A new three-part HBO documentary premiering September 10 explores how two amateur investigators from Kansas spent nearly two decades challenging the conviction of Dana Chandler, who was found guilty of murdering her ex-husband Mike Sisco and his girlfriend Karen Harkness in 2002.
The series, titled “A Killer Story,” follows investigative journalist Joe Sexton as he is drawn into the case by Eileen Umbehr, a stay-at-home mother from Alma, Kansas. In 2017, after receiving Sexton’s initial polite dismissal, Umbehr persisted, eventually sending him thousands of emails containing court records, ballistics reports, and property filings. Her dedication led to a pivotal moment when she informed him that the Kansas Supreme Court had overturned Chandler’s murder convictions—a rare occurrence that prompted Sexton to reply, “Perhaps I should come see you.”
Directed by Matthew Galkin and executive produced by Joshua Levine, the documentary examines the intersection of media coverage and the Umbehrs’ relentless advocacy. The film chronicles the timeline from the July 7, 2002, killings to Chandler’s original 2012 conviction, her 2018 successful appeal, a hung jury in 2022, and her reconviction in 2025.
A Theory Built on Circumstance
Investigators initially ruled out robbery, noting that cash and jewelry were left undisturbed. The crime scene was characterized by then-Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent Ray Lundin as “overkill,” driven by the distinctive Israeli-made subsonic ammunition found at the scene. With no fingerprints, eyewitnesses, or weapon recovered, police focused on Chandler, Sisco’s ex-wife.
Chandler, who had moved to Denver following a contentious divorce, provided police with an itinerary for July 6 that included a stop at AutoZone. However, she omitted the purchase of two five-gallon gas cans. Detectives theorized that the fuel allowed her to drive from Denver to Topeka and back without refueling. Despite District Attorney Robert Hecht declining to charge her for nearly a decade due to lack of placement evidence, successors arrested Chandler in Oklahoma in 2011. A Topeka jury convicted her in 83 minutes, sentencing her to consecutive life terms.
Prosecutorial Errors and Ethical Violations
During the 2012 trial, prosecutor Jacqie Spradling asserted that Sisco had obtained a protection from abuse (PFA) order against Chandler. However, Keen Umbehr, a lawyer and Eileen’s husband who had become Chandler’s research attorney, could not locate such a document. The Kansas Supreme Court later confirmed that no PFA order existed, ruling in 2018 that the circumstantial evidence was legally sufficient for a retrial rather than dismissal.
The prosecutorial misconduct eventually led to professional consequences for Spradling. After Keen Umbehr filed an ethics complaint in 2016, the Kansas Supreme Court disbarred her in May 2022.
The Umbehrs’ Crusade
Eileen and Keen Umbehr dedicated their lives and financial security to Chandler’s cause. High school sweethearts who settled in Alma, the couple had personal experiences with legal battles against government overreach; Keen won a U.S. Supreme Court case in 1996 protecting independent contractors from retaliation for speech. Eileen cited religious conviction as her motivation to advocate for the voiceless.
Initially, the couple suspected Jeff Sutton, the son-in-law of victim Karen Harkness and a former county attorney. They compiled a 200-page dossier alleging Sutton had access to the crime scene, a history of violence, and a federal license to deal in high-powered weapons, including an alleged Uzi-style gun missing from county inventory. They compelled Sutton to provide DNA through a probable-cause affidavit.
Sutton denied involvement in the documentary interview. DNA testing ultimately excluded him as the source of a single hair found singed onto a shell casing. Prosecutors had only tested the DNA on the eve of the 2012 trial, and the results matched neither the victims nor Chandler. Keen Umbehr theorized that the hair belonged to a left-handed shooter, a profile that fit Sutton, but the final testing proved inconclusive regarding guilt.
The Search for Certainty
The documentary highlights the human cost of the pursuit of certainty. During the second trial in 2022, prosecutor Charles Kitt admitted the case relied not on forensic evidence but on narratives of “jealousy, rage, and obsession.” Defense attorney Tom Bath argued for the presumption of innocence, while Detective Richard Volle conceded on the stand that no PFA order existed.
Chandler’s credibility suffered due to conflicting accounts of her whereabouts. A friend testified that she had initially provided a false alibi, claiming instead that she had been camping alone in the mountains. Another surprise witness, neighbor Terri Anderson, identified a figure she believed was Chandler, but no record of her 911 call could be found.
Levine noted that theUmbehrs’ devotion raised questions about obsession, stating, “People believe what they want to believe… It blinds you from the truth sometimes.” The series leaves viewers to consider whether a verdict equates to definitive answers, capturing a legal saga where doubt persisted despite repeated convictions.
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