Kansas woman convicted of double murder after three trials

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Dana Chandler has spent decades maintaining her innocence against allegations she was liable for the 2002 murders of her ex-husband, Mike Sisco, and his girlfriend, Karen Harkness.

In 2025, Chandler took connected her ain defense, representing herself successful the 3rd proceedings the authorities brought against her for the murders.

DANA CHANDLER (in court, closing): My liberty, my state is hanging successful the balance.

Hailey Seel is Dana Chandler and Mike Sisco's daughter. She and different Sisco and Harkness household members person spent decades grieving, searching for answers and for justice. "I privation to recognize what happened and why. And — and — and really cognize the information of what happened," she tells "48 Hours" contributor Jim Axelrod.

"48 Hours" archetypal started covering the murders successful 2008 and spoke with individuals progressive respective times implicit the years.

THE MURDERS OF MIKE SISCO AND KAREN HARKNESS

Hailey Seel: It's hard to swallow and it's hard to believe. It's insane. (crying)

For Hailey, it each started connected July 7, 2002. She learned her begetter and Harkness had been killed successful Harkness' Topeka, Kansas, home.

Hailey Seel: I instantly conscionable saw a clump of portion astir the location and police. … And my grandma's sitting successful determination and she conscionable told maine that they had been shot.

Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness casino surveillance

The nighttime earlier the murders, Sisco and Harkness enjoyed an evening astatine a casino astir an hr extracurricular of Topeka. Surveillance footage shows them leaving astir 1:30 a.m. They past stopped to get java – the past clip video captured Harkness alive.

Harold Worswick (2008): They were highly happy, you could conscionable spot that.

Harkness' father, Harold Worswick.

Harold Worswick: Everything they did was for each other.

The time aft Sisco and Harkness' nighttime out, a household get-together had been planned astatine Harkness' house. Relatives thought the mates mightiness beryllium announcing they were engaged.

Harold Worswick: And I rang the doorbell and knocked connected the solid and couldn't rise anybody. I thought, "This is strange." 

Worswick, who has since died, recalled that helium entered Harkness' location that day done an unfastened sliding door, didn't spot immoderate motion of Karen oregon Mike Sisco, truthful helium headed downstairs to the bedroom.

Harold Worswick: Just arsenic I got to the ft of the stairs, I could spot Karen. … And I said, "Oh, Christ." I knew she was dead. And past I recovered Mike connected the extracurricular of the bed.

Worswick would past telephone 911.

HAROLD WORSWICK (to 911): I conscionable located my girl and she's downstairs and she's dormant …

Det. Richard Volle: I got a vigor telephone conscionable aft 2 o'clock connected July 7th, 2002.

Richard Volle, present retired, was the Topeka Police Department's pb detective connected the case.

Det. Richard Volle: It was a study of 2 dormant bodies successful a basement.

Five bullets had struck Harkness, 53, including successful her backmost and buttocks. Sisco, 47, suffered betwixt 5 and 7 gunshot wounds. The mates had been successful bed. The remainder of the location appeared undisturbed. Investigators recovered much than $1,000 successful cash, a Rolex ticker and different jewelry near behind. Robbery was rapidly ruled out. To recognize who mightiness privation Harkness and Sisco dead, constabulary turned to their families for information.

Det. Richard Volle: What we're near with is an affectional killing. It's an affectional execution.

Sisco, a salesperson for a welding company, and Harkness, who worked successful the hospitality industry, were some antecedently joined and present divorced. The well-liked mates had been dating astir 4 years.

Harkness' children, Chad and Erin, were successful their 20s astatine the clip of the murders.

Chad Harkness: It was a astonishment to everybody that this would hap to idiosyncratic similar her.

Erin Sutton: My ma was an astonishing woman. … She, she didn't person enemies. … And I retrieve telling her connected respective occasions that if I could beryllium fractional the ma that she was to me, past I would beryllium the champion ma successful the world.

Sisco had custody of his 2 children, Hailey, then, 17, and Dustin, 15.

Dustin Sisco: My dada was truly my beingness increasing up … He was truly my hero.

Hailey's narration with her dada was much complicated.

Hailey Seel: I wasn't blessed with my dad. I wasn't blessed with my mom. I wasn't blessed astatine my school.

By Hailey's ain admission, she was a hard teen.

Hailey Seel: My dada gave maine an ultimatum: "Either you travel my rules oregon you determination out."

She chose to unrecorded with her then-boyfriend, Chris.

Hailey Seel: And I moved successful with Chris and past my dada was killed.

That defiance made Hailey and Chris of involvement to police. They were polygraphed and questioned.

DET. VOLLE: I'm conscionable curious, is everything each close with your dada and everything?

HAILEY SEEL: Uh, yeah. … We weren't truly getting on for a small while.

Authorities said their alibis checked out. As did the alibis of Harkness' daughter, Erin, and her husband, Jeff Sutton. Harkness' lad Chad was besides questioned.

Chad Harkness: I was hooked up to a polygraph instrumentality and asked if I had murdered my parent oregon successful immoderate mode participated successful the execution of my mother. 

Police concluded nary of them were involved. But household members thought they knew who was responsible: Mike Sisco's ex-wife, Dana Chandler.

Cathy Boots: She conscionable — she ne'er acceptable in.

Cathy Boots, Mike Sisco's sister, watched Chandler and Sisco's narration deteriorate. After 15 years of marriage, the mates went done a bitter divorce, finalized successful 1998. Sisco's relatives accidental Chandler had a drinking occupation and she sporadically stalked Sisco during and aft the divorce, with predominant calls and bizarre visits.

Cathy Boots: The kids were upstairs successful their room. … And we heard a sound and determination she was … successful the mediate of the nighttime … jumping connected a trampoline successful the backyard of Mike's home.

Mark Boots is Mike Sisco's brother-in-law.

Mark Boots: I deliberation she became obsessed with the information that Mike was moving connected with his life. … And past erstwhile Karen entered the picture, that's erstwhile things truly started, I think, escalating.

Mike Sisco kept way of immoderate of the incidents from 1998 successful a time planner, writing:

JULY 28: … Dana stalking vicinity astatine 8:30, caught her she left. ...

NOVEMBER 12: Dana came successful location portion I was astatine Karens from 7:00 to 11:00 went thrus worldly …

Mark Boots: She was consenting to question large distances to amusement up backmost successful his life.

According to the Boots, the past clip Chandler showed up astatine Mike Sisco's location was successful the outpouring of 2002, respective months earlier the murders. Cathy Boots said Mike told her Chandler went determination to speech astir moving backmost in.

Cathy Boots: She said, "The kids are getting older. … They're having antithetic issues with themselves now. They request some parents. I deliberation I should determination backmost successful and we should genitor together."

Mark Boots: All this harassment and stalking had travel to the constituent that Mike told maine that helium and Karen present feared for their lives.

Mark Boots says Mike Sisco made that wide to him connected a sportfishing trip, 9 days earlier the murders.

Mark Boots: He turned to maine and said, "Mark, you're gonna aftermath up and find maine dead.  And I privation you to cognize who did it, Dana Chandler." 

But Chandler lived 8 hours distant successful Denver and determination was nary motion that she had been successful Harkness' location successful Topeka the nighttime of the murders.

WHO WANTED THE COUPLE DEAD?

Det. Richard Volle: The victims were doing perfectly thing and whitethorn not person seen it coming astatine all.

Investigators were trying to find who would weapon down Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness arsenic they laic successful bed. Detective Richard Volle called Sisco's ex-wife, Dana Chandler, to pass her of Mike's murder.

DET. RICHARD VOLLE (phone telephone to Chandler): Your hubby was recovered changeable to decease today, this afternoon. Your ex-husband, I'm atrocious … Can you archer maine erstwhile the past clip was that you talked to him?

Chandler, Volle says, did not inquire galore questions and did not look concerned. Chandler would aboriginal accidental she was precise upset connected that call. But lone Volle's broadside of their speech was recorded, owed to a method error, helium said, connected his part. The adjacent evening, Chandler called the Topeka Police Department, leaving a connection connected a antithetic officer's voicemail:

DANA CHANDLER (phone telephone to police): Hi, my sanction is Dana Chandler and I got a precise disturbing telephone telephone past night. Someone had said that my ex-husband had been killed, and I'm conscionable calling to — to spot if that's existent oregon not …

Chandler would aboriginal explicate her telephone was simply seeking confirmation. Given the idiosyncratic quality of the murders, nary signs of a burglary, and those stories astir a messy divorcement and stalking, Chandler became the main suspect. Volle decided to speech with Chandler successful person, signaling this audio, 4 days aft the murders:

DET. RICHARD VOLLE ( interrogation audio 2002): Tell maine astir what happened connected the 6th.

DANA CHANDLER: I got up, I had my greeting coffee.

But again, determination was an contented with the recording. In astir of the remainder of the conversation, Chandler is hard to hear. Volle recounted what helium said she told him.

Det. Richard Volle: She said she'd been astatine home, Saturday morning, that's July 6th … and past made a mates of errand stops.

Chandler said she bought cigarettes, snacks, and a car cigaret lighter astatine respective stores astir Denver and past got gas. But Volle says she failed to notation 1 acquisition helium saw connected a recognition paper receipt.

Det. Richard Volle: She'd bought 2 five-gallon state cans, arsenic well.

Volle wondered wherefore she didn't archer him and wherefore she would adjacent request state cans, unless she had been readying a trip, possibly to Kansas, and didn't privation to halt for state on the way. According to Volle, Chandler had besides said, aft moving those errands, she went location to her Denver apartment.

Det. Richard Volle: Didn't person immoderate visitors. No interaction with anybody. And the adjacent time got up and went for a thrust successful the mountains astatine 10 o'clock successful the morning.

But Volle couldn't verify that Chandler was successful her flat the nighttime of the murders, nor that she took a thrust successful the mountains the adjacent day. Volle said the country Chandler described driving done would person meant she'd person to walk Rocky Mountain National Park surveillance cameras. Those cameras were checked. Volle said determination was nary motion of her car.

Det. Richard Volle: The peculiar idiosyncratic that I had presumption that portion looked astatine each framework slowly. … She was ne'er there.

Investigators besides reviewed Chandler's cellphone records. They said that portion she tended to usage her cellphone frequently, she, oddly, had nary enactment astir the clip of the murders.

Det. Richard Volle: What we recovered was determination was a 27-hour model wherever her telephone wasn't used.

Still, determination was nary DNA, nary fingerprints, oregon different forensic grounds to necktie Chandler to the killings. The weapon utilized successful the murders hadn't been found, though investigators learned the bullets were from an Israeli weapons manufacturer. And Chandler would spell connected to accidental she didn't adjacent ain a gun.

But household members remained convinced that Chandler was liable for the murders. They accidental they pushed to person a gathering with then-DA Robert Hecht.

Tim Sisco is Mike Sisco's brother.

Tim Sisco: I specifically went into this gathering wanting to cognize if helium would prosecute a circumstantial case. … And the reply was, "Without that execution weapon, we don't person capable hard grounds to determination this forward."

The Sisco and Harkness families grew progressively frustrated and decided to instrumentality enactment — looking for much accusation astir Chandler's imaginable engagement successful the murders.

Cathy Boots: I enactment her representation up everywhere. "Have you seen this person?"

Several months aft the murders, having much questions than answers, Mike Sisco's sister Cathy Boots said she and their ma Carol Sisco went searching for clues, adjacent lifting up manhole covers and looking successful remainder halt bathrooms for the weapon utilized successful the murders.

Cathy Boots: We thought, you know, possibly she threw the weapon somewhere. … So I would basal connected a toilet and effort and propulsion a tile up.

They recovered nothing, but Hailey Seel, Chandler, and Mike Sisco's daughter, was besides moving the case.

Hailey Seel: I felt the request to bash something. I didn't wanna conscionable beryllium backmost with my hands tied and helpless.

In 2005, 3 years aft the murders, Hailey began secretly signaling conversations with her mother, trying to larn what happened to her dada and Harkness.

HAILEY SEEL (recorded telephone call): … I deliberation that the lone mode I tin truly determination connected with a narration with you is if we tin get it, you know, if you tin conscionable archer maine yourself that you did it. …

DANA CHANDLER: Well, fig one, I didn't bash it and fig 1 I, fig two, I don't cognize what happened Hailey. …

One happening Hailey asked astir was wherefore her parent had nary cellphone enactment for 27 hours astir the clip of the murders.

HAILEY SEEL (recorded telephone call): Why did it person nary calls and was astatine location the full time? You knew it could beryllium traced.

DANA CHANDLER: I was successful the mountains; I didn't person a signal.

Chandler insisted she had thing to bash with the murders, but did accidental she had convulsive thoughts astir Mike Sisco.

DANA CHANDLER (recorded conversation): I said I could termination him. You ever deliberation astir sidesplitting him?

HAILEY SEEL No, but —

DANA CHANDLER: I did.

HAILEY SEEL: But —

DANA CHANDLER: Honestly, I tin accidental I did.

The authoritative investigation, though, seemed stalled, truthful authorities asked Vernon Geberth, a homicide and forensic advisor and erstwhile New York City Police Department detective, to reappraisal lawsuit files. In 2007, astir 5 years aft the murders, helium issued a study concluding "… Dana Chandler is the 1 and lone idiosyncratic who had the motive, means and accidental to perpetrate these murders."

It was Geberth who brought the lawsuit to the attraction of "48 Hours." In 2009, "48 Hours" aired its archetypal study connected the murders —and tried to speech with Chandler.

HAROLD DOW | "48 Hours" correspondent: Did you cognize thing astir the decease of Michael and Karen?

DANA CHANDLER: I person nary thought what happened to Mike and Karen.

"48 Hours" ended the occurrence asking viewers to interaction constabulary if they had immoderate information. Again, the lawsuit seemed to beryllium going nowhere. But 2 years later, a caller DA, Chad Taylor, decided helium was consenting to instrumentality a accidental with the grounds they had. He chose to determination the lawsuit guardant and apprehension Chandler.

With "48 Hours" cameras rolling, instrumentality enforcement, zeroed successful connected Chandler successful Oklahoma, wherever she was staying astatine the time. Taylor didn't conscionable assistance program the arrest, but went connected it, with a weapon astatine the ready.

And connected July 24, 2011, Chandler was successful custody, charged with the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness.

WHERE WAS DANA CHANDLER THE NIGHT OF THE MURDERS?

Hailey Seel I'd deed a constituent wherever I didn't cognize … if justness would ever … beryllium served.

For Hailey Seel who was convinced her parent killed her father, Dana Chandler's apprehension was astir a decennary successful the making.

Hailey Seel It was specified a feeling that I – I — it was unbelievable.

She was determined to get justness arsenic she prepared to look Dana Chandler successful court.

Hailey Seel: I've made it this far. … I tin bash anything.

In March 2012, Chandler went connected trial. Jacqie Spradling, then-chief lawman DA, began by referring to those conversations Hailey Seel had taped years earlier with her mother.

JACQIE SPRADLING (in court): "I could termination him. I thought astir sidesplitting him." These are the words of this suspect astir her ex-husband Mike Sisco.

In her opening statement, Spradling suggested a imaginable motive for murder.

JACQIE SPRADLING (in court) Two days earlier the homicides, the suspect called Mike. Mike astatine this clip told the defendant, successful that five-minute telephone call, that helium and Karen were going to beryllium married.

But determination is nary signaling of that call.

MARK BENNETT (in court) It's casual to marque allegations. It's hard to beryllium those allegations.

And successful his opening, defence lawyer Mark Bennett argued the lawsuit against Chandler was each speculation.

MARK BENNETT (in court): There is nary grounds that places Dana Chandler successful oregon adjacent the Harkness residence connected July 6th oregon 7th, 2002.

But to authorities, determination was the question astir precisely wherever Chandler was during that time. Volle says she told him she was location Saturday, the nighttime of the murders and past drove done the mountains the adjacent day. But Chandler's concern acquaintance Jeff Bailey, testified Chandler told him thing antithetic — that she slept successful her car successful the mountains the Saturday nighttime of the murders.

JEFF BAILEY (in court): She told maine that the communicative she was giving maine was the truth. And the communicative that she'd fixed to the instrumentality enforcements was not the truth.

And prosecutors told the assemblage Chandler did not usage her cellphone for 27 hours the play of the murders. Remember, Hailey Seel accused her parent of trying to debar being tracked. Volle recovered different lawsuit erstwhile Chandler didn't usage her telephone a period earlier the murders.

DET. RICHARD VOLLE (in court): There were nary calls registered. There were immoderate calls came to the phone, but nary were picked up.

And prosecutors accidental that's important, due to the fact that during that clip — a period earlier the murders — was Chandler's adust tally for the killings. They called her person Ann Carrender to the stand. Carrender says Dana told her she had driven to Topeka.

ANN CARRENDER (in court): She had— gone to Mike's house— done the window. Um, cipher was home. …

JACQIE SPRADLING: What other did she archer you?

ANN CARRENDER: That she had gone — and sat extracurricular Karen's house.

Spradling says Chandler was obsessed with Mike Sisco and presented grounds that successful the six months starring up to the murders, she called Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness much than 600 times. The defence argued Chandler was calling to speech to her kids, but Hailey Seel remembered her mother's calls differently.

JACQIE SPRADLING (in court): What was the happening that she talked to you the astir about?

HAILEY SEEL: She talked astir my dada a lot. And – I — I re — I truly consciousness similar she was — was truly conscionable obsessed — with him.

An FBI expert testified Chandler often called precocious astatine night, and often made repeated calls successful a abbreviated clip period, including a period earlier the murders.

ALICE CASEY (in court): On June 3rd, she made 17 calls successful 18 minutes.

Both of Chandler's children testified for the prosecution, saying that their parent besides had a past of stalking their father.

DUSTIN SISCO (in court): She took maine and my sister with her to spell spy connected my dad. … And truthful we were successful the car and she told us, you know, we're conscionable going to beryllium her small helpers.

HAILEY SEEL (in court): She asked if I would spell — spell up to the location with her. And we did. And she was looking successful each the windows. And she told maine to look successful the windows. And –

JACQIE SPRADLING: Did you?

HAILEY SISCO: I did. …

JACQIE SPRADLING: What was it that she was looking astatine successful there?

HAILEY SEEL: I deliberation that she — was — was reasoning determination was — a woman successful determination with my dad.

Hailey besides testified astir those recordings she made talking with her mother. During 1 of them, Chandler, who attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, gave an mentation arsenic to wherefore she bought those state cans.

DANA CHANDLER (audio recording): I ran into a miss that had tally retired of state astatine an AA gathering and truthful I went and got state for her. She asked maine for wealth and we don't springiness radical wealth astatine AA …

Prosecutor Spradling told the assemblage that she believed Chandler utilized those 2 five-gallon state cans to person capable state truthful she would not person to halt and perchance beryllium seen adjacent the transgression scene. But Chandler's lawyer argued determination was nary impervious she was ever successful Topeka during the clip of the murders.

MARK BENNETT (in court): Did you oregon … immoderate different members of the Topeka Police Department … ever find an eyewitness that enactment — the defendant, Dana Chandler, successful Topeka, Kansas connected either July 6 oregon July 7, 2002?

DET. RICHARD VOLLE: No.

The closest instrumentality enforcement was capable to travel was astatine a state presumption successful WaKeeney, Kansas, astir halfway betwixt Denver and Topeka. Clerk Patty Williams wasn't sure, but she thought she mightiness person seen Chandler the nighttime of the murders.

Jacqie Spradling: Patty was shown a representation of the suspect … Patty indicated that she was 70 percent definite that that was the pistillate who had been there.

But by the clip Chandler went connected trial, Patty Williams had died. A antithetic idiosyncratic from the state presumption testified astir seeing a achromatic car that looked akin to the 1 Chandler drove that day. But she said it mightiness person had licence plates from Virginia. When it was the defense's turn, Bennett pointed retired determination was nary impervious Chandler was ever there.

MARK BENNETT (in court): Wasn't immoderate receipt from WaKeeney, was there?

DET. RICHARD VOLLE: No.

And Bennett questioned whether Volle investigated different suspects, similar 2 men with transgression records who had stolen checks from Mike Sisco and cashed 1 aft the murders.

MARK BENNETT (in court): That didn't marque 'em a suspect?

DET. RICHARD VOLLE: No, due to the fact that the cheque wasn't taken from Karen Harkness' location wherever the murders occurred. The cheque was really taken from Mike Sisco's location wherever the murders did not occur.

And 1 of the men was successful jailhouse erstwhile the murders occurred. In closing arguments, Bennett reiterated determination was nary forensic grounds linking Chandler to the crime.

MARK BENNETT (in court): All this time, they've been trying to enactment her successful Kansas erstwhile this happened. And for nine-and-a-half years, they've travel up dry.

Spradling reminded the assemblage of Chandler's stalking behavior— and tried to marque definite they knew conscionable however frightened Mike Sisco was of Chandler. She said Mike Sisco had gotten a extortion from maltreatment bid against Chandler.

JACQIE SPRADLING (in court): So, helium got a tribunal bid saying she has to enactment away. The extortion from maltreatment bid did not halt the defendant, though.

After 2 weeks of testimony, it took the assemblage 83 minutes to scope a verdict: blameworthy of first-degree murder.

Hailey Seel: I consciousness amended successful the consciousness that my dad's slayer is paying for their actions … I don't consciousness amended that my ma is susceptible of sidesplitting my dad.

When it was clip for sentencing, Hailey Seel asked that her ma person the maximum sentence.

HAILEY SEEL (in court:) We each person a heavy scar connected our souls from what this monster has done.

But Chandler would besides get a accidental to speak.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): But astir importantly, I contradict that I murdered Mike oregon Karen. I americium innocent. I did not execution Mike oregon Karen.

Chandler was sentenced to beingness successful prison. But soon that verdict would beryllium called into question.

DANA CHANDLER'S CONVICTION REVERSED

Hailey Seel: A batch of my caput has been focused connected her getting distant with sidesplitting my Dad, and … conscionable drags maine down.

For years, Hailey Seel's thoughts were consumed with proving her parent killed her father, Mike Sisco, and Karen Harkness. With Dana Chandler successful prison, Hailey was relieved she could ore connected different things. But her alleviation was tinged with pain.

Hailey Seel: I wanna absorption connected my aboriginal and what I privation to bash with my life. … I wanna beryllium everything my ma wasn't. (cries)

But Hailey's absorption would crook again to the case. Chandler astir instantly began filing motions arsenic she worked to entreaty her conviction. She and her attorneys cited, among different things, the actions of authoritative Jacqie Spradling. In particular, statements Spradling made astatine proceedings astir that extortion from maltreatment order.

JACQIE SPRADLING (in court): Mike got a extortion from abuse, a tribunal order. He applied and said, "Hey, judge, delight bid this pistillate to enactment distant from me." And the justice agreed.

Stacey Schlimmer: And that is conscionable a blatant misstatement.

Stacey Schlimmer, 1 of Chandler's entreaty attorneys, was ne'er capable to find a extortion from maltreatment order.

Stacey Schlimmer: I went done the full case. I went and looked for each imaginable bid I could find. And determination wasn't 1 that she was referring to.

In 2018, Schlimmer argued that Spradling's actions constituted prosecutorial misconduct.

STACEY SCHLIMMER (arguing earlier Kansas Supreme Court): I — I deliberation that Ms. Chandler ne'er had an accidental astatine a just proceedings from the get-go.

Schlimmer contended the lawsuit against Chandler should beryllium thrown out. The tribunal agreed.

Stacey Schlimmer: The Kansas Supreme Court held that … it's truthful atrocious that we're going to spell up and overturn her conviction.

Other issues astir statements Spradling made astatine proceedings besides came up, including describing a way Chandler took betwixt Kansas and Denver erstwhile determination was nary grounds that she drove that way.

JACQIE SPRADLING (in court): She drove straight up to Nebraska. And aft she gets connected Nebraska she turns astir and goes home.

Stacey Schlimmer: They conscionable kinda hypothesized, "Well, she indispensable person went up and went implicit from Nebraska." There was nary grounds of that astatine all.

Schlimmer besides contended the authorities did not person capable grounds to beryllium Dana Chandler's guilt.

Stacey Schlimmer: We argued insufficiency of grounds arsenic an contented for entreaty …

Jim Axelrod: Meaning you don't deliberation prosecutors had capable to marque a morganatic case?

Stacey Schlimmer: Jurors didn't person capable grounds earlier them if you took retired each the grounds that should've ne'er been presented oregon told to them incorrectly.

The Kansas Supreme Court described Spradling's actions as, "intolerable acts of deception." And she was disbarred. "48 Hours" reached retired to Spradling, but did not person a response.

Stacey Schlimmer: When a lawsuit gets reversed, similar a lawsuit similar this, we fundamentally person an guiltless pistillate who's been convicted of transgression due to the fact that of the prosecutor. Or we person a household that has present a reversed condemnation that has to spell done the strategy again.

Jim Axelrod: Either way, there's an injustice.

Stacey Schlimmer: Right. So … that behaviour is gonna impact someone.

The Kansas Supreme Court did decide, though, determination was capable grounds to retry Chandler if the territory lawyer chose to.

Hailey Seel: When I recovered retired that the Kansas Supreme Court overturned the verdict … it was precise shocking. … What does this mean? Will the DA's bureau retry her? …

Jim Axelrod: Were you aggravated with the authoritative who was cited for misconduct?

Hailey Seel: I've ne'er been aggravated with her. … I deliberation it was an guiltless mistake.

Chad Harkness, Karen Harkness' son, takes a antithetic presumption of Spradling's actions.

Chad Harkness: Had Jacqie not made those comments, we wouldn't beryllium sitting present today. This — this would beryllium over. … Now … each these years later, we're inactive having to, you know, unrecorded done this again. And it — it's conscionable — it's not right. It's not fair.

The determination whether to retry Chandler was present successful the hands of Shawnee County's caller DA, Mike Kagay.

Mike Kagay: We analyzed each facet of the case. And ultimately, we came to the decision that we believed justness demanded that we determination forward, and we prosecute different trial.

Pursuing that would instrumentality years. Chandler remained incarcerated. She, and her defence lawyers, argued she should beryllium acceptable free, and fought against having different trial.

Jim Axelrod: What were those years like?

Hailey Seel: Unbelievable.

For Hailey, the delays seemed endless. Chandler and her lawyers filed astir 400 motions, including ones requesting a alteration of judge, to clasp an investigator, for her enslaved to beryllium reduced, and to disqualify the Shawnee County District Attorney's Office. And done it all, she fired respective of her lawyers.

Hailey Seel: She went done 7 lawyers successful that time, uh, betwixt representing herself.

There were besides dozens of hearings, including 1 wherever Hailey was called to attest – and Chandler did the questioning.

Hailey Seel: She took maine connected the basal for astatine slightest 45 minutes … and she straight questioned me.

Jim Axelrod: What was that like?

Hailey Seel: It was the astir atrocious happening I've ever … I mean, the — the fishy successful the sidesplitting of my dada is present having the powerfulness to question maine connected the basal and speech to me. …

Jim Axelrod: Not conscionable the fishy successful the sidesplitting of your dad, your ain mother.

Hailey Seel: Yeah, yeah. I mean, It – it — it was awful.

But Hailey was consenting to instrumentality immoderate steps indispensable to guarantee her parent would basal proceedings again for the murders.

Hailey Seel: If she could bring retired thing to beryllium wherever she was, to accidental she didn't bash it, beryllium she didn't bash it — that's not conscionable for me, that's for her and her ain freedom. But she can't, and she hasn't.

WOULD DANA CHANDLER BE RETRIED?

Mike Kagay: Two guiltless radical were murdered successful our community. That demands justice.

Although Dana Chandler's condemnation had been overturned, prosecutors were determined to retry her for the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness. By 2021, the organization, Miracle of Innocence, got involved, advocating for Chandler.

Darryl Burton: Dana Chandler was idiosyncratic who, we believed successful her innocence. … When we looked astatine the case, the facts was conscionable … thing connected this woman to the crime.

Darryl Burton is the co-founder of Miracle of Innocence. He's idiosyncratic who was wrongfully imprisoned and had his execution condemnation reversed. He says, earlier sending idiosyncratic to prison, the lawsuit needs to beryllium much convincing than the 1 made against Chandler.

Darryl Burton: There's nary grounds … nary fingerprints, nary DNA, nary confession, nary weapon, nary witnesses, nothing. … When it comes to, you know, these kinds of crimes of murder, you conscionable got to person much than that.

Chandler and her attorneys besides raised different issues arsenic they tried to get the lawsuit dismissed. Some allegations related to the 2009 "48 Hours" broadcast. Chandler falsely accused instrumentality enforcement of forming "a concern with '48 Hours' to movie an occurrence aimed astatine convincing the nationalist that Ms. Chandler murdered Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness."

Jim Axelrod: What bash you marque of the thought that, if "48 Hours" had not reported, starting successful 2009, connected this case, that Dana Chandler would ne'er person been arrested oregon tried?

Stacey Schlimmer: I don't deliberation it was "48 Hours" (laughs). 2009 is simply a batch antithetic than erstwhile they arrested her. They arrested her 3 oregon 4 years — 3 years later. I deliberation the household was what kept it going. They judge that Ms. Chandler did this. … It was the caller prosecutor, and it was the household astir apt saying, "Hey, we request justness done successful this."

But Stacey Schlimmer, Chandler's erstwhile entreaty attorney, does instrumentality contented with the handling of the 2011 apprehension and the amusement of force.

Jim Axelrod: You've seen Dana Chandler's apprehension galore times.

Stacey Schlimmer: Right.

Jim Axelrod: And it bothers you.

Stacey Schlimmer: It bothers maine a lot.

"48 Hours," arsenic good arsenic The Topeka Capital-Journal, were fixed beforehand announcement of the apprehension by the bureau of then-DA Chad Taylor.

Jim Axelrod: Are you bothered by instrumentality enforcement … or are you bothered by the information that determination were cameras there?

Stacey Schlimmer: I'm bothered by the prosecutor. I'm bothered by the territory lawyer showing up astatine an apprehension and having that apprehension filmed. …

Jim Axelrod: So they wanted video of instrumentality enforcement with their guns out?

Stacey Schlimmer: I deliberation they wanted past the nationalist to spot that. … That to maine was it seemed similar specified a accumulation for a case. … that authoritative should ne'er person done that.

Ultimately, the assorted arguments Dana Chandler's squad made to disregard the lawsuit were unsuccessful. Chandler's caller proceedings was scheduled for the summertime of 2022. Before the proceedings began, "48 Hours" again tried to talk with Chandler. She said she would lone hold to an interrogation if CBS paid her million-dollar bond. We declined.

Chad Harkness: Never thought we'd beryllium sitting present again and getting acceptable to commencement a — a retrial connected this … it's conscionable caput blowing.

Chad Harkness, Karen Harkness' son, was relieved the DA's bureau decided to retry Chandler, but was acrophobic astir going done this yet different time.

Chad Harkness: Just — america kids having to relive this again and … It conscionable it makes maine sick.

Hailey, too, was not looking guardant to different trial. But said testifying again could springiness her immoderate power of the situation.

Hailey Seel: If I tin … recognize my power. … And it gives maine courageousness to spell guardant due to the fact that I cognize the information … The information is that … she murdered them.

The transition of clip has near Hailey with truthful overmuch nonaccomplishment — nonaccomplishment she holds her parent liable for. And, arsenic a ma herself, having joined her precocious schoolhouse fellow Chris Seel, Hailey's feelings are adjacent much complicated.

Jim Axelrod: When you deliberation of your mom, bash you deliberation mother, oregon bash you deliberation Dana?

Hailey Seel: I deliberation Dana, yeah. She's Dana to me. Actually, ma is — is simply a — an ucky connection to me, to the constituent wherever I don't adjacent similar my kids to telephone maine mom. I don't similar mom. Mom is simply a — a precise hurtful idiosyncratic (cries).

No substance the name, Dana Chandler is idiosyncratic her girl volition person to look again successful tribunal — and idiosyncratic who volition yet archer her broadside of the story.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): Let's commencement by stating my name. My sanction is Dana Chandler. I arsenic everyone know, person been accused of treble homicide and I americium innocent.

DANA CHANDLER RETRIED FOR DOUBLE MURDER

In the summertime of 2022, Dana Chandler was connected proceedings for the 2nd clip for the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness. As successful her archetypal trial, the defence focused connected each that was lacking successful the lawsuit against Chandler.

TOM BATH (in court): There is nary grounds that she was successful the Harkness residence, nary grounds she was successful Topeka. There's nary grounds she was successful the authorities of Kansas.

Defense lawyer Tom Bath insisted Chandler was successful Colorado astatine the clip of the murders, much than 500 miles away, and faulted investigators for zeroing successful connected her.

TOM BATH (in court): Everything they looked at, everything they examined … excluded Dana.

The deficiency of carnal grounds was acknowledged by Shawnee County Deputy District Attorney Charles Kitt.

CHARLES KITT (in court): Science is not going to lick this case. This lawsuit is not based connected DNA.

Instead, the authorities focused connected grounds specified arsenic Chandler's hatred of her ex-husband and his girlfriend.

CHARLES KITT (in court): This lawsuit is based connected jealousy, rage and obsession.

Prosecutors presented grounds they accidental showed that obsession—including records of much than 600 telephone calls Chandler made to Harkness and Sisco successful the six months earlier the murders. And they introduced witnesses who said Harkness and Sisco told them immoderate of those calls were menacing.

Kim Warrender was Harkness' coworker.

KIM WARRENDER (in court): She said she had been up all-night receiving telephone calls from Dana. …

CHARLES KITT: She told you she was afraid?

KIM WARRENDER: Very afraid.

Erin Sutton besides testified that her mother, Karen Harkness, was frightened of Chandler. She spoke astir messages she said she heard that Chandler near connected her mother's phone.

ERIN SUTTON (in court): She would telephone my ma horrible names.

CHARLES KITT: And, like, what benignant of names would she telephone her?

ERIN SUTTON: She would telephone her a whore.

In summation to grounds astir calls Chandler made, determination was besides attraction paid to erstwhile determination was nary telephone enactment connected her phone– specifically during 27 hours the play of the murders. Authorities believed Chandler's telephone was turned disconnected truthful it could not beryllium traced arsenic she traveled to Kansas. But the defence suggested it could person conscionable been spotty cellphone work successful Colorado.

Prosecutors told the assemblage astir a acquisition Chandler made the time earlier the murders but failed to notation to investigators. Kitt asked Richard Volle, the pb detective connected the case, astir the purchase.

CHARLES KITT (in court): Can you archer america what that is?

DET. RICHARD VOLLE (holding the receipt): This is an Auto Zone receipt … It shows the purch — archetypal 2 purchases were 5 dollar oregon five-gallon state cans.

Authorities wondered wherefore Chandler didn't archer them astir the state cans, and wherefore she would request state cans unless she was readying a travel — possibly to Kansas — and did not privation to halt for state on the way.

And determination was the contented of Chandler's alibi — according to Detective Volle, a changing, unconfirmable one. One witnesser testified that Chandler said she was successful the mountains successful Colorado astatine the clip of the murders, but Volle testified Chandler told him she was astatine location successful her Denver apartment.

DET. RICHARD VOLLE (in court): She said she'd stayed astatine her house, had nary guests oregon telephone calls and past she turned successful astir 9'o clock.

A person of Chandler's testified astir thing authorities thought mightiness person been a adust tally for the murders. She said astir a period earlier the killings, Chandler called and told her astir a travel she made to Sisco's and Harkness's homes .

ANN HAMMER (in court): She told maine that she knew cipher was successful the location and that she went into Mike's location done the window. After that, she did spell to, um, his girlfriend's location and sat extracurricular her house, waiting for them to travel home. But they didn't amusement up …

CHARLES KITT: Did she archer you what she did erstwhile she — got into Mike's house?

ANN HAMMER: She wanted to spot what it looked similar connected the inside.

But Chandler's lawyer questioned the reliability of her testimony, pointing retired she whitethorn person gotten immoderate dates incorrect regarding calls with Chandler.

ANN HAMMER (in court): It indispensable not person been a Monday.

TOM BATH: But 20 years ago, you said it was a Monday. Right?

ANN HAMMER: Sure.

Testimony astir Chandler's behaviour besides came from Cathy Boots, Mike Sisco's sister. She described an incidental respective years earlier the murders, that she said she witnessed portion staying astatine Mike's house.

CATHY BOOTS (in court): We went to furniture that nighttime and I woke up successful the aboriginal greeting hours … to a sound retired successful the backyard. And we had near the backmost structure lights on. And I looked retired done the blinds and Dana was jumping connected the trampoline retired back.

And Mike Sisco's brother-in-law, Mark Boots, recounted a disturbing speech helium said helium had with Mike 9 days earlier the murders.

MARK BOOTS (in court): Mike told maine that the patterns of harassment had accrued and that helium feared for helium and Karen's lives.

Mike Sisco and Dana Chandler's daughter, Hailey Seel, was going to beryllium successful the uncomfortable presumption of testifying against her mother.

A DAUGHTER'S SECRET RECORDINGS PLAYED IN COURT

Hailey Seel: I was perfectly inactive tense — and scared. … Being up there, it causes conflict.

As Hailey Seel reflected backmost connected testifying against her mother, Dana Chandler, she recalled the accent she was under. As a prosecution witness, Seel was asked to picture immoderate of her mother's behavior—behavior Seel said she recovered obsessive.

CHARLES KITT (in court): Was determination a clip wherever you were asked to spy connected your dad?

HAILEY SEEL: Yeah.

Seel recounted an incident, aft her parents divided up, erstwhile she said, Chandler drove her and her member to Sisco's home, and they each sat successful the car to ticker the house.

HAILEY SEEL (in court): She said, "Come on. We request to ticker your dad. And you tin beryllium my small helpers." … She had maine spell with her to the location aft truthful long. And — um, and she wanted to look successful the windows.

CHARLES KITT: Did she look successful the windows?

HAILEY SEEL: Yeah. We some looked successful the windows. And she said, "Did you spot that? Did you spot that?" And I said, "No. I didn't spot anything."

It was episodes similar that which led Seel, aboriginal on, to deliberation her parent could beryllium liable for the murders.

Hailey Seel: I ever suspected she had thing to bash with it due to the fact that of the past of her harassment, stalking, hatred, talking atrocious astir them to america each the time.

Seel testified astir immoderate of the ways her parent expressed that dislike of her begetter — similar the demeaning ways Chandler referred to him successful emails and online chats — including ones wherever Chandler referred to Sisco arsenic "it" — sent erstwhile Seel was 14 years old.

CHARLES KITT (in court, pointing astatine email): And does she telephone him manipulative and deceiving?

HAILEY SEEL: Yes.

CHARLES KITT: And past calls him a rapist.

HAILEY SEEL: Yeah. …

CHARLES KITT And conscionable a mates of lines down, "I hatred his guts."

HAILEY SEEL: Yeah.

CHARLES KITT: Are those things your parent typed to you?

HAILEY SEEL: Yes.

HAILEY SEEL (recording to Dana Chandler): Nobody tin accidental that they — that you were successful Colorado that weekend?

Also played successful court, were those conservations Hailey secretly recorded with her ma arsenic she tried to larn much astir Chandler's imaginable engagement successful the murders.

Jim Axelrod: In each the conversations you had with her implicit the days, weeks, months, adjacent years aft this happened, she ne'er told you thing … that made you think, well, astatine slightest my ma didn't bash it?

Hailey Seel: No. Every clip I talked to her, I felt much and much assured that she decidedly had thing to bash with it.

And possibly astir telling to Hailey was a conversation, played successful court, wherever Chandler said she had thought astir sidesplitting Mike Sisco.

DANA CHANDLER (recording): …. you ever deliberation astir sidesplitting him?

HAILEY SEEL: No, but —

DANA CHANDLER: I did.

In 1 of those discussions, Hailey asked her parent astir wherefore she bought those 2 state cans — which authorities thought could person been utilized to assistance thrust roundtrip from Denver to Topeka without stopping successful Kansas for fuel. Chandler, who'd been a occupation drinker, explained she bought them for idiosyncratic else—a pistillate she met astatine AA.

DANA CHANDLER (recording, played successful court): … She asked maine for wealth and we don't springiness radical wealth astatine AA. I said, "I'll spell bargain you immoderate state …"

The authoritative asked Hailey if she was capable to larn thing much astir that pistillate from Chandler.

CHARLES KITT (in court): She wouldn't archer you who that idiosyncratic was?

HAILEY SEEL: No. She didn't.

But Chandler's defence squad argued those recorded conversations proved thing astir the murders. And regarding the 2 state cans, it maintained that the 10 other gallons the cans could clasp would not person been capable for Chandler to thrust roundtrip from Denver to Topeka without inactive needing to halt for fuel.

The defence accused authorities of passageway imaginativeness — including not looking much thoroughly astatine different suspects. And her lawyers said Chandler ne'er owned a .9mm weapon — the benignant of limb utilized successful the murders, which was ne'er found. What was found, were antithetic bullets made successful Israel.

AMY COODY (in court): Israel Military Industries, that's the manufacturer.

Chandler's lawyer questioned a firearms examiner who had worked for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation astir those bullets.

TOM BATH (in court): Is that a bullet, ammunition you typically see?

AMY COODY: Actually, we had not seen that before. And truthful it was a small spot antithetic to us.

The prosecution, though, explained determination were places 1 could bargain those bullets.

CHARLES KITT (in court): Could that ammo person been brought into Kansas and sold astatine a weapon show?

AMY COODY: Yes, sir.

CHARLES KITT: Could person been exchanged by individuals?

AMY COODY: Yes, sir.

There were different parts of the probe that the defence argued supported its case. There was forensic enactment it said eliminated Chandler. Unidentified fingerprints recovered astatine the location did not lucifer Chandler. None of Chandler's DNA was recovered astatine the execution scene, nor were immoderate fibers recovered from her clothing, oregon immoderate of her hair.

KAREN THIESSEN (in court): I did not find immoderate … hairs that were accordant with the illustration coming from Ms. Chandler.

TOM BATH (in court): In 20 years, the authorities had nary evidence, nary grounds whatsoever that placed Dana Chandler successful Karen Harkness' home, successful the metropolis of Topeka, oregon successful the authorities of Kansas.

After 3 weeks of testimony, that deficiency of carnal grounds would beryllium the defense's taxable successful its closing argument.

TOM BATH (in court): Each and each clip they tested something, it excluded Dana.

CHARLES KITT (in court): From the beginning, I told you this lawsuit is astir obsession, jealousy, rage.

The authorities focused connected Chandler's behaviour — her calls, emails, and her ain family's grounds against her.

CHARLES KITT (in court): The suspect intelligibly hated Karen and Mike, words from her ain rima and her ain fingers typing those messages.

TOM BATH (in court): A batch of grounds astir Dana's atrocious behavior. That's true. … That's not evidence. … They person not proven this lawsuit beyond a tenable doubt.

On Aug. 25, 2022, the lawsuit went to the jury, and Hailey was waiting for a verdict.

Hailey Seel: I've truly tried to spot the process … origin I knew I didn't person immoderate power implicit it. So it was gonna beryllium what it was gonna be.

But the hold to find retired what that verdict would beryllium was a agelong one.

JURORS DEADLOCK IN DANA CHANDLER'S SECOND MURDER TRIAL

The lawsuit successful the 2nd proceedings of Dana Chandler for the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness went to the assemblage connected Aug. 25, 2022. That time came and went, arsenic did respective more.

Hailey Seel: After astir 4 days ... I started to get tense and think, wow, this really could not travel backmost successful a blameworthy verdict and I started to deliberation of that possibility. … And truthful … I prayed and I conscionable trusted that, if she did get distant with this that … beingness would person to spell on, right?

After six days of deliberating, Chandler would larn her fate.

JUDGE CHERYL RIOS (in court): I recognize that the assemblage is incapable to scope a unanimous verdict astatine this time, is that correct?

FOREPERSON: That's correct.

The assemblage informed the justice they were deadlocked.

There were 7 votes to convict and 5 to acquit.

Ben Alford: We did what we could with what we had.

Ben Alford and Carrie Kimes were 2 members of the assemblage who voted to find Chandler not guilty.

Carrie Kimes: I ne'er saw existent grounds that — Dana Chandler was ever successful the Harkness home. … I can't nonstop idiosyncratic to walk the remainder of their beingness successful situation if you can't adjacent beryllium she near Colorado that weekend.

Ben Alford: Everything that was tested for DNA proved inconclusive. … And that's beauteous remarkable.

But for juror Randy Edwards, the state's depiction of Chandler's behaviour was persuasive evidence.

Randy Edwards: She was beyond upset. She was obsessed.

He besides recovered those conversations Seel recorded with her parent to beryllium convincing and voted to convict.

Randy Edwards: When I was capable to comprehend that Dana said that she had thought of sidesplitting Mike, that was astir apt the — the portion that pushed maine beyond immoderate question of tenable uncertainty anymore.

Mike Kagay: There was a divided verdict, but the bulk of the assemblage was successful favour of a condemnation and that was meaningful.

DA Mike Kagay decided to retry Dana Chandler.

Her lawyers convinced the tribunal to trim her bond, which allowed her to beryllium released with supervision arsenic she awaited the adjacent trial.

JUDGE CHERYL RIOS (in court): The tribunal is going to nonstop that … she person GPS monitoring.

After spending much than a decennary incarcerated, Chandler celebrated her freedom with Darryl Burton and Miracle of Innocence.

Darryl Burton: Anybody who's getting outta situation aft you've been successful situation for immoderate magnitude of time, it is, it's a joyous occasion. … You're blessed that someone's been released and, you know, besides consciousness like, well, possibly it's a bully accidental that, you know, we can, you know, equine a defense, and get her wholly acquitted.

As a information of her release, Chandler was not allowed to interaction her children. Still, Hailey disquieted astir her safety. She is joined to Chris Seel, her precocious schoolhouse boyfriend, and is simply a parent of three.

Hailey Seel: I'm frightened to decease that she's going to wounded me, oregon she's going to impact my kids successful immoderate way.

Hailey's fearfulness lone grew erstwhile Chandler made a station to her Facebook page. Chandler complained astir her attraction astatine trial, calling it a kangaroo court. And successful the background, she showed images of Hailey's children. Hailey says Chandler someway learned which religion she attended and downloaded a livestream of a work to make the photos.

Hailey Seel: It was chilling and it was disturbing. … I consciousness similar it was a nonstop connection to me.

Jim Axelrod: And what was the message?

Hailey Seel: Intimidation. … I don't attraction astir your boundaries.

Her content that her parent committed the murders remains unwavering, and she says, disturbing.

Hailey Seel: She's my ma but … if you're my mom, wherefore would you bash that to my dad? … For your kids' sake, possibly that would beryllium a crushed not to bash it. … Being a parent now, I person a caller perspective. … It becomes adjacent much unreal now.

Also unreal to Hailey — thoughts of a 3rd trial.

Jim Axelrod: What are your expectations for yet again different trial

Hailey Seel: This time, I americium not arsenic confident.

For proceedings fig three, jurors would beryllium from Pottawatomie County, Kansas. The defence requested a alteration of venue, and the justice agreed, citing excessive media coverage. It would instrumentality spot successful Westmoreland, a smaller, much agrarian area, 60 miles distant from the past mounting successful Topeka.

CHARLES KITT (in court): July 7th, 2002 was going to beryllium a bully day. Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness had been successful a narration for a fewer years.

The proceedings got underway with opening statements connected Feb. 7, 2025.

CHARLES KITT (in court): One sanction conscionable kept coming up, Dana Chandler.

Charles Kitt was backmost retrying the case, joined by authoritative Dan Dunbar. Judge Cheryl Rios again presided. And successful a last-minute change, connected the greeting of opening statements, Chandler dismissed her defence attorneys.

And Chandler decided the champion idiosyncratic to correspond her was herself.

DANA CHANDLER (In court): I americium innocent. I did not termination Mike and Karen.

DANA CHANDLER REPRESENTS HERSELF AT THIRD MURDER TRIAL

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I deliberation this lawsuit is simply a quality assassination.

In February 2025, Dana Chandler was connected proceedings for the 3rd clip for the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness. But this time, she was representing herself.

Mike Kagay: She was exercising her law right. … It was an unknown. It was surely unexpected.

One happening that was the aforesaid arsenic successful the erstwhile trials: Hailey Seel testifying.

Hailey was asked again by the prosecution astir her mother's inappropriate behavior.

DAN DUNBAR (in court): What benignant of things would she accidental astir Karen?

HAILEY SEEL: She called her a homewrecker. Um, a slut, precise atrocious names.

Prosecutors were besides funny successful an incidental erstwhile Chandler drove Hailey and her member to driblet them disconnected astatine Harkness' house.

HAILEY SEEL (in court): We waited determination for a truly agelong clip successful the car… And past my dada and Karen got there, and my ma got retired and yelled astatine them and conscionable was precise aggravated with my dad. …

DAN DUNBAR: Hailey, I don't person immoderate further questions, convey you.

When it was clip to beryllium cross-examined, Hailey knew it would present beryllium her parent doing the questioning.

Nt sd Dana " Hello Ms. Seel."

Hailey Seel: I truly went up determination — with similar my crippled look on, you know. I — I knew it was war. I knew it wasn't going to beryllium a — a nice, a cordial, a thoughtful — you're the victim, this was your dada and I'm truthful atrocious spot that she'd beryllium coming from.

Chandler challenged Hailey astir her statement of that drop-off astatine Harkness' home. Chandler said it was Hailey's father, Mike Sisco, who was behaving badly, not her.

Hailey Seel and Dana Chandler successful tribunal

DANA CHANDLER (in court): When your dada and Karen drove up, your dada stormed implicit to the car.

HAILEY SEEL: Oh, no. No, helium did not.

DANA CHANDLER: And helium started banging connected the window.

HAILEY SEEL: Wha? No. No, helium did not. I was wrong that car and my dada perfectly did not bang connected the windows.

DANA CHANDLER: And I didn't get retired — I ne'er got retired of the car.

HAILEY SEEL: You were the archetypal 1 retired of the car.

Hailey Seel: I was conscionable successful disbelief due to the fact that I knew she conscionable made that up due to the fact that it ne'er happened, and helium ne'er did that. … But … I didn't get concerned. I conscionable said "no, you know. I'm gladsome you asked truthful I tin straighten this out. That ne'er happened." And past it comes down to who's believable. And I wasn't disquieted astir that.

As different mode to seemingly explicate immoderate of her past behaviors, Chandler brought up that she utilized to person a drinking problem.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): And I did archer you that I was — I realized that I had a occupation with alcohol.

HAILEY SEEL: You did archer maine you had a occupation with alcohol.

Something Chandler said she stopped by 1999, 3 years earlier the murders.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I told you I was going to 3 AA meetings a day, trying to get well. True?

HAILEY SEEL: I knew you were trying to get well, yes.

The authorities questioned though, if becoming sober changed Chandler's behavior.

DAN DUNBAR (in court): When she came backmost cleanable and sober, did that alteration however she treated you?

HAILEY SEEL: No.

DAN DUNBAR: Did it — did it alteration however she talked astir your dad?

HAILEY SEEL: No.

DAN DUNBAR: Did it alteration however she talked astir Karen?

HAILEY SEEL: No.

Chandler not lone thought she was the champion idiosyncratic to correspond herself, but erstwhile it was clip to enactment connected her defense, she decided she would beryllium her ain main witness.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I consciousness similar that I request to benignant of archer my communicative to benignant of enactment things successful perspective.

She testified implicit 7 days, speaking for astir 20 hours.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): You person not seen grounds that I was successful Topeka, Kansas, connected July 7th, 2002.

Darryl Burton: There was times erstwhile she would instrumentality truthful agelong to effort to get her constituent across.

Dana Chandler's supporter, Darryl Burton, was acrophobic erstwhile she enactment herself connected the stand.

Darry Burton: Sometimes it seemed arsenic though she was conscionable rambling, you know, and that was conscionable unfortunate. … She whitethorn person known — astir apt knew wherever she was trying to go, but she'd get lost.

She again addressed issues specified arsenic her drinking and inappropriate conversations with Hailey.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I was penning emails, drinking to blackout. I'd get up the adjacent greeting and not adjacent alert of those emails. I had a superior problem. … And horrible things I said astir Karen spreading her legs. I mean, seriously, Hailey was 14 years old. (cries) I'm conscionable truthful ashamed and embarrassed astir that and I hated that Hailey — that I enactment Hailey done that.

And Chandler, successful her ain testimony, addressed again that incidental erstwhile she waited extracurricular Karen Harkness' location to driblet disconnected Hailey and Dustin with the couple. She said it was done retired of necessity.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I yelled done the window, I could not spend to provender Hailey and Dustin. And that I needed to permission them with him.

Chandler contrasted those times to erstwhile she stopped drinking, showing videos of her spending clip outdoors with Hailey and Dustin.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): This video was taken astir 9 months into my recovery.

Chandler besides disputed making predominant harassing calls to Harkness and Sisco, saying erstwhile she called, determination was a reason.

DANA CHANDLER: I was … calling to talk with my children, Hailey, and Dustin.

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

DANA CHANDLER: I never, ever, had immoderate confrontations with Karen Harkness, astatine all.

Chandler besides pointed retired what she said was sloppiness successful the constabulary investigation. When Chandler questioned pb detective Richard Volle, she asked astir whether constabulary were excessively focused connected her and should person been looking much thoroughly astatine different imaginable suspects.

DANA CHANDLER (In court, questioning Volle): Did you oregon did you not person immoderate leads for different suspects too me?

DET. RICHARD VOLLE: Uh, aboriginal connected successful the investigation, determination were respective different radical that were looked astatine arsenic imaginable leads. … So it's a substance of checking radical off, to dismissing radical that couldn't person done it. … Uh, erstwhile we can't disregard them, we support focusing connected them, similar we did with you.

Chandler, though, said determination was an country she felt instrumentality enforcement thoroughly investigated — whether she bought a .9 mm gun, similar the 1 utilized successful the murders and they came up bare handed.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I've ne'er owned, purchased, oregon possessed a .9mm firearm.

And passim her defense, Chandler was adamant that astatine the clip of the murders, she was successful Colorado, and nary 1 could spot her successful Harkness' house, oregon adjacent successful Kansas.

It seemed similar a elemental question Chandler was asking Detective Volle.

DANA CHANDLER (in court, questioning Volle): Did you ever make immoderate accusation that I was successful Topeka, Kansas, connected July 6th oregon 7th of 2002?

In answering that question, Volle said determination was a pistillate named Patty Williams who whitethorn person spotted Chandler successful the authorities of Kansas astir the clip of the murders.

DANA CHANDLER (in court, questioning Volle): What bash you cognize astir Patty?

DET. RICHARD VOLLE: She was a clerk astatine a convenience store successful WaKeeney, Kansas.

The state station/convenience store successful WaKeeney, wherever Williams worked, was astir halfway betwixt Denver and Topeka. It had been visited by an investigator, searching for locations wherever idiosyncratic whitethorn person spotted Chandler astir the clip of the murders. There, the researcher showed Williams the photograph of Chandler seen below.

DET. RICHARD VOLLE (in court): She was 7 retired of 10 that it was you.

According to Volle, the clerk was 70 percent definite she had seen Dana Chandler and described immoderate distinguishing features.

DET. RICHARD VOLLE (in court): She had, oregon said that she had grey adjacent the hairline …

Chandler though, told the jury, she did not person grey hairsbreadth backmost then. By the clip of the trials, Williams had died and could not beryllium questioned again. Chandler besides expressed interest that the researcher lone showed a azygous photograph of her initially, alternatively of an array of photos, including antithetic people—something Volle did bash erstwhile helium went to the state presumption astir 2 weeks later.

DET. RICHARD VOLLE (in court): We aboriginal — aboriginal went retired with a — what we telephone a six-pack photo, it's uh six photographs of radical that looked precise akin and amongst those photos was Ms. Chandler.

Volle said Williams instantly picked retired Chandler, and again was 70 percent definite she saw her there. But Volle acknowledged utilizing an array initially would person been better.

There was still, for instrumentality enforcement, the contented regarding Dana Chandler's alibi. Remember, Volle said Chandler told him she was location successful her Denver flat the nighttime of the murders. But she told others, including an acquaintance, Jeff Bailey, she slept successful her car successful the Colorado mountains that night.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I was confused …

Chandler told the assemblage she had been confused erstwhile she spoke with Volle, but Prosecutor Kitt was not accepting that explanation.

CHARLES KITT (in court): So what you told Detective Volle is not accordant with what you told Jeff Bailey, is it?

DANA CHANDLER: Uh, arsenic acold arsenic my travel to –

CHARLES KITT: Ms. Chandler, it's not accordant –

DANA CHANDLER: Oh, that part. OK. Yeah. I would hold with that. Um, I would — that's existent …

Once again, those concealed recordings Hailey made with her parent were played successful court:

DANA CHANDLER: … you ever deliberation astir killin' him?

HAILEY SEEL: No, but —

DANA CHANDLER: I did.

This time, Kitt questioned Chandler herself astir its authenticity.

CHARLES KITT (in court): Was that your dependable saying, "Did you ever deliberation astir sidesplitting him?" "I did"?

DANA CHANDLER: It sounds similar it yes.

When it was clip for the last witness, Chandler decided it should beryllium Dana Chandler. She knew the assemblage heard witnesses attest astir her parenting and past behavior. Chandler explained if she was a little than an attentive mother, it was due to the fact that of her drinking and a deficiency of money, not a deficiency of love.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I perfectly did privation to person a narration with my children. You cognize I deliberation the financial, substance maltreatment combination, um it conscionable wasn't feasible. So, that's each I have, convey you. Oh, cross.

CHARLES KITT (in court): Ms. Chandler, during this clip that you couldn't spend to provender your children, you were buying booze, correct?

DANA CHANDLER: I was.

CHARLES KITT: Buying capable intoxicant to get blackout drunk?

DANA CHANDLER: I was.

CHARLES KITT: OK, convey you. I person nary further questions.

And with that, aft 18 days of testimony, Kitt and Chandler presented their closing arguments.

CHARLES KITT (in court): Why are Mike and Karen dead? And the grounds shows 1 elemental answer, control.

Hailey Seel: I deliberation Kitt nailed it erstwhile helium said it was astir control.

The authorities described Chandler losing power of Mike Sisco, arsenic helium planned his aboriginal with Karen Harkness, and the rage that followed.

CHARLES KITT (in court): And that's what led to the suspect traveling to Topeka, Kansas, connected July 6th and murdering them connected July 7th.

Kitt spoke astir Chandler's depiction of events not lining up with the grounds of others.

CHARLES KITT (in court): It's the suspect versus everyone. … You tin judge the defendant's testimony, oregon you tin judge everybody other that you heard from successful this case.

In Chandler's closing, she utilized a standard to marque her constituent that prosecutors, whom she called her accusers, did not person capable grounds to extremity it successful their favor.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): The, uh, accusers must, uh, extremity the scale. Here. I'm innocent. (pointing to scale)

DANA CHANDLER (in court): I had my infirmities, and I person my shortcomings, but I bash basal present earlier you each contiguous and proclaim that I americium an guiltless woman.

She acknowledged the beingness she led was not cleanable but said that doesn't marque her a murderer.

DANA CHANDLER (in court): The authorities has woefully failed to conscionable its burden, to beryllium beyond a tenable uncertainty that I killed Mike Sisco oregon Karen Harkness.

THE VERDICT

About 4 hours later, the assemblage delivered its verdict: blameworthy of the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness.

After proceeding the verdict, Chandler turned away.

And portion it was the verdict Seel hoped for, the extremity effect is thing she ever wanted.

Hailey Seel: It is truthful overmuch worse that my ma is the 1 down these murders due to the fact that we mislaid my dada and Karen, but past done each this, present we've mislaid our mom. … I truly privation it was idiosyncratic else.

Darryl Burton: I don't judge that they person proved this lawsuit beyond a tenable doubt.

Chandler's supporter, Darryl Burton, remains undeterred. He inactive believes she is innocent.

Darryl Burton: The grounds conscionable doesn't, you know, beryllium that she's blameworthy of anything

Chandler is filing motions for an appeal. "48 Hours" reached retired to Chandler again for this episode, but did not person a response.

Mike Kagay: I americium precise assured successful this verdict.

District Attorney Mike Kagay is definite the assemblage convicted the close person.

Mike Kagay: I person each assurance successful my prosecutors and however they handled this case.

Hailey Seel: The absorption of this lawsuit has gone astir wholly to Dana Chandler and that the victims … has truly been mislaid … which is truly sad.

Karen Harkness and Mike Sisco with his children

More than 20 years person passed since Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness were murdered —-and Hailey wants to marque definite the lives mislaid are not forgotten.

Hailey Seel: I was trying to archer my girl astir who my dada is. (cries) … and I said … helium was a truly fun, supportive, encouraging feline who believed successful maine and my brother. …And Karen … was truthful kind, truthful accepting. … I miss them a lot.

Dana Chandler is scheduled to beryllium sentenced connected June 3, 2025.

Produced by Ruth Chenetz and Dena Goldstein. Chelsea Narvaez and Hannah Vair are the tract producers. Mead Stone is the shaper editor. Atticus Brady, Marcus Balsam, George Baluzy, Wini Dini, Gary Winter and Grayce Arlotta-Berner are the editors. Patti Aronofsky is the elder producer, Nancy Kramer is the enforcement communicative editor. Judy Tygard is the enforcement producer.

Jim Axelrod

Jim Axelrod is the main analogous and enforcement exertion for CBS News' "Eye connected America" franchise, portion of the "CBS Evening News." He besides reports for "CBS Mornings," "CBS News Sunday Morning," and CBS News 24/7.

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