In July 2021, when Bart and Krista Halderson were reported missing, it was initially believed that they had traveled to a family cabin in Langlade County, Wisconsin. However, as investigators gradually pieced together the evidence, their attention turned to the couple’s son, Chandler Halderson, who was ultimately convicted of killing his parents. During the investigation, one of the most significant breakthroughs came from evidence provided by Chandler’s then-girlfriend, Cat Mellender. A Snapchat screenshot from her phone helped place him near a key location connected to the crime. ABC’s ’20/20: Road Map to Murder’ explores this crucial development and the important role it played in advancing the investigation.
Cat Mellender Provided Detectives With Important Details About Her Then-Boyfriend
Cathryn “Cat” Mellender grew up in the Windsor area of Wisconsin. Her mother, Dulce Mellender, was always proud of her daughter and the accomplishments she achieved while attending La Follette High School. In 2019, Cat began dating Chandler Halderson, and over time, the two became very close. Through the relationship, she also got to know Chandler’s parents, Bart and Krista Halderson, and would occasionally text and speak with Krista. However, the relationship was not without its difficulties. At one point, Cat suspected that Chandler might be seeing someone else, which led to trust issues between them. After working through those problems, she asked Chandler to share his location with her through Snapchat, and he agreed to do so.
On July 2, 2021, Chandler called Cat and asked if she could come to his house with a Swiffer mop and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. He claimed that he had broken a glass pane in the fireplace and cut himself while cleaning it up, and needed help dealing with the mess. Cat did not think much of the request at the time. Two days later, on July 4, Chandler spent the day with Cat, her family, and friends at a farm near Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. He told them that his parents were away on vacation at their cabin. After leaving that evening, Chandler unexpectedly returned the following morning and said that he wanted to go for a swim to get some exercise. However, Cat and several other witnesses noticed that when Chandler eventually joined them at the pool, he appeared to be emerging from the woods, and the trunk of his vehicle was open.
On July 7, Cat was the one who urged Chandler to report his parents missing. Soon afterward, one of her friends who had been at the farm on July 5 shared information about Chandler with investigators, and Cat herself was called in for questioning. She later said that her only focus at the time was helping find Bart and Krista and that she fully cooperated with the investigation. Cat even handed over her phone to detectives, who discovered a screenshot showing Chandler’s location from the morning of July 5. She explained that she had been unable to reach him and had checked his location on Snapchat, which showed him near the Wisconsin River. When she later questioned him about it, Chandler claimed his phone had been out of service range. Her cooperation proved to be an important part of the investigation and helped detectives make progress in the case.
Cat Mellender Broke Down While Testifying Against Chandler Halderson
Cat Mellender was called to testify for the prosecution during Chandler Halderson’s trial in January 2022. On the stand, she told jurors that Chandler had falsely claimed to have graduated from Madison College, completed an internship with an insurance company, and secured a job offer from SpaceX. She explained that despite these claims, she had never seen any pay stubs, employment records, or other documents that supported the stories he had told. Cat became emotional at times while discussing the murders and the investigation that followed, but maintained that her only goal had been to help find Chandler’s missing parents.
During the trial, Cat clarified that while she brought the requested cleaning supplies and assisted in cleaning up what she believed was broken glass, as Chandler had claimed. She had no knowledge of the crime, and that she was actually cleaning a crime scene. Investigators never uncovered evidence linking her to the murders, and she was viewed as a cooperative and credible witness. Her Snapchat screenshot provided key digital evidence that helped place Chandler at a critical location and ultimately aided in his conviction. Since the trial, she has largely stayed out of the public eye and appears to go by the name Cat Mellender Lopez. She seems to be living quietly in Wisconsin with her beloved pet dog, away from the attention that the case brought into her life.
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