Samuel Huggler is a southern Indiana man accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that killed his 18-year-old sister, Olivia Huggler, and wounded two other siblings at the family’s Evansville home in December 2021. Prosecutors say he paid a coworker $5,000 to carry out the shooting. After the original charges were dismissed in 2022, he fled to Andorra, was arrested in Spain in January 2024, and was extradited to Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in April 2025, where he now faces murder and conspiracy charges.1Evansville Courier & Press. Samuel Huggler Extradited From Spain for 2021 Evansville Killing
The Shooting on Kirkwood Drive
On the evening of December 14, 2021, 18-year-old Daniel Alvey walked into the Huggler family home in the 800 block of Kirkwood Drive in Evansville wearing a camouflage ski mask and opened fire. Three people were shot, two of them in the head.2Tri-State Homepage. EPD Confirm 2 Victims Shot in Head, Alleged Kirkwood Drive Shooter Arrested An occupant of the home identified Alvey, recognizing him from church and by his voice.3Evansville Courier & Press. Suspects in Alleged Evansville Murder-for-Hire May Face Life in Prison Police arrested him shortly after and recovered the handgun he admitted using.
Olivia Rose Huggler, 18, died from her injuries at Deaconess Midtown Hospital the following evening.4WNIN. One of Three Shooting Victims Dies, Two Suspects Arrested One of the other victims was critically injured. The third was eventually released from the hospital. All three were siblings of Samuel Huggler.5Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office. Huggler Extradited Back to Vanderburgh County to Face Murder Charges After Fleeing to Spain
The Alleged Plot
Evansville police detectives concluded quickly that the attack was not random. According to prosecutors, Samuel Huggler paid Daniel Alvey, his coworker, $5,000 to kill at least one member of his family.1Evansville Courier & Press. Samuel Huggler Extradited From Spain for 2021 Evansville Killing Huggler was arrested on December 15, 2021, and charged with conspiracy to commit murder.614 News. Shots Fired on Kirkwood Drive Both men were held without bond and ordered to have no contact with the Huggler family.
Why the First Case Was Dismissed
The case against Samuel Huggler depended heavily on Alvey’s cooperation. Alvey refused to give it. Even after being granted use immunity and held in contempt of court for refusing to answer questions during a deposition, he again declined to testify on June 24, 2022.7Evansville Courier & Press. Killing-for-Hire Charges Dismissed in Evansville That same day, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office moved to dismiss the charges against Huggler. The dismissal was without prejudice, leaving the door open for the state to refile.
Alvey’s Guilty Plea
In April 2023, Daniel Alvey reached a plea agreement and admitted to killing Olivia Huggler and wounding two others. He pleaded guilty to murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and two counts of attempted murder.1Evansville Courier & Press. Samuel Huggler Extradited From Spain for 2021 Evansville Killing On May 5, 2023, he was sentenced to 45 years in state prison.814 News. Man Sentenced to 45 Years After 2021 Fatal Shooting The deal required him to testify “fully and truthfully” at any trial, deposition, or judicial proceeding involving his “past co-defendant, Samuel S. Huggler.”9Evansville Courier & Press. Daniel Alvey Accused of Stabbing Cellmate After 45-Year Sentence The prosecutor’s office said the resolution took into account Alvey’s young age, lack of criminal history, and extensive discussions with the victim’s family.
Flight to Andorra and Arrest in Spain
After the charges were dismissed in the summer of 2022, Samuel Huggler left the United States for Andorra, a small principality in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. Andorra does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, and investigators who knew where he was could not act while he stayed inside its borders.1Evansville Courier & Press. Samuel Huggler Extradited From Spain for 2021 Evansville Killing
In January 2024, Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers refiled charges. That same month, Huggler crossed from Andorra into Valencia, Spain, and Spanish National Police, working with the FBI, arrested him.1Evansville Courier & Press. Samuel Huggler Extradited From Spain for 2021 Evansville Killing Spain has an extradition treaty with the United States.
Extradition and Current Charges
The extradition took more than a year. On April 28, 2025, Huggler was returned to the United States and booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail following a coordinated operation that involved the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Spanish government, and local Evansville law enforcement.10U.S. Department of Justice. United States Secures Extraditions of Individuals Accused of Violent and Other Serious Crimes
According to the prosecutor’s office, Huggler faces the following charges tied to the shooting of his three siblings:5Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office. Huggler Extradited Back to Vanderburgh County to Face Murder Charges After Fleeing to Spain
- Aiding, inducing, or causing murder
- Three counts of conspiracy to commit murder
- Two counts of aiding, inducing, or causing attempted murder
- Possession of an altered firearm
Where the Case Stands
Huggler made his first court appearance on April 29, 2025, one day after arriving at the Vanderburgh County Jail. The court gave him two weeks to hire counsel.11Tri-State Homepage. Evansville Murder Suspect Appears in Court One Year After Arrest in Spain Moers has said court records remain under seal for “safety reasons.”1Evansville Courier & Press. Samuel Huggler Extradited From Spain for 2021 Evansville Killing In May 2025, the court denied a defense motion to dismiss the case.1214 News. Evansville Murder Suspect to Appear in Court Tuesday No trial date has been set, and Huggler remains in custody at the Vanderburgh County Jail.