Viswa Vanapalli
CBS News’ ’48 Hours: The Snapchat Clue’ shines a light on the investigation into the murders of Bart and Krista Halderson. What started as a missing persons case soon turned into a murder inquiry when the police found Bart and Krista’s remains. As they dug deeper, it became apparent that their younger son, Chandler Halderson, was responsible. Mitchell Halderson, the older son, testified at Chandler’s trial and talked about what went through his mind after initially learning his parents were missing.
Mitchell Halderson Was the First to Realize Something Was Amiss
On July 7, 2021, Chandler reported his parents missing. At the time, he claimed Bart and Krista headed to their cabin in Langlade County, Wisconsin, for the Fourth of July weekend. However, Chandler stated that his parents didn’t make it back by the time they said they would. Mitchell, 18 months older than Chandler, first heard about Bart and Krista’s supposed trip from his aunt.
Mitchell said it was unusual for his parents to leave without informing him. He added, “My mom would reach out any chance she could, so she would’ve told me.” But Mitchell couldn’t reach his parents over the phone either. So, on July 8, 2021, he drove about three hours to the cabin and realized it was locked. There were no signs of anyone having visited recently. Mitchell went there with the authorities, who gained entry into the house, but Bart and Krista weren’t inside.
Furthermore, people who lived close to the cabin didn’t see anyone in the days that led to Mitchell’s visit. He spoke to some family friends, who all denied traveling with Bart and Krista. Also, their cars were still parked in the garage of their home. At this point, the authorities began to doubt Chandler’s version of events; he stated that his parents went to the cabin with a few friends.
Chandler had also told the police that his parents left with cash and liquor, suggesting they might have gone to a casino. However, Mitchell testified that his parents weren’t gamblers. Regarding his conversations with Chandler, he said his younger brother played video games and mentioned using SXS, a rifle, in these games. It was reported that Chandler received the gun from an online friend in June 2021.
Mitchell Halderson is Focusing on His Career Today
Mitchell testified that in the time leading up to the murders, he believed his brother was working and taking online classes, but both were untrue. Mitchell was also questioned about his parents’ life insurance policy because the brothers were named beneficiaries. However, he maintained he had nothing to do with the murder. Ultimately, Chandler was convicted of the murders and received a life sentence. During his sentencing, Mitchell’s fiancée made a victim impact statement, saying she had lost her future mother- and father-in-law.
Since then, Mitchell has maintained a low profile. He has a statistics degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In the past, Mitchell worked for the local school district and at a healthcare company. After that, he was employed as a Technical Problem Solver for a software development firm, holding that position until the start of 2022. As for his current standing, Mitchell is happily based in Madison, from where she can enjoy cooking and spending time with his pet dog.
Read More: Where is Chandler Halderson Now?
