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True Crime Obsession: A Killer's Decade-Long Fight
10 Sep
Summary
- Dana Chandler was convicted twice for a double murder but had verdicts overturned.
- A retrial in 2022 ended with a hung jury; a subsequent trial led to conviction.
- The HBO docuseries 'A Killer Story' chronicles an unlikely fight for Chandler's innocence.
The 2002 deaths of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness in Topeka, Kansas, have become the subject of intense legal scrutiny and a new HBO docuseries, 'A Killer Story.' Dana Chandler, Sisco's ex-wife, was convicted of the double murder, but this verdict was overturned in 2018 by the Kansas Supreme Court due to prosecutorial misconduct. A subsequent retrial in 2022 ended inconclusively with a hung jury.
However, a third trial last year saw Chandler, who maintained her innocence throughout, found guilty and sentenced to two life sentences without parole for 50 years. During her June 2025 sentencing, the now 66-year-old stated she was not in Topeka on the night of the murders and never owned the alleged murder weapon. Despite her pleas, the legal proceedings have been lengthy and complex.
The docuseries 'A Killer Story' delves into the story of Eileen and Keen Umbehr, a Topeka couple who became convinced of Chandler's innocence. They dedicated years of their lives to supporting her case and attempting to prove her innocence, highlighting the often-complex and emotionally taxing nature of true crime narratives and legal battles.
