Duncan, OK: Duncan woman arrested in death of ex-husband, his fiancee

Dana L. Chandler, 51, of Duncan, was arrested in the 2002 Topeka, Kan., deaths of her ex-husband, Michael R. Sisco, 47, and his fiancee, Karen Harkness, 53.

From Staff and Wire Reports
Published: July 25, 2011
DUNCAN — A Duncan woman was arrested Monday in connection with the 2002 killing of her ex-husband and his fiancee.
Duncan woman arrested in death of ex-husband, his fiancee
Dana L. Chandler, 51, was charged with the two homicides in district court in Shawnee County, Kan., said Dakota Loomis, the district attorney's deputy chief of staff.
Michael R. Sisco, 47, and his fiancee, Karen Harkness, 53, were shot to death in Topeka on July 7, 2002. Police said they were shot in their home with a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol. Investigators said Sisco was shot seven times, and Harkness had five gunshot wounds.
Chandler was questioned by Topeka police after their deaths but was not charged, Loomis said. However, investigative work continued.
Chandler, who had been living outside of Duncan in Stephens County, was arrested about 11 a.m. Monday, Loomis said.
Chandler had been living with her sister and was not working at the time of her arrest, authorities said.
National attention
The killings gained national attention in October 2009 when they were featured on the CBS program “48 Hours Mystery.”
Harkness was a convention sales representative with the Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau. Sisco was a district manager for National Standard Welding Products.
Topeka police said the killings didn't appear to happen during a random burglary and ruled out robbery as a motive. Investigators said Sisco and Harkness had won money when they visited the Sac and Fox Casino near Powhattan in Brown County, Kan., and a substantial amount of the money was still in the home when the bodies were found by Harkness' parents, Harold and Betty Worswick.
After the CBS program was broadcast, Hailey Sisco told The Topeka Capital-Journal she was sure her mother, Chandler, was involved in the killings. Hailey Sisco was 17 at the time of the shootings, and her brother Dustin Sisco was 15.
Chandler's Topeka attorney, Mark Bennett, told The Associated Press on Monday he had heard about the arrest and declined to comment.
Contributing:
Staff Writer Robert Medley