Halderson case moves closer to possible trial as authorities locate missing mother's remains

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MADISON, Wis. — Chandler Halderson, the man formally charged with killing his father, will now have new homicide charges added to his case after authorities located and identified the remains of his mother.

In a news conference held Friday, July 30, the Dane County Sheriff's Office reported that the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office, working in partnership with the Wisconsin State Crime Lab (WSCL), confirmed that DNA obtained from part of the dismembered human remains previously discovered in the town of Roxbury match 53-year-old Krista Halderson, the mother of Chandler Halderson.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is now working with the Dane County District Attorney’s Office to add a second count of 1st Degree Intentional Homicide, mutilating a corpse and hiding a corpse to charges against Chandler Halderson.  


Halderson is also facing four other charges, including first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse and providing false information about a missing persons investigation.

Dane County court officials accepted Halderson’s waiver of a preliminary hearing during a Wednesday afternoon hearing and ruled that there’s enough evidence for the case to move forward to a possible trial.

Halderson was initially arrested in early July for allegedly lying to law enforcement about his parents' whereabouts in relation to a missing persons investigation.

Authorities later filed charges against him after they found his father’s dismembered remains on a Cottage Grove property.


Officials say the search and processing of Bart and Krista Halderson’s home is still ongoing.

On Tuesday, July 27, Dane County Sheriff’s Office and WSCL crime scene investigators worked with the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office to process the home. Additional human remains were recovered, however, those remains have not yet been identified.

Halderson’s arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 13.

“We have kept the Halderson family in our thoughts and prayers throughout this investigation and we extend our continued sympathies to them today. We ask that everyone allow them to grieve this tremendous loss with the utmost respect and dignity,” said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. “This has been a time consuming and exhaustive investigation and I want to commend the hard work and dedication of our Sheriff’s Office personnel, along with everyone who has stepped up to assist us.”

Although significant progress has been made, this remains an active investigation. Tips can be left on the Dane County tip line at (608) 284-6900.

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