Dana Chandler is a Kansas woman whose name became nationally known after one of the most unusual and drawn-out murder prosecutions in the state’s history. Convicted in 2012 of the 2002 double homicide of her ex-husband and his fiancée, she saw that verdict thrown out on appeal, walked through a hung jury at a second trial, and was finally convicted again at a third trial in 2025. Her case — spanning more than two decades, three trials, and an HBO documentary — remains one of the most debated true-crime stories of recent years.
Born around 1960, Chandler lived a quiet life in Denver, Colorado, before detectives named her the prime suspect in a cold case that had sat unsolved for nearly a decade. Prosecutors argued that jealousy and obsession drove her to drive to Kansas in the middle of the night and shoot the sleeping couple. Chandler has always maintained her innocence, and two true-crime enthusiasts spent years fighting to have her conviction overturned — a fight that briefly succeeded before a third jury sent her back to prison for life.
This biography covers everything verifiable about Dana Chandler: her background, the crime, the three trials, her current whereabouts, and the frequently asked questions people search for about her case.
Dana Chandler Wiki and Biography
| Full Name | Dana Chandler |
| Date of Birth | Circa 1960 (exact date not publicly verified) |
| Age (2026) | Approximately 66 |
| Birthplace | United States (not publicly verified) |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White (reported) |
| Zodiac Sign | Not publicly verified |
| Profession | Not publicly verified |
| Years Active | N/A — private citizen |
| Relationship Status | Divorced (ex-husband: Mike Sisco, deceased) |
Dana Chandler Height, Weight and Physical Appearance
| Height | Not publicly verified |
| Weight | Not publicly verified |
| Body Measurements | Not publicly verified |
| Eye Color | Not publicly verified |
| Hair Color | Dark brown (as seen in court footage) |
| Distinguishing Features | None publicly documented |
Dana Chandler Case Timeline and Career of Events
| Known For | 2002 Topeka double-homicide case; three murder trials |
| Crime Date | July 7, 2002 — Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness found shot dead in Topeka, Kansas |
| Arrest | 2011, in Denver, Colorado |
| First Trial | 2012 — convicted of two counts of first-degree murder; sentenced to two life terms |
| Conviction Overturned | 2018 — Kansas Supreme Court reversed on prosecutorial misconduct |
| Second Trial | 2022 — hung jury (7–5 for conviction); mistrial |
| Third Trial | 2025 — convicted again on March 7; sentenced June 2025 to two consecutive life terms |
| Media Coverage | CBS “48 Hours” episodes “Haunted” and “My Dad’s Killer”; HBO documentary “A Killer Story” (2026) |
Dana Chandler Net Worth
| Net Worth (Estimated) | Not applicable — no verified public records; incarcerated |
| Income Sources | None publicly documented |
10 Interesting Facts About Dana Chandler
- Dana Chandler was 62 years old when her second trial ended in a hung jury in 2022, and 65 when she was sentenced in June 2025.
- The murders of Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness went unsolved for nearly a decade before Chandler was arrested in 2011.
- Investigators found no DNA, fingerprints, or eyewitness evidence directly tying Chandler to the crime scene, according to reporting on the case.
- Her 2012 conviction was overturned by the Kansas Supreme Court in 2018 after the court found “an intolerable pattern of deception” by the prosecutor.
- That prosecutor was later disbarred over misconduct in Chandler’s case.
- At her 2022 retrial, the jury deadlocked 7–5 in favor of conviction after six days of deliberation, resulting in a mistrial.
- While awaiting her third trial, Chandler was released on a $350,000 bond in 2022 and lived with her nephew in Olathe, Kansas, under GPS monitoring.
- She chose to represent herself at her third trial in 2025 — a rare and risky move that ended in a guilty verdict.
- Two true-crime enthusiasts, Eileen and Keen Umbehr, spent years campaigning for her freedom, a story told in the HBO documentary “A Killer Story.”
- At sentencing, Chandler received credit for 13 years of time already served but will not be eligible for parole for 50 years.
Conclusion
Dana Chandler’s story is less a conventional biography than a cautionary tale about the American justice system: a cold case, a conviction built on circumstantial evidence, a stunning reversal over prosecutorial misconduct, a hung jury, and finally a self-represented third trial ending in two life sentences. Whether one views her as guilty or wrongfully convicted, her case will be studied — and debated — for years. She remains incarcerated as of 2026 and is pursuing an appeal.
FAQs About Dana Chandler
1. Who is Dana Chandler?
Dana Chandler is a Kansas woman convicted of the July 2002 double murder of her ex-husband Mike Sisco and his fiancée Karen Harkness in Topeka, Kansas.
2. How old is Dana Chandler?
She was born around 1960, making her approximately 66 years old in 2026. Her exact date of birth has not been publicly verified.
3. Is Dana Chandler still in prison?
Yes. As of 2026, she remains incarcerated after being sentenced in June 2025 to two consecutive life terms.
4. Why was her first conviction overturned?
The Kansas Supreme Court reversed her 2012 conviction in 2018, finding prosecutorial misconduct — described as “an intolerable pattern of deception” by the prosecutor.
5. What happened at her second trial?
The 2022 retrial ended in a hung jury, with jurors split 7–5 in favor of conviction after six days of deliberation.
6. What happened at her third trial?
Chandler represented herself at her third trial in 2025. On March 7, 2025, the jury found her guilty on both murder counts.
7. What was her sentence?
In June 2025, she received two consecutive life sentences and will not be eligible for parole for 50 years, with credit for 13 years already served.
8. Who were the victims?
Mike Sisco, 47, Chandler’s ex-husband, and Karen Harkness, 53, his fiancée. Both were found shot to death in Harkness’s Topeka duplex on July 7, 2002.
9. Who are Eileen and Keen Umbehr?
They are true-crime enthusiasts who spent years fighting for Chandler’s freedom after her first conviction; their story is the subject of the HBO documentary “A Killer Story.”
10. Is there a documentary about Dana Chandler?
Yes. CBS’s “48 Hours” covered the case in episodes titled “Haunted” and “My Dad’s Killer,” and HBO premiered the documentary “A Killer Story” in September 2026.
Last Updated: October 2026 | Fact-checked by the Xposed editorial team. Physical statistics and net worth figures are omitted where no verifiable public record exists.