Suvechha Sarkar
The early hours of July 7, 2002, began like any other for 47-year-old Michael “Mike” Ray Sisco and his 53-year-old fiancée Karen K. Worswick Harkness in Topeka, Kansas. However, when they were found dead inside Karen’s home, it led to an investigation and a legal battle that spanned over two decades. The episode titled ‘My Mother’s Murder Trials’ of CBS’ ’48 Hours’ focuses on the circumstantial evidence that helped in the conviction of the killer. The episode further features interviews with their loved ones, jurors, and officials who worked on the case.
Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness’s Lives Usually Revolved Around Their Family
Michael Ray Sisco, lovingly known as Mike, arrived as a blessing in the lives of Roger and Carol Fricke Sisco on December 16, 1954. He was raised on a farm just outside of Carbondale, Colorado, alongside his siblings, Cathy Boots and Timothy Sisco. He was well-known among his loved ones for his remarkable sense of humor. Mike began his initial education at Carbondale Grade School and graduated from Santa Fe Trail High School in 1972. After studying at Washburn University, he pursued a degree in Wildlife Biology at Kansas State University but never completed it, according to Carol. A man of faith, Mike was a part of the Carbondale Congregational Church.
Mike’s passion for business helped him become a District Sales Manager at National Standard Welding Products. He thought he had found his soulmate when he met Dana Lynn Chandler. After dating for some time, they finally married in 1982. Over the next few years, they welcomed their daughter, Hailey Sisco, and son, Dustin Sisco. By 1993, Mike and his family moved from Colorado to Kansas. However, he and Dana were unable to work out their union, leading to their divorce in 1998. Reports state that Mike got the custody of their children and actively worked with their soccer teams as a single father. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing and hunting.
In 1998, Mike got a second chance at love when he crossed paths with Karen K. Worswick Harkness. Their connection quickly blossomed, and by 2002, the couple had been dating for four years before getting engaged. Harold and Elizabeth “Betty” Worswick welcomed Karen into the world on May 18, 1949. Growing up, she maintained a special bond with her brother, Michael Worswick, and gradually became more outgoing. She attended Randolph Elementary and Boswell Junior High School before graduating from Topeka High School in 1967. Karen then earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Kansas.
Mike and Karen Died From Multiple Gunshot Wounds in Her Basement Bedroom
Karen began her career as a Sales Manager at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and later served as a Convention Sales Representative at the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Topeka. By 2002, Harold passed his business, Wolfe’s Cameras, Camcorders, and Computers, to her and Michael. Karen took pride in becoming a member of the Ambassadors Club at the Topeka Chamber of Commerce, the US Tennis Association, and a board member of the Topeka Tennis Association. As an avid tennis player, she earned national and local rankings multiple times while competing in tournaments. Karen also enjoyed golfing, camping, cooking, and fishing.
In adulthood, Karen married DeWitt Harkness Jr., and they gave birth to their son, Chad Harkness, and a daughter, Erin Sutton. However, cracks soon formed in their relationship, and they separated in 1996. When she began dating Mike, and they got engaged, they reportedly planned to host a get-together at her house in Topeka. According to reports, shortly before 2 pm on July 7, 2002, Harold and Elizabeth reached their daughter’s home and rang the doorbell. When they received no response, he went inside through an unlocked sliding door to find Mike and Karen dead on their bed in the basement bedroom.
When authorities arrived after Harold called 911, they discovered that Mike and Karen had been shot multiple times. Upon searching the home, they found a Rolex watch, more than $1,000 cash, and other jewelry completely untouched, ruling out the possibility of robbery. Court records state that, although forensic experts recovered multiple 9 mm shell casings, they found no DNA at the scene. The autopsy report revealed that both of them were shot at least five times, with one of the bullets hitting Karen in the back. Their cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds.
Family Members Pointed to Mike’s Ex-Wife Early in the Investigation
According to official records, Karen and Mike’s family members were ruled out as suspects at the initial stages of the investigation. Shortly after, their loved ones told authorities that they suspected Mike’s ex-wife, Dana, of the crime, as per the records. Court records specify that investigators learned from the 47-year-old’s day planner that after his divorce, his ex-wife made frequent surprise visits to his home. In one of his records, Mike claimed that Dana had gone through his belongings when he wasn’t at home, and that she last showed up at his house in spring 2002. Further reports stated that Mike and Dana had a messy divorce, and she was stalking him and Karen.
As per the statements of Mike’s brother-in-law, Mark Boots, the 47-year-old had allegedly told him 9 days before the murder that if he died, Dana would be the killer. At the time, Dana was reportedly living approximately 8 hours away in Denver, Colorado. Court records state that, during interrogation, she claimed she was at home on July 6, 2002, and had bought snacks and other items from stores around Denver before getting gas. In her statements, she insisted that she was at home that night and had gone on a road trip to the mountains on July 7. However, when detectives checked her credit card receipt, they discovered that she didn’t mention her purchase of two five-gallon gas cans on July 6, per records.
Police records suggest that authorities theorized that she might have bought the fuel to travel to Topeka. Upon reviewing CCTV footage en route to the Mountains, they noted that Dana’s vehicle was never captured passing on July 7, according to investigative reports. Court records reveal that in 2005, her daughter, Hailey, recorded her conversation with her mother. In one of those records, Hailey reportedly asked Dana if she had killed Mike and Karen, and although Dana denied her involvement, she admitted that she had thought of killing her ex-husband. Reports state that officials checked Dana’s phone records and found that around the time of the murder, Dana’s phone had no activity for 27 hours.
The Killer Was Convicted on the Third Trial After an Overturned Conviction and Mistrial
Based on circumstantial evidence, Dana was arrested on July 24, 2011, and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. In March 2012, her jury trial commenced, during which the prosecution focused on her obsessive behavior toward Karen and Mike. Court records indicate that Dana’s business acquaintance, Jeff Bailey, testified that she claimed to him that she had slept in her car in the mountains on July 6, 2002. Ultimately, the jury convicted her on both charges and sentenced her to two consecutive life terms with eligibility for parole after 50 years. However, on April 6, 2018, the Kansas Supreme Court overturned Dana’s convictions.
The court reportedly ruled that prosecutorial misconduct deprived her of a fair trial. She remained behind bars until her retrial began in July 2022, but the trial ended in a hung jury on September 1, 2022. Following that, she was released on supervision after she posted her $350,000 bond. Dana’s third jury trial commenced in February 2025, and the jury convicted her on two counts of first-degree murder. On June 3, 2025, she received two consecutive life imprisonment sentences with the possibility of parole after 50 years. Dana reportedly received credit for around 13 years she had already served.
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