MADISON, Wis. (Court TV) — A 23-year-old Eagle Scout was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of all charges against him for the July 2021 killing and dismemberment of his parents, Bart and Krista Halderson.
Chandler Halderson (Dane County Sheriff’s Office)
Chandler called the police to report his parents missing on July 7, 2021, telling investigators that the couple had failed to return after spending the weekend with another couple for the Fourth of July holiday.
Jurors deliberated for just over two hours before convicting Chandler of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse and falsifying information about a missing person.
Prosecutors had said that Chandler killed his parents after his father discovered the defendant’s web of lies, including that he was attending Madison Area Technical College and that he was on a police scuba team.
In the days after Chandler reported his parents missing, the victims’ dismembered bodies were found scattered in wooded areas of Dane County.
DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS
DAY 9 – 1/20/22
- The state rests its case
- The defense rests without calling any witnesses
- The jury hears closing arguments:
- The jury begins deliberating just after 1:00 pm ET
- After deliberating for just over two hours, the jury came back with a verdict
- Chandler Halderson found GUILTY on all counts
- For Bart Halderson:
- Count 1: First-Degree Intentional Homicide (Imprisonment for life) GUILTY
- Count 2: False Info on Kidnapped/Missing Persons (Not more than 6 years) GUILTY
- Count 3: Mutilating a Corpse (Not more than 12.5 years) GUILTY
- Count 4: Hiding a Corpse (Not more than 12.5 years) GUILTY
- For Krista Halderson:
- Count 5: First-Degree Intentional Homicide (Imprisonment for life) GUILTY
- Count 6: False Info on Kidnapped/Missing Persons (Not more than 6 years) GUILTY
- Count 7: Mutilating a Corpse (Not more than 12.5 years) GUILTY
- Count 8: Hiding a Corpse (Not more than 12.5 years) GUILTY
- For Bart Halderson:
- The judge anticipates a March 17 or 18 sentencing date
DAY 8 – 1/19/22
- The state nearly concluded the end of their case today with evidence that Chandler misled his parents about attending Madison College, receiving certification for participation in a solar program, and receiving an IT degree.
- The state also indicated Bart knew about these lies and intended to confront Chandler. The state brought in text messages between the two to support this. In one text Bart wrote, “I spoke with Omar Jobe (an enrollment coordinator at Madison College).” In another, Bart said, “I’m ready whenever you are.”
- Then through two detectives and two Madison College employees, the state showed that the Madison College employees Chandler had corresponded with (Aaron Hoover, Alyssa Brandt/Alyssa Brant, and Daniel Speith) were not listed employees in the Madison College system.
- Towards the end of the day, the state spent an hour and half (one of the lengthier testimonies of the trial) questioning Courtney Ripp, a criminal analyst with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, about Chandler’s iPhone notes, Google searches, and phone location history. In Chandler’s iPhone notes, Chandler lists steps that could indicate he was trying to get rid of a body. His Google searches indicate a similar sentiment. Ripp ended her testimony with several animations showing Chandler’s phone was near the areas where both Bart and Krista’s human remains were found.
- WATCH: Parents Dismembered Trial: Day 8
DAY 7 – 1/18/22
- Testimony resumed in the trial of WI v. Chandler Halderson. The trial was suspended after the defendant tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 11.
- 12 witnesses testified today (two of whom were recalled witnesses).
- Their testimonies primarily centered on Bart and Krista Halderson’s manner of death (homicide), their dismemberment, the firearm Chandler Halderson was in possession of (20-inch barrel SKS), his scuba diving experience with the Madison Police Department (none), and the tarps and duct tape found at a barn located near the area where Bart Halderson’s torso was found.
- Juror #7 was excused — he tested positive for COVID.
- Dr. Agnieszka Rogalska, Chief Medical Examiner of Dane County, testified.
- Dr. Rogalska found some of Krista Halderson’s remains: left thigh, left knee, left foot, right leg.
- The witness was suspicious of Krista’s knife injury.
- She stated that Krista was most likely dead when her legs were removed from her body.
- She stated that the manner of death was homicide.
- Dr. Cristina Figueroa Soto, Forensic Anthropologist for Dane County, also testified.
- Works with hard tissue (bone).
- Regarding Bart Halderson — no power saws were used on his body — analysis goes to hand saw.
- There were inconsistent cuts on his body.
- Multiple saws were used on a the remains of a “Jane Doe” whose remains were consistent with Krista’s: hacksaw, potential rib saw, peephole saw, carpenter saw.
- A bone discovered in the fireplace is indicative of an adult.
- She concluded that there is compelling evidence of dismemberment.
- Witness Andrew Smith met Chandler playing video games while stationed in army in Germany.
- Smith gave Chandler a 20-inch barrel SKS from a gun broker as a gift.
DAY 6 – 1/11/22
- In breaking news at the end of the day, it was learned that defendant Chandler Halderson has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Halderson took a routine COVID test, as the jail decided to test everyone — per the jail, he has to quarantine. We do not yet know how long he has to quarantine.
- There will be a hearing Wednesday, January 12 to determine what the next steps will be and whether or not the trial will be delayed.
- Earlier in the day, Deputy Scott Kuntz with the Dane County Sheriff’s Department testified that he determined video of the Halderson home showed a flickering light coming from the window next to the fireplace in the early morning hours of July 2, 2021.
- He discussed the video analysis he performed on the video captured from a camera at the home of neighbor Collin Lynch, who also testified.
- He discussed pixilation, metadata and digital multimedia evidence analysis. He explained how his partner went to different windows of the Halderson home waving lights while he monitored the video from the Lynch home as part of their analysis.
- William Boswell, special agent with the Arson Bureau of the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice, testified that he investigated the Halderson home, specifically the fireplace area.
- He observed a scent that indicated human remains, which he described as smelling like a barbequed pig.
- He observed the bubbling of paint around the fireplace, which indicated thermal impact or some kind of chemical contact.
- He also observed a white item on the fireplace which appeared to be human bone, along with apparent bone fragments in the ash trap. The medical examiner was called to evaluate them.
- Earlier in the day, the jury heard from Steven Greiber, a former detective who lived across the street from the Haldersons.
- He testified that he smelled an odor that he believed was a pig being barbequed during the time in question.
- Jurors also heard testimony regarding videos from Kwik Trip and Fleet Farm.
- Kwik Trip store manager Lissa Keifer of the Windsor location testified to video collected from her store capturing a man purchasing ice on July 1. He appears to be the defendant.
- Fleet Farm loss prevention worker Vincent D’Agostini testified as to a video showing a man buying a tarp on July 2. The man appeared to be the defendant.
- Deputy Medical Examiner for Dane County, Dr. Cori Breslauer, testified that she was called to the scene at Earlwyn Road (Cres L’Sai’s farm), where she encountered the torso, which she later confirmed to be Bart Halderson.
- She testified that Bart Halderson had been shot in the back, and at least three times. His cause of death was gunshot wounds to his torso. His manner of death was ruled a homicide. The mutilation she observed occurred after his death. (Limbs & head severed.)
- Towards the end of the day, we heard from Denise Jones, forensic scientist with the Wisconsin State Crime Lab.
- She testified as to her findings using DNA Analysis.
- She testified that DNA collected from Krista’s toothbrush and Mitchell’s DNA was used to determine leg tissue found belonged to Krista.
- She also testified that both Bart and Krista’s DNA was found on the Allway handsaw handle, the pruning shears handle, the ax head and the barn tarp.
- The blood of both Bart and Krista was found to have been on the bottom of a Brooks shoe, while Chandler’s DNA was found to be on the inside of both of those shoes.
- Bart’s DNA was found on the teeth of the handsaw, the clipper end of the pruning shear and washings of metal fragments.
- The day concluded with Sabrina Simms, Detective with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, being recalled.
- She showed and discussed other locations which were searched including the pond behind the Halderson home and a landfill where Chandler Halderson was believed to have dumped garbage.
- Those searches turned up nothing.
- In addition, she testified that they had a diver go into the water at the Prime Island Wildlife area upon receiving cell phone records placing Chandler in that area during the time in question.
- They were forced to suspend the dive search due to dangerously strong currents. However, a cadaver dog did alert along the shore.
DAY 5 – 1/10/22
- In court Monday, the jury heard from investigators from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office as well as a forensic scientist from the state crime lab.
- Jurors also heard from Lt. Jessamy Torres and Deputy Erik Schneider of Dane County about processing the crime scene at the Earlwyn Road property of Cres L’Sai.
- Those two witnesses described their thorough search and also explained how they missed an SKS rifle which the homeowner found in her barn shed amid clutter afterwards.
- Deputy Schneider showed the jury several items recovered from an oil drum on that property including a broken saw blade, scissors and what appeared to be a saw.
- He also told the jury about a tarp recovered from the barn shed which was sent to the crime lab for processing.
- Next, jurors heard from Detective Dan Feeney of the Dane County Sheriff’s office.
- He told the jury about garbage cans and Target shopping bags found on Cres L’Sai’s property, as well as rags which appeared soaked in blood and a Brillo pad.
- He described the immediate smell of cleaning material overtaken by a “rancid putrid smell” upon finding the bags.
- Deputy James Plenty was recalled to the witness stand.
- He showed several images of shoes and boxes photographed inside the Halderson’s garage.
- He noted the footwear pattern of Brooks brand sneakers, and that footwear patterns were found on the tarp discovered at Cres L’Sai’s property. He also noted reddish-brown stains on the left side of the Brooks shoe. And inside of a right floral shoe, he described finding critical evidence wrapped in tinfoil: the Wisconsin driver’s licenses of both Bart and Krista — and both of their phones.
- For much of the day, the jury heard from Deputy Sheriff Greg Leatherberry of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. He searched the Halderson home.
- He noted a vacuum cleaner collected into evidence was confirmed to have blood. The shower in the bathroom on the family room level of the home was also confirmed to have blood.
- He also testified that the Google Nest devices found in Bart’s office and around the house had been unplugged. (Leatherberry recalled another case in which the devices were unplugged to avoid recording.)
- Deputy Sheriff Leatherbury also testified that the garbage can handle and inside of the bin inside the Halderson garage tested positive for blood.
- In addition, he testified that rope inside the bin was consistent with rope found with the torso recovered at Cres L’Sai’s property.
- Furthermore, an ax found in the Halderson garage also tested positive for human blood.
- Leatherbury also testified that a white object found in the fireplace of the Halderson home was determined to be human bone.
- In addition, he testified that a swab taken from the basement chest freezer of the Halderson home tested positive for human blood.
- A floor safe also tested positive for human blood.
- Leatherbury also testified that he found three magazines inside a basement wall. One of them had five rounds missing. He also testified that the bullets were consistent with each other, and also the same as a “Get Well” bullet discovered — and the same as the bullet fragment found on the basement floor.
- The final witness of the day was Nick Stahlke, a forensic scientist with the state crime lab.
- He did luminol combined with phenolphthalein tests to determine that there was blood in the basement floor and near the fireplace hearth.
- On cross, he admitted that the luminol in photos could indicate blood or bleach or both
DAY 4 – 1/7/22
- Friday the jury heard testimony from several investigators about the discovery of the remains of Bart and Krista Halderson. They also saw the interrogation video of the defendant in which he was ultimately arrested.
- The dramatic interrogation video of Chandler Halderson being interviewed by Dane County Sheriff’s Detective Brian Shunk was introduced during Shunk’s testimony.
- The defendant did the interview consensually, and Det. Shunk did read him his rights.
- During the more than hourlong video, the defendant went into a detailed story about cutting his foot on broken glass from the fireplace, which he claimed broke while playing with the dog. He claimed that his foot was bleeding profusely, and that he tracked blood around the house including the kitchen, living room, basement and upstairs.
- Shenk asked if there were any reasons his parents’ blood could be around the house – he claimed his mom had bloody noses and his father scratching psoriasis may cause bleeding. He claimed he Swiffered and used peroxide around the house to clean his own blood.
- When asked what he did with the paper towels he said he used to clean his own blood, he claimed he threw them in the trash.
- Not long after, investigators told him to start telling the truth, telling him they know he was lying and that his parents were dead. Then they arrested him.
- The jury was then shown an image which Shunk took of the foot injury which the defendant claimed bled profusely all over his home. It showed a small pea-sized cut.
- Later in the day, we heard from officials who were involved in the discovery of the victims’ remains including Conservation Warden Ryan Caputo with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Medic Kevin Gruber of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy James Plenty of Dane County.
- During the testimony of these three witnesses, the jury was shown images of the remains of the victims which were found during the searches by these respective witnesses. Caputo also identified a tree found near the scene as being the same shown in a picture of Chandler Halderson. Caputo also testified that the DNR does not have a dive team (despite Cat & Dulce Mellender testifying that defendant told them he was part of a DNR dive team).
- According to Gruber, he found a foot and leg during a search of a wooded area near the Wisconsin River where in the area Roxbury, Prairie Du Sac and Sauk City.
- According to Plenty, his team found a right leg from foot to hip, along with a left foot and a upper thigh in their search of a wooded DNR property.
- The two female legs found on July 14, Gruber testified, were traced to Krista Halderson. A toothbrush head found had her DNA. The foot and other parts (Gruber described some remains as “stuff in pictures”) were traced to Bart Halderson.
DAY 3 – 1/6/22
- Today we heard from the defendant’s girlfriend at the time of the alleged crimes, as well as her mother and mother’s partner.
- The jury also heard from the physician who treated the defendant after his self-reported fall.
- Catherine Mellender, (“Cat”) the defendant’s then-girlfriend, testified that Chandler led her to believe that he was in school at University of Wisconsin while doing a paid internship at American Family, then had gotten a job at Space X making $80,000 and was working remotely from home in early July 2021.
- She also believed that he lost his job at Space X due to errors he made resulting from brain injuries. She believed he had a concussion, could not fly, would have permanent leg numbness. She had planned to move to Florida with him for his job.
- Cat also testified that the defendant had stayed away from her, claiming to be grounded, in the two weeks before the July 4th weekend. They planned to spend that weekend together, but he told her to leave then come back because he said he had many chores. He also asked her multiple times to get peroxide and a Swiffer for him.
- She testified that when she got to his home, she noticed a smoky smell and the glass broken in the fireplace. He told her it broke when he was playing with the dog, and cleaning it caused the smoky smell.
- She testified that she had picked up Target groceries which she brought to his home that weekend. She later identified those same bags shown in images by the State to have been in the trash bin of Cres’s farm. On that farm is where the torso of Bart Halderson was found. The scanner label on the bags had her name on it. She testified she did not dump those bags there, and did not know why they would have rags with a red substance on them.
- Cat also testified that she urged the defendant to report his parents missing. After he did, she said she fully cooperated with investigators. She shared her phone, and anything they asked, hoping to find Bart and Krista. She previously testified that she liked them very much.
- She testified that she did not help Chandler clean up, and did not know that his parents had died
- Crescent L’Sai (Cres) is the girlfriend of Dulce Mellender.
- It was on Cres’s farm that Bart Halderson’s torso was found along with bloody rags in a trash bin, and a rifle in her tool shed.
- She testified that Chandler showed up at her property unexpectedly on July 5 by himself — something he had never done before.
- She typically only spent time with him in group settings, via Cat and Cat’s mother, Dulce. She said he was acting strangely, parked his car with the hatch open near the woods. His car was there for a period of time before he came to the pool, and joined her with Dulce despite Dulce being uncomfortable (because Cres was topless). She testified that he did not actually swim in the pool but rather splashed around and washed off, claiming the walk in the woods made him sticky. She testified that he was acting “dopey,” “spaced out” and so strangely that Dulce believed he was on drugs.
- Dulce Mellender is the mother of Cat Mellender, the then-girlfriend of the defendant. Dulce believed the same narrative that her daughter did about the defendant: that he was in school at UW, worked at American Family and had gotten a job at Space X. She provided color as the July 4th holiday Chandler spent with her, her daughter, Dulce and others. She described him as looking “sleepy” agreeing that he acted acting “dopey.” She also shared how surprised and uncomfortable he was when she came Cres’s farm unannounced the following day, then entered the pool when Cres was topless.
- We also heard from Dr. Michael Lohmeier, an Emergency Physician who treated Chandler when he presented himself to the ER on June 17, 2021. He testified that Chandler complained of a head injury, neck and rib pain after a reported fall. There was no fracture found. But the doctor complained that Chandler told him he had many symptoms of a concussion – including photophobia and nausea. And since concussion diagnosis is not done through any imaging it blood tests, it relies on patient reporting. Therefore the doctor assessed Chandler as having a concussion. Dr. Lohmeier also clarified that he NEVER told Chandler he couldn’t fly or drive, or would need colostomy bag or would have trouble walking.
DAY 2 – 1/5/22
- The day began with testimony from the Hilgendorf family, close friends of the Haldersons.
Michael and Jane Hilgendorf, along with their twin daughters, testified as to the kind character of both Bart and Krista Halderson, sharing that it would be extremely out of character for them to take a spontaneous trip without informing friends and family.- The Hilgendorfs each had interactions with Chandler after his parents’ disappearance which, on the whole, they characterized as strange.
- Hannah Hilgendorf recounted Chandler telling her she didn’t need to give investigators her phone, which she found strange.
- Jane Hilgendorf noted that Chandler told her they loaded up a bunch of booze and took a lot of money on their trip and that “maybe they went gambling,” something Jane says they wouldn’t do.
- Numerous neighbors of the Haldersons testified too.One after another, they described how Chandler came to their homes asking if they had surveillance videos that may have captured clues as to their disappearance.
- Lisa Murray was the final neighbor to testify. She photographed a window left open at the Halderson home after they disappeared. She noted it as odd because there were four windows on that side of the home, and she had never seen one open.
- The jury also heard testimony off Brett Halderson, the brother of Bart and Chandler’s uncle. Brett testified that he had advised Chandler to search for such videos, unaware of what Dane County investigators were doing.
- Chandler’s former roommate, Eric Novak, also took the stand. The state showed an image of a beach where they swam together.
- The day ended with Dane County Sheriff’s Detective Brian Shunk being recalled to the witness stand. During his testimony, the jury saw an hourlong video showing the Halderson home when the couple had gone missing and as the investigation was underway. Shunk testified that at the point the video was taken, it was not yet known which parts would be relevant. It is now known, he testified, that the fireplace became critical along with Halderson’s bedroom.
DAY 1 – 1/4/22
- Both sides delivered opening statements, then the state rapidly called 12 witnesses.
- Deputy District Attorney William Brown delivered opening statements with a narrative about how the defendant was essentially living a lie and “catfished” his family, girlfriend and friends with a fake life as a University of Wisconsin-Madison student who worked at American Family Insurance and had a job lined up at Space X.
- According to the state, when the defendant realized his father was on to him, he killed his father, then his mother.
- Brown told jurors Halderson dismembered them and scattered their body parts across the county, then proceeded to tell friends and investigators another web of lies to cover his tracks.
- Defense Attorney Catherine Dorl kept her opening statements short, telling the jury to make decisions on facts, logic and rules, not to assume anything. She told them that the story they heard from the state assumes her client killed his parents — but that they cannot assume anything and it is their job to presume Chandler Halderson is innocent.
- Among the witnesses who testified for the state was the brother of the defendant, Mitchell Halderson. He testified that he believed the lies his brother told the family about his fake schooling, job and other matters.
- Mitchell Halderson also testified that Bart and Krista Halderson were good parents.
- He did not appear emotional as he recounted the narrative his brother allegedly told him — the same story other witnesses testified he told them — that their parents went up north to their cabin with an unknown couple for the 4th of July weekend and had not been seen since. Mitchell testified that he was not initially concerned, but then went up to the cabin to check things for himself.
- The jury was also shown video of Mitchell with Linglade County Sheriff’s Officer Justin Grones during the testimony of Grones. It shows them together searching the Halderson lake cabin and finding no signs of them.
- The jury also heard from Curtis Van Pelt, Krista Halderson’s boss, along with her co-worker, Daniel Kroninger.
- Both testified as to how unusual it was that Krista did not show up for work without calling from July 2 onward.
- Van Pelt said Krista got glowing reviews for her customer service skills.
- Kroninger said he was a friend of both Krista and Bart, and that he even went to their home to try to figure out what was going on.
- Kroninger testified that the defendant seemed to “look through” him at one point while talking about being covered in blood from what he described as a foot injury.
- The witness shared text messages between himself and the defendant.
- During the testimony of Deputy Hayley Collins-LeFevre, the jury got to see a note she saw at the Halderson home which became evidence. it appeared to be from Krista to Chandler, telling him to call “Pam” if he needs anything, and providing a number.
- Later in the day, “Pam” testified as a witness. “Pam” was Pamela Sidwell, a friend and neighbor of the Haldersons.
- Pam testified that she was very close to Krista and had been her co-worker.
- Pam said Krista had asked her to watch out for Chandler about June 30 when she would be away, but never mentioned the July 4th weekend.
- Pam testified that Krista would let her friends and family know if she had a concern, or was going to be out of town, and that Chandler did not reach out to say that his parents were missing
- WATCH: Parents Dismembered Trial: Day 1
- WATCH: Parents Dismembered Trial: Defendant’s Brother on Cross-Examination
- WATCH: Parents Dismembered Trial: Defendant’s Brother Testifies
- WATCH: Parents Dismemebred Trial: Prosecution Opening Statement
- WATCH: Parents Dismembered Trial: Defense Opening Statement
