Wisconsin Man Who Reported Parents Missing Arrested After Dismembered Body Of Father Found

A Wisconsin man has been arrested for allegedly killing his father as well as the disappearance of his mother days after he himself reported them missing.

On July 7, 23-year-old Chandler Halderson reported his parents, Bart Halderson, 50, and Krista Halderson, 53, missing from their home on Oak Springs Circle. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office states that Chandler reported his parents “were picked up by an unknown acquaintance in the early morning hours of July 1, 2021, to travel to the family's cabin in White Lake, Wisconsin."

Chandler said his parents planned to spend the July 4th weekend at the cabin but never returned from there, reported the New York Post. However, authorities found no evidence of someone having recently stayed there. The 23-year-old was then arrested for giving false information on the missing person case.

On July 8, police found dismembered human parts, later identified as the remains of Bart Halderson, in Cottage Grove. “Preliminary results from the autopsy confirm that Mr. Halderson died from homicidal violence including firearm injury,” said the Medical Examiner’s Office, reported the Wisconsin State Journal.

According to a probable cause statement filed in the case, witnesses saw Chandler "reversing his vehicle with the rear hatch open in a field near a wooded area" on July 5.

After Bart's remains were found, Chandler was officially charged with first-degree intentional homicide and arrested in connection with the death of his father. Additional charges pressed against him are those of providing false information on a kidnapped or missing person, mutilating and hiding a corpse, reported ABC News. His bond was set at $1 million.

Chandler's mother is still missing. "At this moment we are optimistic that Krista is still alive and well and we will let the evidence from our investigation tell us otherwise," Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said Thursday, reported ABC News.

However, more unidentified human remains were found Wednesday near Old Hwy 60 along the Wisconsin River, near the town of Roxbury. A witness had allegedly seen a person matching Chandler’s description in that area, reported WMTV.

The investigation in the case is ongoing and officials have asked people with information to come forward and call the tip line at 608-284-6900.