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Prosecutor Charles Kitt

They were found Sunday afternoon, July 7th.

Haley Seal

My dad and his fiance, Karen, were shot and killed in their beds. I was 17 and my brother was 15. And there was just shock.

Detective Richard Volley

The killer made it downstairs, shot Karen Harkness multiple times, shot Mike Sisco multiple times. Whoever it was that did this hated these people.

Haley Seal

The only person that hated them was my mom, Dana.

Narrator

What should people understand about the fact that you, Dana Chandler's daughter, thinks Dana Chandler killed your father?

Haley Seal

I do have a mind of my own, and I'm not biased in this situation. I don't want it to be her. I want the truth to come out. I wanted to help the police, so I started to record my conversations with her. I think that the only way I can really move on with a relationship with you is if we can get it. You know, if you can just tell me yourself that you did it. Well, number one, I didn't do it.

Dana Chandler

And number one.

Haley Seal

Number two, I don't know what happened.

Narrator

Haley, did you know anything about the

Detective Richard Volley

death of Michael and Karen?

Haley Seal

I have no idea what happened to Michael and Karen. I hit a point where I didn't know if justice would ever be served.

Narrator

Both hands out of the car.

Haley Seal

I needed justice for my dad and for Karen.

Judge Cheryl Rios

We, the jury, find the defendant guilty

Dana Chandler

of the crime of murder in the first degree of.

Haley Seal

I feel better in the sense that my dad's killer is paying for their actions. I don't feel better that my mom is capable of killing my dad. And then the Kansas Supreme Court comes and says, this is prosecutorial misconduct. We're going to go ahead and overturn her conviction. You have a new trial.

Dana Chandler

My liberty, my freedom is hanging in the ballast.

Haley Seal

If she could bring out something to prove she didn't do it, that's for her and her own freedom. But she can't, and she hasn't.

Dana Chandler

I did not kill Mike Sisco.

Haley Seal

She would not hesitate to get revenge on me.

Dana Chandler

I did not kill Karen Harkness.

Haley Seal

I know the truth.

Dana Chandler

I am an innocent woman.

Haley Seal

The Truth is that she murdered them. She scares me.

Narrator

Your mom scares you?

Haley Seal

Yeah. I wanted to understand what happened and why and actually know the truth of what happened.

Narrator

For two decades, Haley Seal has been waiting for justice in the murders of her father Mike Sisco and his girlfriend Karen Harkness.

Haley Seal

This hasn't been resolved.

Narrator

In 2002, multiple bullets struck 53 year old Karen and 47 year old Mike as they lay in bed in Karen's Kansas home. Authorities believed it was a crime of passion as the rest of the house seemed undisturbed, with money and jewelry left behind. And Haley believed it was her mother, Dana Chandler, who was responsible.

Haley Seal

The truth is that she was in Karen's house on July 7 in the middle of the night with a gun and she shot them both multiple times. And she murdered them. I hate that that's the truth. But it is the truth.

Darryl Burton

I've never seen a case like this even.

Narrator

Darryl Burton is co founder of Miracle of Innocence, an organization that paid for Dana Chandler's lawyers and supports individuals it believes are wrongfully convicted.

Darryl Burton

No DNA, no fingerprints, no confession, no weapon. It's just an add up.

Narrator

In the summer of 2022, Dana Chandler was on trial for the second time for the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness. As in her first trial, the defense focused on all that was lacking in the case against Chandler.

Defense Attorney Tom Bath

There is no evidence that she was in the Harkness residence. No evidence she was in Topeka. There's no evidence she was in the state of Kansas.

Narrator

Defense attorney Tom Bath insisted Dana Chandler was in Colorado at the time of the murders, more than five miles away, and faulted investigators for zeroing in on her.

Defense Attorney Tom Bath

Everything they looked at, everything they examined excluded Dana.

Narrator

The lack of physical evidence was acknowledged by Shawnee County Deputy District Attorney Charles Kitt.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Science is not going to solve this case. This case is not based on DNA.

Narrator

Instead, the state focused on evidence such as Dana's hatred of her ex husband and his girlfriend.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

This case is based on jealousy, rage and obsession.

Narrator

Prosecutors presented evidence they say showed that obsession, including records of more than 600 phone calls Dana made to Karen and Mike in the six months before the murders. And they introduced witnesses who said Mike and Karen told them some of those calls were menacing Karen's co worker Kim Warrender.

Haley Seal

And she said she had been up

Witness Erin Sutton

all night receiving phone calls from Dana.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

She told you she was afraid.

Witness Erin Sutton

Very afraid.

Narrator

Erin Sutton also testified that her mother, Karen Harkness, was scared of Dana. She spoke about messages she said she heard that Dana left on her Mother's phone.

Haley Seal

She would call my mom horrible names

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

and, like, what kind of names would she call her?

Haley Seal

He would call her a whore.

Narrator

In addition to testimony about calls Dana Chandler made, there was also attention paid to when there was no call activity on her phone, specifically during 27 hours the weekend of the murders. Authorities believe Dana Chandler's phone was turned off so it could not be traced as she traveled to Kansas. But the defense suggested it could have just been Spotty's cell phone Sear service in Colorado. Prosecutors told the jury about a purchase Dana made the day before the murders, but failed to mention to investigators. Kit asked Richard Volley, the lead detective on the case, about the purchase.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Can you tell us what that is?

Detective Richard Volley

This is an AutoZone receipt. It shows the first two purchases were five dollar or five gallon gas cans.

Narrator

Authorities wondered why Dana didn't tell them about the gas cans and why she would need gas cans unless she was planning a trip, perhaps to Kansas, and did not want to stop for gas along the way. And there was the issue of Dana Chandler's alibi, according to Detective Volley, a changing, unconfirmable one. One witness testified that Dana said she was in the mountains in Colorado at the time of the murders. But Detective Volley testified Chandler told him she was at home in her Denver apartment.

Detective Richard Volley

She said she'd stayed at her house, had no guests or phone calls, and that she turned in about 9 o'. Clock.

Narrator

A friend of Dana's testified about something authorities thought might have been a dry run for the murders. She said about a month before the killings, Dana called and told her about a trip she made to Mike's home.

Witness Erin Sutton

She told me that she knew nobody was in the house and that she went into Mike's home through the window. After that, she did go to his girlfriend's house and sat outside her house waiting for them to come home, but they didn't show up.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Did she tell you what she did when she got into Mike's house?

Witness Erin Sutton

She wanted to see what it looked like on the inside.

Narrator

But Dana's attorney questioned the reliability of her testimony, pointing out she may have gotten some dates wrong regarding calls with Dana.

Witness Erin Sutton

It must not have been a Monday,

Defense Attorney Tom Bath

but 20 years ago. You said it was a Monday, right?

Witness Erin Sutton

Sure.

Narrator

Testimony about Chandler's behavior also came from Kathy Boots, Mike's sister. She described an incident several years before the murders that she said she witnessed while staying at Mike's house.

Mike's Sister Kathy Boots

We went to bed that night and I woke up in the early morning hours to a noise out in the backyard. And we had left the back porch lights on and I looked out through the blinds and Dana was jumping on the trampoline out back.

Narrator

And Mike's brother in law, Mark Boots, recounted a disturbing conversation he said he had with Mike nine days before the murders. Mike told me that the patterns of harassment had increased and that he feared for he and Karen's lives. Mike and Dana's daughter Hailey was going to be in the uncomfortable position of testifying against her mother.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

And who is Damon Chandler to you?

Haley Seal

She's my mom.

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Haley Seal

I was absolutely still nervous and scared being up there. It causes conflict.

Narrator

As Haley Seale reflected back on testifying against her mother, Dana Chandler, she recalled the stress she was under. As a prosecution witness. Haley was asked to describe some of her mother's behavior. Behavior Haley said she found obsessive.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Was there a time where you were asked to spy on your dad?

Haley Seal

Yeah.

Narrator

Haley recounted an incident after her parents split up when she said Dana drove her and her brother to Mike's home and they all sat in the car to watch the house.

Haley Seal

She said, come on, we need to watch your dad. You can be my little helpers. She had me go with her to the house after so long, and she wanted to look in the windows.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Did she look in the windows?

Haley Seal

Yeah, we both looked in the windows. And she said, did you see that? Did you see that? And I said, no, I didn't see anything.

Narrator

It was episodes like that which led Haley early on to think her mother could be responsible for the murders.

Haley Seal

I always suspected she had something to do with it because of the history of her harassment, stalking, hatred, talking bad about them to us all the time.

Narrator

Haley testified about some of the ways her mother expressed that dislike of her father, like the demeaning ways Dana referred to him in emails and online chats, including ones where Dana referred to Mike as it sent when Haley was 14 years old.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Did she call him manipulative and deceiving?

Haley Seal

Yes.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

And then calls him a rapist?

Haley Seal

Yeah.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

And just a couple lines down, I hate his guts.

Haley Seal

Yeah.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Are those things that you want to tie to you?

Haley Seal

Yes. Nobody can say that. They said you were in Colorado that weekend.

Narrator

Also played in court were those conversations Haley secretly recorded with her mom as she tried to learn more about Dana's possible involvement in the murders. In all the conversations you had with her over the days, weeks, months, even years after this happened, she never told you something that made you think, well, at least my mom didn't do it?

Haley Seal

No. Every time I talked to her, I felt more and more confident that she definitely had something to do with it.

Narrator

And perhaps most telling to Haley was a conversation played in court where Dana said she had thought about killing Mike.

Haley Seal

Ever think about killing him? No, but I did.

Narrator

In one of those discussions, Haley asked her mother about why she bought those two gas cans, which authorities thought could have been used to help drive round trip from Denver to Topeka without stopping in Kansas for fuel. Dana, who'd been a problem drinker, explained she bought them for someone else, a woman she met at aa.

Haley Seal

She asked people money, and we don't give people money at aa. I think I'll go buy.

Narrator

The prosecutor asked Haley if she was able to learn anything more about that woman from Dana.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

She wouldn't tell you who that person was?

Haley Seal

No, she didn't.

Narrator

But Dana's defense team argued those recorded conversations proved nothing about the murders. And regarding the two gas cans, it maintained that the 10 extra gallons the cans could hold would not have been enough for Dana to drive round trip from Denver to Topeka without still needing to stop for fuel. The defense accused authorities of tunnel vision, including not looking more thoroughly at other suspects. And her lawyers said Dana Chandler never owned a 9 millimeter gun. The type of weapon used in the murders, which was never found. What was found were unusual bullets made in Israel.

Haley Seal

Israel Military Industries. That's the manufacturer.

Narrator

Dana's attorney questioned a firearm examiner who had worked with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation about those bullets.

Defense Attorney Tom Bath

Is that a bullet you would ammunition you typically see?

Haley Seal

Actually, we had not seen that before, and so it was a little bit unusual to us.

Narrator

The prosecution, though, explained that there were places one could buy those bullets.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Could that ammo have been brought into Kansas and sold at a gun show?

Haley Seal

Yes, sir.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Could have been exchanged by individuals?

Haley Seal

Yes, sir.

Narrator

There were other parts of the investigation that the defense argued supported its case. There was forensic work it said eliminated Dana Chandler. Unidentified fingerprints found at the house did not match Chandler. None of Dana's DNA was found at the murder scene, nor were any fibers found from her clothing or any of her hair.

Haley Seal

I did not find any hairs that were consistent with the known samples coming from Ms. Chandler.

Defense Attorney Tom Bath

In 20 years, the state had no evidence, no evidence whatsoever that placed Dana Chandler in Karen Harkness home in the city of Topeka or in the state of Kansas.

Narrator

After three weeks of testimony, that lack of physical evidence would be the defense theme in its closing argument.

Defense Attorney Tom Bath

Each and every time they tested something, it excluded Dana.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

From the beginning, I told you, this case is about obsession, jealousy, rage.

Narrator

The state focused on Dana's behavior, her calls, emails, and her own family's testimony against her.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

The defendant clearly hated Karen and my words from her own mouth and her own fingers typing those messages.

Defense Attorney Tom Bath

A lot of evidence about Dana's bad behavior. That's true. That's not evidence. They have not proven this case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Narrator

On August 25, 2022, the case went to the jury and Haley was waiting for a verdict.

Haley Seal

I've really tried to trust the process, as I knew I didn't have any control over it, so. So it was going to be what it was going to be.

Narrator

But the wait to find out what the verdict would be was a long one.

Judge Cheryl Rios

When you retire to the jury room, you will first select one of your members as well. Presiding juror, the person selected will preside

Narrator

over your the case in the second trial of Dana Chandler for the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness went to the jury on August 25, 2022. That day came and went, as did several more

Judge Cheryl Rios

members of the jury. Would you like to recess for the day?

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Yes, we would like.

Haley Seal

After about four days, I started to get nervous and think, wow, this actually could not come back in a guilty verdict. And I started to think about that possibility. And so I prayed and I just trusted that if she did get away with this, that life would have to go on. Right?

Judge Cheryl Rios

Members of the gallery, I would ask that you just please refrain from any outbursts.

Narrator

After six days of deliberating, Dana Chandler would learn her fate.

Judge Cheryl Rios

I understand that the jury is unable to reach a unanimous verdict at this time. Is that correct?

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

That is correct.

Narrator

The jury informed the judge they were deadlocked.

Judge Cheryl Rios

You're hung at this time, is that correct?

Narrator

There were seven votes to convict and five to acquit. We did what we could with what we had. Ben Alford and Carrie Kimes were two members of the jury who voted to find Chandler not guilty.

Haley Seal

I never saw actual evidence that Dana Chandler was ever in the Harkness home. I can't send somebody to spend the rest of their life in prison. If you can't even prove she left Colorado that weekend.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

The science is not going to solve this case.

Narrator

Everything that was tested for DNA proved inconclusive, and that's pretty remarkable. But for juror Randy Edwards, the state's depiction of Dana Chandler's behavior was persuasive evidence.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

She was beyond upset. She was obsessed.

Narrator

He also found those conversations Haley recorded with her mother to be convincing and voted to convict.

Haley Seal

Ever think about killing him?

Narrator

No. But I did when I was able to comprehend that Dana said that she had thought of killing Mike.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

That was probably the piece that pushed me beyond any question of reasonable doubt anymore.

District Attorney Mike Cage

There was a split verdict, but the majority of the jury was in favor of a conviction. And that was meaningful.

Narrator

DAA Mike Cage decided to retry Dana Chandler.

Judge Cheryl Rios

The next issue that we have before the court is a motion to modify bond.

Narrator

Her lawyers convinced the court to reduce her bond, which allowed her to be released with supervision as she awaited the next trial.

Judge Cheryl Rios

The court is going to direct that she have GPS monitoring.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Welcome home.

Detective Richard Volley

Welcome home.

Narrator

After spending more than a day decade incarcerated, Dana Chandler celebrated her freedom with Darryl Burton. And miracle of innocence.

Darryl Burton

Anybody who's getting out of prison after you've been in prison for any length of time, it is, it's a joyous occasion. You're happy that someone's been released and you also feel like, well, maybe it's a good chance that, you know, we can, you know, mount a defense and get her totally acquitted.

Narrator

As a condition of her release, Dana was not allowed to contact her children. Still, Hailey worried about her safety. She is married to Chris Seal, her high school boyfriend, and is a mother of three.

Haley Seal

I'm scared to death. That she's going to hurt me or she's going to affect my kids in some way.

Narrator

Haley's fear only grew when Dana made this post to her Facebook page. Chandler complained about her treatment at trial, calling it a kangaroo court. And in the background, she showed images of Haley's children. Haley says Dana somehow learned which church she attended and downloaded a live stream of a service to create the photos.

Haley Seal

It was chilling and it was disturbing. I feel like it was a direct message to me.

Narrator

And what was the message?

Haley Seal

Intimidation. I don't care about your boundaries.

Narrator

Her belief that her mother committed the murders remains unwavering and she says, disturbing.

Haley Seal

She's my mom. But if you're my mom, why would you do that to my dad? For your kids sake, maybe. Maybe that would be a reason not to do it. Being a mother now, I have a new perspective. It becomes even more unreal now.

Narrator

Also unreal to Hailey. Thoughts of a third trial. What are your expectations for yet again another trial?

Haley Seal

This time I am not as confident

Narrator

for trial number three jurors would be for from Pottawatomie County, Kansas. The defense requested a change of venue and the judge agreed, citing excessive media coverage. It would take place in Westmoreland, a smaller, more rural area 60 miles away from the last setting in Topeka.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

July 7, 2002 was going to be a good day. Mike Sisco, Karen Harkness had been in a relationship for a few years.

Narrator

The trial got underway with opening statements on February 7, 2025.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

One name just kept coming up. Dana Chandler.

Narrator

Charles Kitt was back retrying the case, joined by prosecutor Dan Dunbar. Judge Cheryl Rios again presided. And in a last minute change on the morning of opening statements, Dana Chandler dismissed her defense attorneys.

Dana Chandler

My name is Dana Chandler and Dana

Narrator

Chandler decided the best person to represent her was herself.

Dana Chandler

I am innocent. I did not kill Mike and Karen.

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Dana Chandler

I think this case is a character assassination.

Narrator

In February 2025, Dana Chandler was on trial for the third time for the murders of Mike Sisko. And Karen Harkness. But this time she was representing herself.

District Attorney Mike Cage

She was exercising her constitutional right. It was an unknown. It was certainly unexpected.

Narrator

One thing that was the same as in the previous trials. Haley Seal testified.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Good afternoon.

Detective Richard Volley

Hi.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Can you please tell the jury your name?

Haley Seal

Haley Seal.

Narrator

Haley was asked again by the prosecution about her mother's inappropriate behavior.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

What sort of things would she say about Karen?

Dana Chandler

She

Haley Seal

called her a home wrecker, a slut. Very bad names.

Narrator

Prosecutors were also interested in an incident when Dana Chandler drove Haley and her brother to drop them off at Karen's house.

Haley Seal

We waited there for a really long time in the car. Then my dad and Karen got there and my mom got out and yelled at them and just was very angry with my dad.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Hayley, I don't have any further questions. Thank you.

Narrator

When it was time to be cross examined, Haley knew it would now be her mother doing the questioning.

Dana Chandler

Seal.

Haley Seal

I really went up there with, like my game face on. You know, I knew it was war. I knew it wasn't going to be a nice, a cordial, a thoughtful, you're the victim. This was your dad, and I'm so sorry place that she'd be coming from.

Narrator

Dana Chandler challenged Haley about her description of that drop off at Karen's. Chandler said it was Haley's father, Mike, who was behaving badly, not her.

Dana Chandler

When your dad and Karen drove up, your dad stormed over to the car.

Haley Seal

Oh, no. No, he did not.

Dana Chandler

And he started banging on the window.

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What?

Haley Seal

No, no, he did not. I was inside that car and my dad absolutely did not bang on the windows.

Dana Chandler

And I didn't get out of. I never got out of the car.

Haley Seal

You were the first one out of the car. I was just in disbelief because I knew she just made that up because it never happened and he never did that. But I didn't get concerned. I just said no, you know, I'm glad you asked so I could straighten this out. That never happened. And then it comes down to who's believable. And I wasn't worried about that.

Narrator

As another way to seemingly explain some of her past behaviors, Chandler brought up that she used to have a drinking problem.

Dana Chandler

And I did tell you that I was. I realized that I had a problem with alcohol.

Haley Seal

You did tell me you had a problem with alcohol.

Narrator

Something Dana said she stopped by 1999, three years before the murders.

Dana Chandler

I told you I was going to three AA meetings a day, trying to get well. True.

Haley Seal

I knew you were trying to get well. Yes.

Narrator

The state questioned, though, if becoming sober changed Chandler's behavior when she came back

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

clean and sober, did that change how she treated you?

Haley Seal

No.

Narrator

Did it change how she talked about your dad?

Dana Chandler

No.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Did it change how she talked about Karen?

Haley Seal

No.

Judge Cheryl Rios

Do you solemnly swear the testimony you're

Haley Seal

about to give this case?

Narrator

Dana Chandler not only thought she was the best person to represent herself, but when it was time to put on her defense, she decided she would be her own main witness.

Dana Chandler

But I feel like that I need to kind of tell my story to kind of put things in perspective.

Narrator

She testified over seven days.

Dana Chandler

You have not seen evidence that I was in Topeka, Kansas, on July 7th

Narrator

of 2002, speaking for for about 20 hours.

Dana Chandler

I kind of like to review a little where I left off.

Darryl Burton

There was times when she would take so long to try to get her point across.

Narrator

Dana Chandler's supporter, Darrell Burton was concerned when she put herself on the stand.

Darryl Burton

And sometimes it seemed as though she was just rambling, you know, and that was just unfortunate. She may have known. She probably knew where she was trying to go, but she'd get lost.

Dana Chandler

But I continued drinking.

Narrator

She again addressed issues such as her drinking and inappropriate conversations with Haley.

Dana Chandler

I was writing emails, drinking to blackout. I'd get up the next morning and not even remember those emails. I had a serious problem. And normal things I said about Karen spreading her legs, I mean, seriously, Haley

Narrator

was 14 years old.

Dana Chandler

I am just so ashamed and embarrassed about that. And I hated that Haley, that I put Haley through that.

Narrator

And Chandler, in her own testimony, addressed again that incident when she waited outside Karen's house to drop off Haley and Dustin with the couple. She said it was done out of necessity.

Dana Chandler

I yelled through the window, I could not afford to feed Haley and Dustin and that I needed to leave them with him.

Narrator

Chandler contrasted those times to when she stopped drinking, showing videos of her spending time outdoors with Hayley and Dustin.

Dana Chandler

This video was taken about nine months into my recovery.

Narrator

Dana also disputed making frequent harassing calls to Karen and Mike, saying when she called, there was a reason I was

Dana Chandler

calling to speak with my children, Haley and Dustin.

Narrator

As to her having disagreements with Karen Harkness, she testified there were none.

Dana Chandler

I never, ever had any confrontations with Karen Harkness at all.

Narrator

Chandler also pointed out what she said was sloppiness in the police investigation. When Chandler questioned lead detective Richard Volley, she asked about whether police were too focused on her and should have been looking more thoroughly at other possible suspects.

Dana Chandler

Did you or did you not receive any leads for other suspects besides me?

Detective Richard Volley

Early on in the investigation, there were several Other people that were looked at as possible leads. So it's a matter of checking people off to dismissing people that couldn't have done it. When we can't dismiss them, we keep focusing on them like did with you.

Narrator

Chandler, though, said there was an area where she felt law enforcement thoroughly investigated whether she bought a 9 millimeter gun like the one used in the murders and they came up empty handed.

Dana Chandler

I've never owned, purchased or possessed a 9 millimeter firearm.

Narrator

And throughout her defense, Dana Chandler was adamant that at the time of the murders she was in Colorado and no one could place her in Karen's house or even in Kansas.

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Dana Chandler

This power, this walk, this pose, distracted,

Commercial Narrator

this look, this talk.

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Dana Chandler

boss, boss, boss, boss, bosses.

Narrator

Let's talk business in my office.

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Narrator

It seemed like a simple question Dana Chandler was asking Detective Volley, did you

Dana Chandler

ever develop any information that I was into Peak and Kansas on July 6th or 7th of 2002?

Narrator

But in answering that question, Volley said there was a woman named Patty Williams who may have spotted Chandler in the state of Kansas around the time of the murders.

Dana Chandler

What do you know about Patty Williams?

Detective Richard Volley

She was a clerk at a convenience store in Waukenie, Kansas.

Narrator

The gas station convenience store in Wakini where Williams worked was nearly halfway between Denver and Topeka. It had been visited by an investigator searching for locations where someone may have spotted Chandler around the time of the murders. There, the investigator showed one Williams, this photo of Dana.

Detective Richard Volley

She was 7 out of 10 that it was you.

Narrator

According to Volley, the clerk was 70% sure she had seen Dana Chandler and described some distinguishing features.

Detective Richard Volley

She has said that she had gray near the hairline.

Narrator

Chandler, though, told the jury she did not have gray hair back then. By the time of the trial, Williams had died and could not be questioned again. Chandler also expressed concern that the investigator only showed a single photo of her initially instead of an array of photos including different people. Something Volley did do when he went to the gas station about two weeks later.

Detective Richard Volley

We later went out with a what we call a six pack buffer. His six photographs of people that look very similar. And amongst those photos was Ms. Chandler

Narrator

Volley said Patty Williams immediately picked out Chandler and again was 70% sure she saw her there. But Volley acknowledged using an array initially would have been better. There was still, for law enforcement, the issue regarding Dana Chandler's alibi. Remember, Volley said Dana told him she was home in her Denver apartment the night of the murders. But she told others, including an acquaintance, Jeff Bailey, she slept in her car in the Colorado mountains that night.

Dana Chandler

I was confused.

Narrator

Dana Chandler told the jury she had been confused when she spoke with Volley. But prosecutor Kit was the not accepting that explanation.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

So what you told Detective Oley is not consistent with what you told Jeff Bailey, is it?

Dana Chandler

As far as my trip to Ms.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Chandler, it's not consistent with that part.

Witness Erin Sutton

Okay.

Dana Chandler

Yeah, I would agree with that. I would. That's true.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Have you seen that document before?

Narrator

Once again, those secret recordings Haley made with her mother were played in court.

Haley Seal

Ever think about killing it? No, but I did.

Narrator

But this time, Kit questioned Dana herself about its authenticity.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Was that your voice saying, did you ever think about killing him? I did.

Dana Chandler

It sounds like it is.

Narrator

When it was time for the final witness, Dana Chandler decided it should be Dana Chandler. She knew the jury heard witnesses testify about her parenting and past behavior. Chandler explained if she was a less than attentive mother, it was because of her drinking and a lack of money, not a lack of love.

Dana Chandler

I absolutely did want to have a relationship with my children. You know, I think the financial, the substance abuse combination, it just wasn't feasible. That's all I have. Thank you.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Mr. During this time that you couldn't afford to feed your children, you were buying booze, correct?

Dana Chandler

I was.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

You buying enough alcohol to get blackout drunk?

Dana Chandler

I was.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Thank you for the question.

Narrator

And with that, after 18 days of testimony, prosecutor Charles Kitt and Dana Chandler presented their closing arguments.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

Why are Mike and Karen dead? And the evidence shows one simple answer. Control.

Haley Seal

I think Kit nailed it when he said it was about control.

Narrator

The state described Chandler losing control of Mike as he planned his future with Karen and the rage that followed.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

And that's what led to the defendant traveling to Topeka, Kansas, on July 6 and murdering them on July 7.

Narrator

Kit spoke about Chandler's depiction of events not lining up with the testimony of others.

Prosecutor Charles Kitt

It's the defendant versus everyone. You can believe the defendant's testimony or you can believe everybody else that you heard from in this case.

Narrator

In Dana Chandler's closing, she used a scam to make her point that prosecutors whom she called her accusers did not have enough evidence to tip it in their favor.

Dana Chandler

The accusers must tip the scale here. I'm innocent. I have my infirmities and I have my shortcomings. But I do stand here before you all today and proclaim that I am an innocent woman.

Narrator

She acknowledged the life she led was not perfect, but said, that doesn't make her a murderer.

Dana Chandler

The state has woefully failed to meet its burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that I killed Mike Sisco or Karen Harkness.

Narrator

About four hours later, the jury delivered its verdict.

Haley Seal

We, the jury, find Dana Chandler guilty of murder in the first degree as charged in count one. Verdict form, count two.

Narrator

Guilty of the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness. After hearing the verdict, Dana Chandler turned away. And while it was the verdict Haley hoped for, the end result is nothing she ever wanted.

Haley Seal

It is so much worse that my mom is the one behind these murders because we lost my dad and Karen. But then through all this, now we've lost our mom. I really wish it was someone else.

Darryl Burton

I don't believe that they have proved this case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Narrator

Chandler's supporter, Darrell Burton, remains undeterred. He still believes she is innocent.

Darryl Burton

The evidence just doesn't, you know, prove that she's guilty of anything.

Narrator

Dana Chandler is filing motions for an appeal. 48 Hours reached out to Chandler again for this episode, but did not receive a response.

District Attorney Mike Cage

I am very confident in this verdict.

Narrator

District Attorney Mike Cagay is certain the jury convicted the right person.

District Attorney Mike Cage

I have every confidence in my prosecutors and how they handled this case.

Haley Seal

The focus of this case has gone almost completely to Dana Chandler and that the victims has really been lost, which is really Sad.

Narrator

More than 20 years have passed since Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness were murdered, and Haley wants to make sure the lives lost are not forgotten.

Haley Seal

I was trying to tell my daughter about who my dad is, and I said he was a really fun, supportive, encouraging guy who believed in me and my brother. And Karen was so kind, so accepting. I miss him a lot.

District Attorney Mike Cage

In June 2025, Dana Chandler was sentenced to life in prison.