A Vanderburgh County judge sentenced Samuel Steven Huggler to a total of 120 years in prison on Wednesday, closing out a case that began with a 2021 Evansville shooting that killed his 18-year-old sister and wounded two brothers, and that later sent investigators chasing him across Europe. The 30-year-old was convicted in August 2026 of three counts of aiding and inducing and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.
14 News reported that Huggler was sentenced Wednesday afternoon. Because of how the sentence was structured, he must serve the majority of it, making it unlikely he will ever be freed. The listed terms were 60 years on count one, 20 years on count five and 35 years on count six, all to be served in the Indiana Department of Correction; together, those terms total 115 years. The prosecutor's office had pushed for a life-without-parole sentence, while Huggler faced a potential penalty ranging from 45 to 185 years. Huggler must also register as a violent offender and is barred from contact with his siblings and parents under no-contact orders. After the sentencing, he told the judge he wishes to appeal.
A Triple Shooting on Evansville's East Side
The case traces back to Dec. 14, 2021, when Olivia Huggler and one other family member were unloading groceries at a home in the 800 block of Kirkwood Drive. An armed man wearing a camouflage ski mask entered through the garage and asked the family to bring their brother outside before opening fire, according to the Courier & Press. The gunfire seriously injured two people and fatally wounded Olivia Huggler, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital roughly 24 hours later. Her brothers, Jonathan and Joseph Huggler, survived the attack but were severely injured, per 14 News.
Surveillance footage and family testimony led investigators to Daniel Lawrence Alvey, who was 18 at the time of the shooting. Alvey reportedly told police that Samuel Huggler had offered him $5,000 to carry out the killing of one of his brothers, the same outlet's report states. Prosecutors subsequently filed murder charges against both Huggler and Alvey.
A Case That Collapsed, Then Came Back
That first prosecution fell apart in June 2022 after Alvey refused to testify against Huggler despite being granted immunity, and the prosecutor's office moved to dismiss the charges. Because that dismissal was without prejudice, prosecutors retained the ability to refile the charges and issue a new arrest warrant down the road, the Courier & Press reported at the time.
Alvey eventually pleaded guilty in 2023 and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, with his plea deal requiring him to testify against Huggler in future proceedings. Prosecutor Diana Moers refiled charges against Huggler in January 2024, and authorities issued a new warrant for his arrest around the same time. By then, Huggler had already fled the country, making his way to Andorra, a nation with no extradition treaty with the United States, before crossing the border into Valencia, Spain. The FBI and Spanish authorities apprehended him there in January 2024, and he was returned to Evansville to face trial.
Jury Weighed Evidence of Contact the Night Before
At trial, the state presented evidence that Alvey and Huggler had met in person the night before the shooting, and that Alvey called Huggler shortly after the 911 call reporting the attack, according to Local 25/44. It marked the second attempt to prosecute Huggler in connection with his sister's death, years after the original case against him was dismissed.
Olivia Huggler's obituary described her as faithful, loyal, and true to everything and everyone, and as someone who was strong and gentle. Huggler was sentenced to an aggregate 120 years.
