Karl Karlsen, a man convicted of murdering his son Levi and first wife Christina, will be featured in an upcoming episode of ABC 20/20: The Interrogation Tapes. The episode, titled “Sins of the Father,” will air on April 23, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET.
Karlsen was initially convicted of second-degree murder for Levi’s death in 2013, after Levi was crushed by his father’s truck. He later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for Christina’s death in 2020, after she died in a fire in their home in 1991.
Both murders were initially ruled as accidents, but suspicious circumstances and Karlsen’s behavior led to further investigation. In the case of Levi’s death, Karlsen had taken out a $700,000 life insurance policy on his son just 17 days before his death. He also convinced Levi to sign up for insurance and named himself as the only beneficiary.
In the case of Christina’s death, Karlsen had taken out a $200,000 life insurance policy in her name just 19 days before she died. He received the payout from both policies and moved to New York with his children soon after.
Karlsen’s second wife, Cindy, became suspicious of Levi’s death and alerted authorities. She then cooperated with them to get his confession. She agreed to wear a wire and confront Karlsen about the manner of Levi’s death in a crowded restaurant. He then confessed to her that he removed the front two tires of his truck and made sure it was on a single jack before letting Levi repair it.
Authorities then questioned Karlsen for hours, but he claimed he was innocent. He was then charged with the second-degree murder of Levi and insurance fraud.
Then, in 2020, he was also found guilty of Christina Karlsen’s murder and sentenced to life in prison.
The upcoming episode of The Interrogation Tapes will delve into the interrogation that led to Karlsen’s trial and conviction. It will air on ABC 20/20 on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET.
