The Watts Family Murders: A Modern-Day Tragedy of Deceit and Cold-Blooded Betrayal
On the morning of August 13, 2018, police in Frederick, Colorado, responded to a missing persons report that would soon expose one of the most chilling family murders in recent American history. What initially appeared to be a case of a missing mother and her two young daughters quickly unraveled into a horrific tale of betrayal, cold-blooded murder, and calculated deception — all at the hands of a man who, just hours earlier, had appeared on TV pleading for their return.
The Watts Family Murders, committed by Christopher Lee Watts, shocked the world not only because of their brutality, but also because of the disturbing contrast between public perception and private reality. Chris, once seen as a devoted father and loving husband, was ultimately unmasked as a remorseless killer who murdered his entire family in a selfish bid to start a new life.
The Victims
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Shanann Watts (34) – a mother, wife, and thriving social media personality known for her optimistic outlook and active involvement in multi-level marketing for a wellness brand.
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Bella Watts (4) – sweet, shy, and cautious, she was the eldest daughter.
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Celeste “Cece” Watts (3) – energetic and playful, often the more mischievous of the two sisters.
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Unborn child: Nico Lee Watts – Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant with a baby boy at the time of her murder.
The Disappearance
Shanann returned home from a business trip around 2 a.m. on August 13, 2018. By mid-morning, her friend and coworker, concerned that Shanann wasn’t responding to calls or texts and had missed a doctor’s appointment, contacted police. Officers arrived at the Watts home for a wellness check, where Chris appeared cooperative but oddly detached.
Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s security camera revealed Shanann had entered the home earlier that morning and had not left. The footage also showed Chris backing his truck into the garage around 5 a.m. — an unusual activity for someone who claimed to have gone to work shortly thereafter.
The Investigation and Chris’s Lies
Chris Watts initially claimed that Shanann had taken the children to a friend’s house. He later changed his story, telling police that they had argued about separating and that Shanann had strangled the girls — a lie intended to portray himself as a grieving father reacting in defense.
Throughout the investigation, Chris maintained a calm, robotic demeanor. However, inconsistencies in his stories, mounting forensic evidence, and a failed polygraph test unraveled his fabricated tale. Under mounting pressure, Chris eventually confessed, leading authorities to the oil field where he had disposed of his family’s bodies.
The Murders
Chris admitted that he strangled Shanann in their bed after she confronted him about an extramarital affair and his plans to leave her. After murdering her, he wrapped her body in a sheet and loaded it into his truck.
The most horrifying detail came next: their daughters, Bella and Celeste, were still alive at this point. He drove them, along with Shanann’s body, to a remote oil site operated by his employer, Anadarko Petroleum. There, he smothered Celeste with a blanket and placed her body into an oil tank.
Then, with Bella watching, he did the same to her. Before her death, Bella reportedly begged for her life, asking, “Is the same thing going to happen to me as Cece?”
Chris then buried Shanann in a shallow grave and returned home as if nothing had happened.
Motive
Chris Watts’ motive was disturbingly simple and self-serving. He had been having an affair with a coworker, Nichol Kessinger, and wanted to start a new life — free of responsibility, family, and financial burden. Rather than seek a divorce or face the fallout of a broken marriage, he chose to eliminate his family.
Investigators later discovered that Chris had lied extensively about his marriage, finances, and intentions. He had built a façade of normalcy while secretly planning to destroy everything he had built.
The Arrest and Trial
After confessing to the murders, Chris was arrested and charged with nine counts, including:
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Five counts of first-degree murder
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One count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy
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Three counts of tampering with a deceased human body
Rather than face a trial, Chris accepted a plea deal in exchange for avoiding the death penalty — a decision supported by Shanann’s family. On November 19, 2018, he was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole, three of which were to be served consecutively.
Chris Watts is currently serving his sentence at Dodge Correctional Institution in Wisconsin.
Aftermath and Public Reaction
The Watts case attracted massive media attention and public fascination, in part because of Shanann’s extensive social media presence. Her videos portraying a happy family life stood in eerie contrast to the horror that unfolded behind closed doors.
The story was widely covered in true crime documentaries, most notably in Netflix’s 2020 documentary “American Murder: The Family Next Door,” which used real footage and text messages to tell the story from Shanann’s perspective.
The public was especially disturbed by Chris’s demeanor — calm, soft-spoken, and seemingly emotionless, even when discussing the brutal murders. He showed no visible remorse, fueling public outrage and psychological analysis of his sociopathic tendencies.
Legacy and Lessons
The Watts family murders serve as a devastating reminder of how domestic violence can hide in plain sight. The case prompted discussions about the warning signs of emotional manipulation, the dangers of ignoring marital stress, and the importance of mental health awareness in relationships.
Shanann’s family has worked to honor her memory by raising awareness about family violence, encouraging women to seek help if they feel unsafe in their relationships.
Conclusion
The Watts family murders are one of the most haunting examples of familicide in modern America. Chris Watts, once a seemingly ordinary man, murdered his pregnant wife and two young daughters in cold blood — not out of passion or madness, but from selfishness and cowardice.
This case will forever stand as a stark warning about the dark potential lurking behind seemingly perfect facades, and a tragic testament to the lives of Shanann, Bella, Celeste, and unborn baby Nico — lost to a crime that should never have happened.
