictions?
 
LittleMissContrary said:
OK, So I don't know how they were able to determine the food wrappers and beer bottles were from the night of the murder and not older. If they were from that evening, did they find a receipt. If not, did LE interview the employees at the fast food place to find out if Carmen had been seen? What time was the food purchased? Did Carmen have any of the remnants of this food in her stomach at time of autopsy?

Carmen is not 21, so if the beer receptacles were from the night she was killed, the person is probably over 21. (granted, there are numerous scenarios where underage people acquire alcohol)

ETA: Sorry BethAnn, I did not see you already asked the question about the employees being questioned.
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No problem.
Great question about the food and beer. How was it determined to be from that night? We really need someone who can answer some of these questions or I'm afraid this really will go nowhere.
 
LittleMissContrary said:
Two things that stand out to me; the talking heard in hallway, and her using the words "get off of me".

The talking in the hallway indicates that it wasn't a friend who came to visit. Let me clarify, if a friend comes to your apt., you don't stand around in the hallway chatting. They arrive, knock on door, you open door and they enter. If the police believe the two arrived together, then there should have been someone or some video of them together.

As far as the "get off of me" is concerned, that strikes me as something a person would say to someone they did not know very well. I almost wonder if the perp was in her apt. for some other reason all together. If someone I knew was on top of me, and I was trying to stop them, I would use their name. It also seems like something that would be said if the attempt was a surprise to her.

How large is this apt. building, in terms of units?
What floor was she on, and where in the hallway would her apt have been?
Are there elevators?
How many separate apts. are there on each floor, and how is the floor divided? (two wings with elevator in middle and stairs at each end, etc.)
Does the apartment building employ maintenance people and if so, are they on site as residents?
Were there any units in the laundry room that were being serviced or not functioning at the time?
Does the apt. manager maintain records for any type of service calls or repairs from that period of time?
Click to expand...

I hadn't even looked at the visitor angle. For some reason I envisioned them coming into the apartment together from outside. Why I thought that I don't know... Your idea makes more sense to me. But with that being said some man shows up at her door late on a Monday night. He brings food and beer...and a knife. Why would an acquaintance do that? Seems it would have to be a friend. What reason could he give for showing up at her door on a Monday night with food and beer?

I will throw a few ideas out here:

Maybe she ran into him at the fast food restaurant. He is a friend of a friend. Could have been a chance meeting or he had been stalking her. He strikes up a conversation with her. Tells her he has beer in his car. Suggests they have dinner and beer together. She suggests her apartment since it's right around the corner. They drive separately to her apartment. Walk in together hence the talking heard in the hall.

I am wondering if it would make sense for her to stand at the door and talk to him? If she was expecting him wouldn't she just open the door and let him in?

Could it be that she already had the food and beer and was eating/drinking when he showed up. He could have been a fellow resident who knocked on her door and gave her some story about his roommate locking him out of the apartment and asking if he could wait in her apartment for a bit until his roomy got home. Maybe she knows him vaguely from the pool so doesn't feel comfortable saying no.

Who else has some ideas to throw out there?
 
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