DOUBLE TRAGEDY:
The Unsolved Murders
of Karen Harkness
and Michael Sisco
written by Eileen Umbehr
Quick Links . . .
The Victims
The Investigation
July 6, 2002, started out like any other summer day in Topeka, Kansas – clear skies and highs in the mid 90’s. Karen Harkness, 53, and Michael Sisco, 47, were looking forward to dinner out and a night of gambling. The two had been dating for awhile and had recently started talking about marriage.
After a profitable evening at the Sac and Fox Casino near Powhattan, the couple decided to collect their winnings and call it a night. They headed back toward Topeka in Michael’s silver Ford Expedition, but before returning to Karen’s duplex on Westport Square, they stopped for coffee at the Kickapoo Truck Plaza.
It would be the last place anyone saw Karen Harkness or Michael Sisco alive.
The Victims . . .
Karen K. Worswick was born in Topeka on May 18, 1949, to Harold and Betty Miller Worswick. Karen had one brother, Mike. After graduating from Topeka High School in 1967, Karen went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in physical education from The University of Kansas where she was a member of Alpha Phi sorority. Karen was an avid tennis player who enjoyed playing with her mother, participating in tournaments, and teaching tennis to young aspiring players. Karen also enjoyed her job at the Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau where she was in charge of bringing conventions and meetings to the city.
Michael R. Sisco was born on December 16, 1954, to Roger and Carol Fricke Sisco. His siblings included a sister, Cathy, and a brother, Timothy. While growing up in Carbondale, Kansas, Michael attended Carbondale Grade School. In 1972 he graduated from Santa Fe Trail High School and went on to attend Kansas State University and Washburn University before moving to Colorado in 1977. Michael was an avid fisherman and hunter. He returned to Kansas in 1993 and worked as a regional sales manager for National Standard Welding Products.
Michael and Karen each had one son and one daughter from previous marriages. They both liked to cook and host dinners for their families and they enjoyed camping and spending as much time together as possible.
(See the full memorial below.)
Harold and Betty Worswick were looking forward to enjoying a fish fry with Karen and Michael on Sunday, July 7. However, when they arrived at Karen’s home around 2:00 that afternoon, they couldn’t get anyone to come to the door. Harold located the spare key and began looking around the duplex while Betty waited in the kitchen. When Harold entered Karen’s basement bedroom, he made a horrific discovery. Lying side by side in the bed were the bullet-ridden bodies of Karen and Michael.
The 911 call reached dispatch at 2:01 p.m.
Residents of the southwest Topeka cul-de-sac were shocked to learn about the vicious crime that had taken place in their quiet neighborhood. Many gathered outside until the police told them it was safe to return to their homes.
The Investigation . . .
The Topeka Police Department initially assigned six detectives to investigate the murders and they eventually logged over 2,000 hours pursuing over 200 leads. Detectives made numerous trips outside of Kansas and worked with law enforcement agencies from Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, North Carolina and Arizona. The exhaustive investigation included 18 searches of homes, vehicles and businesses, five polygraph examinations, and the seizure of five computers and numerous documents. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation assisted in examining the computer hard drives and the casing and bullet slugs recovered at the duplex, while the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms assisted in tracking the type of ammunition used.
Information about any investigative findings has been somewhat limited because the case remains unsolved. However, according to articles published in the Topeka Capital-Journal, robbery was ruled out as a motive because a “substantial” amount of cash was found in the duplex when the bodies were discovered.
Left to Mourn . . .
The families and friends of Karen Harkness and Michael Sisco continue to mourn their loss while waiting for the day when someone will be held accountable for their senseless murders. If convicted, the killer or killers could face execution by lethal injection.
Karen’s father, Harold Worswick, described Karen as “a loving mother and a perfect daughter,” and Michael as “a gentleman in every fashion.” Richard Forester, Karen’s boss at the Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that Karen was extremely outgoing and very successful because of her skills and personality. “She was a tremendous representative for Topeka.”
Michael’s mother, Carol Engler, described her son as a loving, single father who was active in his two children's lives and enjoyed working with their soccer teams. "He was a very well-liked man with a good sense of humor."
The heinous, unsolved murder case of Karen Harkness and Michael Sisco demands justice.
Contact Police . . .
Anyone with information about the murders should contact detectives at the Topeka Police Department at (785) 368-9400. If you prefer to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at (785) 234-0007 or toll free at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
Eileen Umbehr is a homemaker, mother of four, and grandmother of five. She has been married to her husband Keen for 31 years and they make their home in Alma, Kansas. Eileen is the author of Small Town Showdown (Xulon Press, 2007) and a recipient of the Ferguson Kansas History Book Award. For more information visit www.smalltownshowdown.com.
