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ABC’s 20/20 returns on May 30, 2025, with a two-hour special titled Road Map to Murder, covering the 2021 disappearance and murder of Bart Halderson and Krista Halderson, a married couple from Windsor, Wisconsin. The episode, reported by Ryan Smith, airs from 9 pm EDT and will be available for streaming the next day on Hulu.
Bart and Krista were initially reported missing by their 23-year-old son, Chandler Halderson, who claimed they had traveled to the family cabin for the July Fourth weekend.
The case unraveled when Chandler’s girlfriend provided investigators with Snapchat data showing his location near the Wisconsin River, where Krista’s remains were later discovered. 20/20 examines how digital footprints and forensic evidence led to his conviction.
20/20 episode explores the Bart and Krista Halderson case: A detailed overview
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ABC’s 20/20 will examine the 2021 double murder of Bart and Krista Halderson in its May 30, 2025 episode, Road Map to Murder. The 20/20 broadcast revisits how a married couple from Windsor, Wisconsin, went missing over the Fourth of July weekend, and how investigators eventually uncovered their dismembered remains in different parts of the state.
The case took a turn when a digital clue led authorities to someone close to the victims: their son, Chandler Halderson.
According to a CBS News report dated August 18, 2024, Chandler reported his parents missing on July 7, telling officers they had traveled to the family cabin. However, inconsistencies in his story raised concerns.
Investigators later discovered that Chandler had fabricated much of his life, including failing out of college and lying about a job offer from SpaceX. Prosecutors alleged that Bart had scheduled a meeting to verify Chandler’s academic records, which may have triggered the murders.
A digital trail uncovers the truth
The breakthrough in the investigation came from a social media application. Chandler’s girlfriend, Cathryn Mellender, allowed police to access her Snapchat data.
As per CBS News, she had saved a screenshot that showed Chandler’s location near the Wisconsin River on July 3, 2021, during the time his parents were presumed missing. When detectives searched that area, they discovered the remains of Krista Halderson.
Bart Halderson’s torso was later found at a farm approximately 20 miles from their home. According to a CBS News report dated August 5, 2023, the landowner had seen Chandler leaving the property’s wooded area days before the discovery.
Investigators also found evidence at the Halderson residence, including over 200 bone fragments in the fireplace and blood traces detected using forensic light in the basement. The tools used for dismemberment, hidden inside an oil drum, tested positive for Bart and Krista’s DNA.
In court, prosecutors said the murders occurred after Bart and Krista confronted their son over his deceptions. Chandler was charged with both murders, providing false information, and mutilating and hiding corpses.
During the trial, Dane County prosecutors presented surveillance footage, text records, and forensic evidence. Chandler’s defense claimed the case lacked direct proof of how the deaths occurred, and he chose not to testify.
Trial outcome and sentencing
The jury deliberated for two hours before returning a guilty verdict on all charges. As reported by Oxygen.com on March 18, 2022, Judge John D. Hyland stated during sentencing:
“I have to, for this sentencing, ensure that the only time Mr. Halderson comes back into the community is to have the privilege of the burial he denied his parents.”
After his conviction, he was handed a no-parole life sentence. A year later, two convictions related to hiding a corpse were vacated for procedural reasons. However, this change did not affect Chandler’s overall sentence, as he continues to serve life term for the murders of Bart and Krista Halderson.
The upcoming 20/20 episode will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the timeline, digital evidence, and trial testimony. By combining investigative footage with official reports, 20/20 offers viewers a detailed look into one of Wisconsin’s most disturbing family homicide cases.
Stay tuned for more updates.
