Naman Shrestha
Michael “Mike” Sisco and Karen Harkness were engaged to be married, looking forward to spending the rest of their lives together. Unfortunately, before they could exchange their vows, they were killed in the summer of 2002. The entire community was rattled to its core, but Mike’s children, including Hailey Sisco, suffered the brunt of it. Determined to get justice for him, she did everything in her power to help with the investigation. CBS’ ’48 Hours: My Mother’s Murder Trials’ and NBC’s ‘Dateline: Deadly Obsession’ delve deep into the complicated murder and all the dark secrets that come to the surface during the investigation. Featuring an exclusive and insightful interview with Hailey herself, the documentaries also explores the impact of Mike and Karen’s sudden deaths on her.
Hailey Sisco Recorded Conversations With Her Mother, Hoping to Get a Confession
In 1985, Michael “Mike” Sisco and Dana Chandler gave birth to Hailey Sisco, their first of two children, after about three years into their marriage. A couple of years later, Hailey became an older sister after Dustin was born. Over the following years, Mike and Dana started growing apart, eventually leading to their divorce. Following the separation, Mike was given full legal custody of Hailey and her brother as the court deemed him to be a more stable parent. Meanwhile, Dana had to pay child support regularly. As Hailey was raised by her father, she ended up having a close-knit bond with him.
When she was just 17 years old, Hailey’s worst nightmare turned into reality when Mike passed away along with his fiancée, Karen Harkness, on July 7, 2002. As the investigation intensified, the detectives zeroed in on Dana Chandler, who was the prime suspect. Both the children also suspected their mother to be responsible for the double homicide. In order to help out with the investigation and gather incriminating evidence against Dana, Hailey began recording conversations with her from 2005. Ultimately, in 2011, she was arrested and charged with the murders of Michael “Mike” Sisco and Karen Harkness.
Hailey Sisco Prefers to Keep Her Life Swept Under the Carpet
Due to many complications in the case, Dana Chandler was tried three times, as her first conviction was overturned and the second trial resulted in a hung jury. In all three trials, Hailey was an active participant as she testified against her. On February 20, 2025, she took the stand in Dana’s third trial. She emphasized how stressful and difficult her parents’ relationship eventually became, highlighting her mother’s alleged argumentative tone in their interactions. With the help of text messages, she claimed that the defendant used to criticize her and Dustin frequently. Hailey also testified that Mike’s ex-wife used to take them to watch Mike and Karen’s houses multiple times during her court-appointed visitation.
At the stand, she claimed that Dana even accused Karen of being a homewrecker and called her names. The recorded phone calls and conversations between the mother and the daughter were also played in the court. After the third trial led to the conviction and sentencing of Dana, Hailey distanced herself from the spotlight and has been leading a rather private life. She prefers to keep the details of her professional as well as personal life to herself. All we can tell is that she leads a peaceful life in northern Colorado with her husband. Being passionate travelers, the couple loves to explore new places together. In March 2024, Hailey Seel traveled to Arkansas and went on a hiking trip.
