A Kansas lady was sentenced Tuesday to life in jail for the 2002 murders of her ex-husband and his girlfriend. Decide Cheryl Rios handed down two consecutive life phrases to Dana Chandler, 65, who was sentenced within the deaths of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness.
She won’t be eligible for parole for 50 years, with credit score for about 13 years of time she has already served.
Hailey Seel, Chandler and Sisco’s daughter, gave a sufferer affect assertion at sentencing. Based on The Kansas Reflector, Seel mentioned about her mom in courtroom, “I truly see her now as the evil killer. I hate it. I don’t want to call you evil killer, but I can’t live in a fairy tale.”
Seel reportedly really useful the choose to indicate mercy on Chandler if she confessed to the crime and expressed regret. But when Chandler continued to disclaim her involvement, Seel really useful the choose ought to impose the utmost sentence.
Dana Chandler at her sentencing for the 2002 murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness on June 3, 2025.
Pool images by Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal/USA As we speak Community
The Kansas Reflector reported Chandler continued to disclaim involvement within the crimes, stating, “I have always maintained my innocence. I continue to maintain my innocence. I was not in Topeka, Kansas, on July 7. I never owned or possessed a 9-millimeter firearm. What is happening in this courtroom is a grave injustice. I was not the one who killed them.”
Sisco, 47, and Harkness, 53, had been every shot a number of occasions with a 9mm gun on July 7, 2002, in Harkness’ Topeka, Kansas, residence. Police rapidly suspected Chandler after members of the Harkness and Sisco households mentioned she harassed Sisco with weird visits and frequent telephone calls following their bitter divorce and custody battle. She was questioned by police however was not charged. Chandler has all the time maintained her innocence.
“48 Hours” has been overlaying the case since 2008, and most not too long ago in “My Mother’s Murder Trials” reported by contributor Jim Axelrod.
For years, the couple’s households met with regulation enforcement and even carried out their very own investigation on the lookout for further proof, such because the homicide weapon, which was by no means discovered. At the moment, Shawnee County District Legal professional Robert Hecht reportedly mentioned there was not sufficient proof to cost Chandler. In 2011, a brand new DA, Chad Taylor, was in workplace and made the choice to maneuver the case ahead.
Dana Chandler was arrested in 2011 and entered not responsible pleas to 2 counts of first-degree homicide. A jury convicted Chandler in 2012, and he or she was sentenced to life in jail.
Six years later, Chandler’s convictions had been overturned attributable to prosecutorial misconduct. The Kansas Supreme Court docket dominated that statements made at Chandler’s trial by prosecutor Jacqie Spradling was, in at the least one occasion, “made-up” and “misleading.” Spradling was later disbarred for what the courtroom known as “intolerable acts of deception” aimed on the jury and the courts. “48 Hours” reached out to Spradling, however didn’t obtain a response.
However the Kansas Supreme Court docket didn’t dismiss Chandler’s case. It dominated that there was nonetheless adequate proof for a jury to seek out Chandler responsible. The choice whether or not to retry Chandler was as much as the brand new Shawnee County DA Mike Kagay, and he selected to proceed with one other trial.
Chandler’s second trial started in July 2022. Protection legal professional Tom Bathtub argued there was no DNA, fingerprint or hair proof that positioned Chandler contained in the Harkness residence, and even within the state of Kansas.
Shawnee County Deputy DA Charles Kitt acknowledged the shortage of bodily proof and advised the jury the case was as a substitute primarily based on jealousy, rage and obsession.
The jury on this trial was unable to achieve a unanimous resolution. After six days of deliberation, the choose introduced a hung jury, reportedly with seven votes to convict and 5 to acquit.
Chandler’s third trial received underway in February 2025, in Pottawatomie County, 60 miles from Topeka. On the morning of opening statements, Chandler dismissed her attorneys and introduced she would signify herself.
At trial, Chandler’s kids, Hailey Seel and Dustin Sisco — who had been youngsters on the time of the murders — testified for the prosecution, as they’d completed beforehand. They each consider their mom, Dana Chandler, is chargeable for murdering their father, Mike Sisco, and Karen Harkness. They had been additionally questioned by their mom.
When it was time to current her case, Chandler testified for about 20 hours, unfold over seven days. She argued that nobody may place her on the scene of the murders, and even within the state of Kansas on the time of the killings, and that she had by no means owned or possessed a .9mm firearm.
Deputy DA Kitt targeted on Chandler’s obsessive conduct and advised the jury she killed Sisco and Harkness as a result of she had misplaced management of her ex-husband.
The jury deliberated practically 4 hours earlier than discovering Chandler responsible.
Hailey Seel says she was relieved by the decision however hopes that the lives misplaced will not be forgotten.
“I do feel like the focus of this case has gone almost completely to Dana Chandler and that the — the victims and the families of the victims has really been lost in this case, which is really sad. And I hope that from here out the — the victims and the families can be remembered more,” Seel advised “48 Hours.”
Chandler is submitting motions to enchantment the conviction. “48 Hours” reached out to Chandler for remark, however didn’t obtain a response.
Chelsea Narvaez
contributed to this report.
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