My Mother's Double Murder Case Part 2

Summary

Podcast Summary

Podcast: 48 Hours
Episode: My Mother's Double Murder Case Part 2
Date: July 14, 2026
Host: CBS News

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Episode Overview

This gripping episode continues the deep-dive investigative narrative of the murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness, focusing on the complexities of the case against Sisco’s ex-wife Dana Chandler. Featuring candid testimony from Chandler’s own daughter, Haley Seal, the episode chronicles the multi-decade journey from the night of the murders through three trials, family turmoil, controversies about wrongful conviction, and the quest for truth and justice. The story unfolds through extensive court footage, key interviews, and emotionally charged testimony, culminating in Dana Chandler’s conviction. The episode also spotlights the emotional impact on Haley and the lasting trauma faced by the victims’ families.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Night of the Murders and Initial Suspicion

• [00:39] Prosecutor Charles Kitt recounts the crime scene: Mike Sisco and his fiancée, Karen Harkness, found shot to death in their bed on July 7, 2002.
• [00:44] Haley Seal, their daughter, describes the lasting shock she experienced as a teenager:
  • "I was 17 and my brother was 15. And there was just shock." – Haley Seal [00:45]
• [00:58] Detective Richard Volley comments on the brutality:
  • "Whoever it was that did this hated these people." [00:58]

Suspicion Falls on Dana Chandler

• [01:09] Haley identifies her mother, Dana Chandler, as the only person with deep-seated hatred toward the victims.
• [01:23] Haley insists she’s after the truth, not revenge, and even secretly records her conversations with Dana trying to get a confession:
  • "I don't want it to be her. I want the truth to come out." – Haley Seal [01:23]

Evidence and Lack Thereof

• [04:42] Darryl Burton of Miracle of Innocence highlights a central defense argument:
  • "No DNA, no fingerprints, no confession, no weapon. It just doesn’t add up." – Darryl Burton [04:56]
• [05:19] Defense attorney Tom Bath insists Chandler wasn’t in Kansas at the time:
  • "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." – Tom Bath [05:19]
• [05:51] Prosecutor Charles Kitt acknowledges the lack of physical evidence:
  • "Science is not going to solve this case. This case is not based on DNA." – Charles Kitt [05:51]

The Prosecution’s Case: Motive and Behavior

• [06:05] The state focuses on evidence of jealousy and obsession, citing:
  • Over 600 phone calls Dana made to Mike and Karen in the six months before the murder.
  • Threatening voicemails, as recounted by Karen’s co-worker and family.
• [06:37] Erin Sutton (Karen’s daughter) testifies her mother was "very afraid" of Dana [06:38].

Suspicious Purchases and Timeline Gaps

• [07:44] Authorities question Dana’s purchase of two gas cans—possibly to drive from Colorado to Kansas without stopping for gas, thus avoiding detection.
• [08:33] Dana’s alibis shift: initially claims to be at home, then says she was in the Colorado mountains.
• [09:51] Kathy Boots, Mike’s sister, recounts seeing Dana in odd circumstances in Mike’s yard years prior.

Haley Seal’s Testimony

• [13:07] Haley states she was asked to "spy" on her dad and recounts feeling uneasy about her mother’s behavior.
• [13:53] Haley:
  • "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." [13:53]
• [14:25] Haley underlines the vitriolic language used by her mother against her father.
• [15:10] Despite many recorded conversations, Dana never said anything that would exonerate herself in Haley’s eyes.
• [15:25] Haley confronts Dana on tape:
  • "Ever think about killing him? No, but I did." – Dana Chandler [15:25]

The Defense: Contested Evidence and Alternate Suspects

• [16:53] The bullets used were unusual (Israeli military manufacture), but available through gun shows.
• [17:26] No physical evidence (DNA, fingerprints, hair, or fibers) connects Dana Chandler to the scene.

Jury Deadlock and Retrial Orders

• [19:24] The jury is deadlocked after six days (seven votes to convict, five to acquit).
• [21:01] Jurors who voted not guilty cite lack of evidence placing Chandler in Kansas.
• [22:44] Dana is released on bond, but must remain under GPS monitoring and cannot contact her children.
• [23:14] Haley, now a mother, shares her ongoing fear for her family's safety due to Dana’s allegedly intimidating online actions.

Third Trial: Dana Chandler Represents Herself

• [25:29] Third trial begins in a new venue; Chandler fires her defense and mounts her own case, declaring:
  • "I am innocent. I did not kill Mike and Karen." – Dana Chandler [26:02]
• [27:48] Haley is once again called to testify and is directly cross-examined by her mother.

Chandler’s Testimony

• [31:11] Chandler testifies for roughly 20 hours over seven days.
• [32:05] She expresses shame for her drinking and inappropriate communications, particularly regret over subjecting her children to her abusive language.
• [33:34] Chandler questions police focus on her, highlighting that she never owned a 9mm weapon (the murder weapon type).

Key Cross-Examinations and Confrontations

• [36:09] A now-deceased gas station clerk may have spotted Chandler in Kansas, but only identified her with 70% certainty (and questionable lineup procedures).
• [37:41] Discrepancies in Dana’s alibi highlighted by prosecution.
• [38:15] Prosecutor plays the damning secret recording again:
  • "Ever think about killing him? No, but I did." [38:15-38:28]

Closing Arguments and Verdict

• [39:34] Prosecutor Kitt frames motive as Chandler losing control of her ex-husband’s life.
• [40:33] Dana insists she is innocent:
  • "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." [40:33]
• [41:21] Jury finds Dana Chandler guilty on all counts.
• [41:44] Haley reacts:
  • "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." – Haley Seal [41:44]

Aftermath and Reflection

• [42:03] Darryl Burton remains unconvinced of Dana’s guilt:
  • "The evidence just doesn't, you know, prove that she's guilty of anything." – Darryl Burton [42:10]
• [42:39] Haley notes that focus drifted from the victims themselves.
• [43:08] Haley, teaching her own daughter about her late father:
  • "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." – Haley Seal [43:08]
• [43:36] In June 2025, Dana Chandler is sentenced to life in prison.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Whoever it was that did this hated these people." – Detective Richard Volley [00:58]
• "The only person that hated them was my mom, Dana." – Haley Seal [01:09]
• "She scares me." – Haley Seal [03:11]
• "No DNA, no fingerprints, no confession, no weapon." – Darryl Burton [04:56]
• "Science is not going to solve this case. This case is not based on DNA." – Charles Kitt [05:51]
• "It's the defendant versus everyone." – Prosecutor Charles Kitt [40:10]
• "I am an innocent woman." – Dana Chandler [33:20, 40:33]
• "It is so much worse that my mom is the one behind these murders... now we've lost our mom. I really wish it was someone else." – Haley Seal [41:44]
• "The evidence just doesn't, you know, prove that she's guilty of anything." – Darryl Burton [42:10]

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Important Timestamps

• [00:39] Crime discovery and immediate aftermath
• [04:42] Defense: Absence of physical evidence
• [06:05] Motive: jealousy, obsession, and phone records
• [13:07] Haley’s direct testimony and suspicions
• [21:01] Jury deadlocked, split verdict
• [25:29] Third trial begins, Chandler represents herself
• [31:11] Chandler’s 20-hour testimony
• [39:34] Closing arguments (prosecution and defense)
• [41:21] Guilty verdict delivered
• [43:36] Chandler sentenced to life in prison

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The Emotional Impact

The episode is anchored by the pain and persistence of Haley Seal, whose courage to testify, often against her own mother, sets a raw and compelling tone. The years-long process and repeated retrials take a visible toll on everyone involved. Despite the ultimate conviction, the case prompts difficult questions about the intersection of family, trauma, circumstantial evidence, and the limits of certainty in the justice system.

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This carefully constructed episode blends legal detail with emotional testimony, leaving listeners with not only the facts of the case but also the inescapable human costs of tragedy, suspicion, and the search for truth.

Transcript

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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.

[Narrator]

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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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[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,

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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.