kscornfed
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Brought this over from the last thread
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kayice
I live in KS and there was a cold case of a double murder in Topeka. I thought they had no idea who did it until '48 Hours' did a special. Come to find out the ex-wife was suspected ..Dana Chandler...since she repeatedly stalked (I do mean stalked) and harassed the couple, including the children. It took years to prove she too used gas cans to avoid detection to make the trip from Denver to Topeka and back. Long story short, convicted of 2 counts Premeditated 1st degree murder.
THIS WAS A FRIEND OF MINE FROM HIGH SCHOOL!!!!! karen harkness! i knew her first husband, dewitt, from high school. did not know her fiance who was murdered with her. this case drove us all crazy for years. her parents are the NICEST people---her mom died before she saw dana brought to justice. but karen's sweet daddy just dogged this case until he got justice----the '48 hours' piece was instrumental in putting pressure on the new DA to take this case to court. YES, the gas cans sunk her. what a vile, cruel person she was. her own children are afraid of her and knew she murdered their father.
i was born in topeka but moved away when i was 21. glad to see another kansan who knows this case. karen was just the sweetest, kindest person. like TA, she knew this woman was crazy, but i don't think she had any idea how dangerous she really was.
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It only took the jury about 83 minutes to return with a verdict.
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thanks for bringing that over! the infuriating thing for karen's family and friends is that this monster was out there for 10 years before she was finally arrested, tried and convicted. the prosecutor at the time they were killed didn't feel they had enough evidence, and the topeka police department completely botched the crime scene. (the killer was a chain smoker. they tested no butts found outside the house. a half full bottle of wine was found in the guest bedroom closet----most likely hers since she was an alcoholic---and the police didn't even find it. karen's son found it cleaning out his mom's house a month later and threw it away, not thinking before he did it, obviously. she likely hid in that closet, drinking her wine, waiting for them to come home and go to bed, and then she shot them both to death.)
anyway, new prosecutor, finally got a trial and yes, 83 minutes to the verdict. and finally, justice for karen and mike and their loved ones.