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Bart and Krista Halderson's double murder remains one of the most harrowing crimes ever committed. The Wisconsin couple was murdered by their own son, dismembered, and their remains were scattered across various remote areas. The case shook the entirety of Dane County, Wisconsin, in July 2022 and became the subject of national media attention.
It will now be featured on ABC's hit true-crime program 20/20 in an upcoming episode titled Road Map to Murder. The episode airs on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 9:00 PM EST on ABC. The synopsis reads:
"Bart and Krista Halderson were a seemingly happy couple living in Windsor, Wisconsin, with a beautiful home and two grown sons. But when Bart and Krista went missing over a July Fourth holiday weekend, authorities began looking for the couple, eventually finding them murdered and dismembered in various locations."
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"As law enforcement zeroed in on a suspect, a clue on social media helped lead them to someone closer to Bart and Krista than anyone could have imagined."
Ahead of this episode, let us go over five chilling details about this double murder that would appeal to anyone with an interest in the crime.
5 key details about the murders of Bart and Krista Halderson
1) Bart and Krista Halderson were reported missing by the very person who killed them
On July 7, 2021, Bart and Krista Halderson were reported missing by their younger son, Chandler Halderson. He said that they had gone to the family cabin for the Fourth of July weekend but never returned. Chandler also claimed that they could have gone to a casino, which would have been very unlike them.
2) Chandler Halderson's claims seemed suspicious from the very start
Chandler Halderson claimed that his parents had gone to their family cabin, but both Bart and Krista Halderson's cars were still parked in their garage in Wisconsin. Furthermore, the family cabin shows no signs of recent use, putting Chandler Halderson in the vicinity of doubt almost immediately.
3) The first breakthrough in the case led the police to a harrowing discovery
While interviewing friends and family members of the couple, police had a breakthrough when a resident of the nearby village of Cottage Grove reported seeing Chandler on July 5, 2025, in a remote wooded area. An extensive search of the same area led to the discovery of a human torso.
An autopsy confirmed that the torso belonged to Bart Halderson. He was reportedly shot to death and dismembered.
4) Chandler Halderson's girlfriend perhaps provided the most effective clue to implicating him
Cathryn "Cat" Mellender, who was dating Chandler, revealed that she was tracking him using Snapchat after discovering he had cheated on her. On July 3, she saw him at a remote location near the Wisconsin River and saved a screenshot of his location. Krista Halderson's remains were found at this location. Moreover, another eyewitness had reportedly seen Chandler in the area.
5) Chandler Halderson was sentenced for the murder of his parents
With the mounting evidence against him, Chandler was charged with the murders of Bart and Krista Halderson. He pleaded not guilty, but the jury differed. He was ultimately sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, where he remains today.
The upcoming episode of 20/20 on ABC will cover this case in more detail.
