48 Hours “My Mother’s Murder Trial” July 11 2026

48 Hours presents a special two-part event, “My Mother’s Murder Trial”, on Saturday, July 11, 2026, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Correspondent Jim Axelrod examines one of Kansas’ longest-running and most complex murder cases, following the decades-long legal battle surrounding Dana Chandler, who was accused of murdering her ex-husband, Mike Sisco, and his fiancée, Karen Harkness. Told largely through the eyes of Chandler’s daughter, Hailey Seel, the special explores the devastating impact of suspicion, family loyalty and a courtroom saga that stretched across more than two decades.

Part One: A Daughter Questions the Unthinkable

The first hour introduces viewers to the shocking double homicide that occurred in Topeka, Kansas, in July 2002. Mike Sisco and Karen Harkness were found shot to death inside Harkness’ home, launching an investigation that immediately focused on those closest to the victims. Detectives soon examined the contentious relationship between Sisco and his ex-wife, Dana Chandler, whose bitter custody disputes and ongoing conflicts with Sisco became central to the investigation.

As the years passed without an immediate resolution, Chandler remained under suspicion while maintaining her innocence. Meanwhile, her daughter, Hailey Seel, struggled with an impossible question: could her own mother have committed the murders? The emotional burden of growing up under the shadow of such allegations forms the emotional core of the special, illustrating how the case affected every member of the family long before it reached a courtroom.

Part Two: Three Trials and a Stunning Courtroom Drama

The second hour follows the extraordinary legal journey that made the case one of the most unusual murder prosecutions in recent memory. Chandler was first convicted in 2012, but that conviction was later overturned. A second trial ended in a hung jury, leaving prosecutors determined to pursue the case once again.

In a dramatic twist, Chandler chose to represent herself during her third murder trial, personally cross-examining witnesses and presenting her own defense before the jury. The broadcast features extensive courtroom footage from this highly unusual proceeding, along with new testimony and archival interviews that document how the case evolved over more than twenty years.

Throughout both episodes, Jim Axelrod examines the emotional and legal complexities of a prosecution built largely on circumstantial evidence, conflicting testimony and years of investigation. The special also explores how repeated trials affected both families, forcing loved ones to relive the murders while waiting for a final verdict.

Featuring exclusive interviews with Hailey Seel, extensive testimony from Dana Chandler, investigators, attorneys and others connected to the case, “My Mother’s Murder Trial” chronicles a remarkable legal odyssey in which a daughter searched for the truth about her mother’s past, and a courtroom repeatedly revisited one of Kansas’ most controversial double murder cases.