The Watts Family Murders: What Drove This Man to Kill His Family?
By: Tatiana Santana
Tags: Family, True Crime, America, Crime, Murder

The Watts Family Murders: What Drove This Man to Kill His Family?

Source: abc7ny.com

2010- Shan’ann and Chris Watts Meet on Facebook.

Chris Watts had been living in North Carolina where he was born and raised, Shan’ann was new to the area and Chris had sent her a friend request on Facebook.

2012- Shan’ann and Chris become Husband and Wife.

The couple then decides to marry in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 3rd of 2012.

2013- First Child Bella is Born

On December 17 of 2013 Bella Watts is welcomed into the world in Colorado.

2015- Second Child Celeste (Cece) Is born

On July 17 of 2015, Celeste Watts also known as Cece Watts was welcomed into the world in Colorado. Shan’ann was so happy that she was able to have another baby because of her battle with lupus.

Bankruptcy: In June of 2015 the Watts family file for bankruptcy.

With a combined income of $90,000, the Watts family stated that their $3,000 dollar mortgage and $600 dollar car payment took up a large sum of the $4.900 dollar monthly income they were bringing in. Additionally, their Home Owners Association sued them for not paying the fees that were agreed upon.

2018-

June 11th of 2018 marks the date of a special announcement

Shan’ann tells Chris they are expecting a baby! Upon the news of the Pregnancy, Chris says “awesome!” in the video released to her followers on Facebook.

June 2018- Beginning of Nicole Kissinger and Chris Watts’ relationship

Chris starts speaking to Nicole Kessinger. Chris charms her at work and they meet outside of work later in the month of July.

July 2018- physical relationship with Nicole starts.

From the start of July 2018, Nicole and Chris start their physical relationship. When their relationship started he had told Nicole that a divorce was underway between Shan’ann and himself. Later that month when Shan’ann and the girls are away in North Carolina, Chris tells Nicole that the divorce is final.

July 31, 2018- Chris flies to North Carolina to meet with family

Although it was a family trip, texts between Shan’ann and a friend show trouble in the relationship. Other messages recovered show there was tension between Chris and Shan’ann’s parents.

August 4, 2018- Nicole Kissinger Shops for wedding dresses online

Just weeks after the relationship between Chris and Nicole start, Nicole's phone data shows that she had been shopping for wedding dresses online for over two hours.

August 9, 2018- Shan’ann leaves on business to Arizona

After conversating with multiple friends about the hardships in the Watts relationship, she confides with them about a conversation that she had with Chris and describes it as “ the best talk yet”. She even writes a handwritten letter to him upon her departure.

August 11, 2018- Chris goes out with Nicole

Chris hires a babysitter and goes out with Kissinger to a local bar, and tells Shan’ann he is going to a baseball game with his male coworkers. Chris shows up late to his home, and the babysitter is upset.

August 13, 2018- Shan’ann returns home from her trip

In the early hours around 2 a.m Shan’ann is seen entering her home on the doorbell monitor outside her home.

August 13, 2018- Shan’ann and her children Cece and Bella are murdered

Chris reportedly wakes Shan’ann up and starts to discuss their marital issues and addresses his affair with Nicole, Despite Shan’ann carrying their unborn son named Nico, she tells him that if they divorce he will never see his children again. Chris reacts to her statement by strangling her. Bella (4 yo) walks in right after the strangulation and says “What's wrong with mommy” and Chris Watts then wraps the body of Shan’ann in a blanket and carries her to the truck. He put his two girls into the backseat with her and drove the deceased mother and her living children to his worksite. He then smothers Celeste, carries her body to the oil tank and repeats his actions on Bella, and drops her body into another tank at the same worksite. Chris Watts disposed Shan’ann and his unborn son into a shallow grave on the worksite as well.

August 13, 2018, at 5:15 a.m- Chris claims he left early for work

Chris claims he left for work around 5:15 to 5:20 a.m and that he had an “emotional conversation” with Shan’ann.

August 13, 2018, at 1:40 p.m — Atkins becomes worried about Shan’ann’s whereabouts.

Atkins, the friend Shan’ann worked with becomes worried about Shan’anns whereabouts. Atkins knew she had a doctor's appointment with the ob-gyn regarding Nico, her unborn child. Atkins calls the doctor's office and learns that Shan’ann did not show up for her appointment. Shan’ann is reported missing at this time. Atkins calls the local police department to perform a welfare check at the Watts home, Shan’anns phone, keys, and purse, were all found in the home but Shan’ann was not located.

August 14, 2018- Chris pleads for his families return on local news

As the Colorado Beuro of Investigation issues an endangered missing alert, Chris talks to the Denver ABC news affiliate and pleads for his family to be returned safely.

August 15, 2018- Chris Watts fails polygraph and admits to killing his wife and falsely accuses his wife of smothering the children

The FBI joins the search for the missing mother, unborn child, and daughters. Chris fails his polygraph test and admits everything to his father including the false accusation that his wife smothered the children. He then tells authorities exactly what he told his father and blames the murder of his wife on the fact that she killed his daughters.

August 16, 2018- Shan’ann, Bella, and Celestes bodies are found

The three murdered bodies are found on Chris Watts worksite. The same day Chris Watts is seen in court over a bond hearing which was denied. On this day Kissinger was brought in for questioning where she reportedly said that ‘’Chris’s cheese was falling off his cracker long before he met me’’

August 21, 2018- Chris is charged with First-Degree Murder

About a week after Chris was pleading for his family's safe return, Chris is charged with three counts of first-degree murder plus two additional first-degree murder charges for the victim being under the age of 12.

Additionally, Chris is charged with another count for the unlawful termination of pregnancy, three counts of tampering with a body, with a grand total of nine charges.

September 1, 2018- The funerals are held in North Carolina

The funeral for Shan’ann, Nico, Bella, and Cece was held in NC, and Chris was never mentioned… Not once!!

November 6, 2018- Chris Pleads Guilty

Chris pleads guilty to the murders of all four family members to avoid the death penalty.

November 19, 2018- Chris Watts sentencing

Chris is sentenced to three consecutive life sentences, Shan’anns family addresses him in court and he holds his head down the whole time.

February 18, 2019- Full Confession

Chris sits down for a five-hour interview and finally confesses to everything, revealing how he killed not only his wife but his two girls as well. He explains that he smothered his wife, wrapped her in a blanket and set her onto the floorboard of the back seat, then put the two girls alive into their car seats with their mother on the ground and started the drive to his worksite where he smothered Celeste in front of Bella and then proceeded to kill Bella soon after. It is now known that Bella put up a fight against her father in her last moments.