HBO docuseries examines Kansas murder conviction case

HBO has released ‘A Killer Story’, a three-part docuseries directed by Matthew Galkin that examines a notorious double-homicide case in Topeka, Kansas. The series follows Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Joe Sexton as he investigates the conviction of Dana Chandler.

In 2002, Karen Harkness and Mike Sisco were found shot to death in a Topeka home. Chandler was eventually convicted and sentenced to two life terms for the murders, despite her claims of innocence and a lack of physical or DNA evidence at the scene. The investigation was spurred by the persistence of true crime enthusiasts Eileen and Keen Umbehr, who sent thousands of emails to Sexton over two years to advocate for Chandler’s exoneration.

While Keen Umbehr, an attorney, successfully managed to have Chandler’s conviction overturned in 2018, Chandler ultimately faced three trials. The third trial resulted in a conviction after Chandler chose to represent herself.