In August 2018, Chris Watts’ case shocked the nation when his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their daughters, Bella and Celeste, went missing from their Colorado home. At first, he appeared to be a concerned husband, but days later, he admitted to killing them.
Chris initially claimed he killed Shanann after she allegedly harmed their daughters, but investigators determined he murdered all three. In November 2018, he pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Since then, he has been held in a maximum-security prison in Waupun, Wisconsin.
Background
Chris met Shanann on Facebook in 2010, and the couple later welcomed Bella in 2013 and Celeste in 2015. In 2018, Shanann became pregnant with a boy they planned to name Niko. At the time, their marriage was strained, and Chris was having an affair with co-worker Nichol Kessinger.
The Murders
On August 15, 2018, Chris confessed to killing Shanann, whose body was later found buried near his worksite. Bella and Celeste’s bodies were discovered in oil tanks on the same property. He was charged with five counts of first-degree murder, unlawful termination of a pregnancy, and tampering with a body.
His Confession
Chris later revealed that on the night of the murders, he told Shanann he no longer loved her. After she threatened to leave with the children, he strangled her, then drove her body to an oil field with his daughters in the car, where he killed them as well.
Life Behind Bars
Watts has had two conduct violations in prison—one in 2020 for unauthorized communication and property transfer, and another in 2021 for disobeying orders and possessing contraband. He works as a custodian, keeps photos of his family in his cell, and exchanges letters with women on the outside, some of whom send him personal pictures.
Because he remains in protective custody, these letters are among his few connections to the outside world.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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