IMPD denies pulling detective off decades-old murder case

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officials on Friday walked back on reports that they pulled a detective off a cold case murder investigation after he sought public funding for a DNA test.

The news conference came a day after officials and family members told The Indianapolis Star that Detective Sgt. William Carter was no longer permitted to work on the 1993 killing of Carmen Van Huss. IMPD Chief Rick Hite appeared with other department officials — and Carter — to assert that Carter was still working on the case, although they offered little clarity as to why officials had said the opposite a day earlier.

"Sometimes people assume things they hear," Hite said. "I can tell you that the (deputy) chief never brought that to my attention, that he wanted to remove anyone."

Family members who contacted The Star on Thursday said they were outraged that Carter was no longer permitted to work on the case.

"He said (the order) came from his chief," said Jimmy Van Huss, who was 15 when his sister was killed. "If Carter's off the case, the case is over. She's been dead for 22 years."

But Hite said Friday that he did not know why the family believed that Carter had been pulled off their relative's investigation. Pressed further, Hite said Carter may have been told to "temporarily" cease investigating while officials came together "to talk about where we are in the investigation."

"He is going to help someway, somehow, (to) get information where it needs to be," Hite said. "That's just the kind of guy he is. We rewarded him last year for his work."

Though not a cold case investigator, Carter, who works for the Nuisance and Abatement unit, had been working on the case in his spare time since 2013.

Van Huss, 19, was raped and killed, after neighbors said she had returned to her apartment with a man. Although neighbors heard Van Huss screaming the night she was killed, no one called police. The case remains unsolved.

Officials told The Star that Carter was removed from the investigation two days after he created a gofundme.com donation page to collect money for a DNA test he said he hoped would bring him closer to finding Van Huss' killer. Carter said the test was needed after a first test was performed on the wrong DNA sample.

Although the city picked up the cost of the first test, they told Carter that they lacked the money for a second attempt.

Lt. Richard Riddle told a Star reporter Thursday that the Van Huss case "has been reassigned to Sgt. Dave Ellison."

Maj. Chris Bailey, IMPD's assistant criminal investigations commander, offered his own explanation on the matter Thursday. When asked whether Carter was still being allowed to work on the case, Bailey said, "He probably shouldn't be. It should be a case for the investigator."

"We just want to make sure that people stay in their lanes," Bailey said. "We have cold case investigators, and we want to let them do their job."

Bailey said Ellison, the Cold Case Unit supervisor, had always been assigned to the Van Huss case. However, Ellison did not return requests for comment Thursday or Friday. Ellison was not at Friday's news conference.

Bailey also denied the move was made because of Carter's crowdfunding efforts. He said the department routinely does not pay for the particular type of DNA test Carter requested, which he said was not always useful.

The city mistakenly paid for the first test, Bailey said, after a miscommunication between IMPD and the crime lab. The city paid about about $1,600 for the initial test, Carter said, and he needed $996 for the second test. Within seven hours, Carter exceeded his goal, raising more than $1,200.

An online petition created by the Van Huss family calling for the reinstatement of Carter on the case had accumulated more than 350 signatures by Friday evening.

It's unclear whether the DNA test Carter requested will ever be performed. IMPD officials said the money collected from the donation page will be refunded to donors, and they will evaluate whether the second test is needed.

"There has never been a time when we have refused to pay for any testing that would lead to the solvability of the case," said IMPD Deputy Chief Bill Lorah. "We are continuing to work with the crime lab. In fact we talked to the crime lab obviously today."

Asked whether Carter made a mistake in making an online plea for money for the test, Hite said, "I think it's important to note that, if at all possible, it's important to vet that within the department."

He laughed, adding, "I think it was creative thinking."

Speaking at the news conference Friday, Carter said "we're still working on" the Van Huss case.

"I've been assisting in the case for two years," he said. "I hope to continue."

Call Star reporter Jill Disis at (317) 444-6137. Follow her on Twitter: @jdisis.