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In this article by Anna Young, she talks about the tragic murder of Shanann Watts and her two children.
Watts Family Murder
Watts Family Murder
By Anna Young
By Anna Young
*Sensitive Content Warning: Strangulation
On Aug. 13, 2018, Chris Watts killed his pregnant wife Shanann and his two daughters: four-year-old Bella Marie and three-year-old Celeste Cathryn. The authorities did not hear the truth from Chris until three months later.
Shanann Watts enjoyed creating videos with her family and posting them on Facebook. Shanann’s videos made people think that she had the perfect life, and that is what everyone believed. The news article The Wrap stated that, later on, Shanann told her friends that she and her husband have been having problems, but no one would have ever guessed it would end with murder. Shanann met Watts through Facebook when she moved to North Carolina. Shanann never thought that she and Watts would work out, but one thing led to another. The couple got married Nov, 3. 2012, had two kids and moved to Colorado.
On June 11, 2018, Shanann surprised her husband that they were expecting another child. As stated on Biography.com, Watts replied, “That's Awesome.” In June of 2018, Chris started talking to Nicole Kessinger. Nicole worked in Anadarko Petroleum’s environmental department and worked to see operators. One of those operators was Watts. One conversation between the two led to another. They met up four or five times a week and eventually started getting into a physical relationship in July. Watts told Nicole that he was almost divorced. When Shanann and the two girls were out of town, Watts told Nicole that their divorce was final. Kessinger and Watts would spend the night together and go on dates. He even gave her a love note before going on vacation with him and his family.
(source Avery Thompson)
Chris flew to North Carolina to meet up with his family. Shanann forwarded texts to one of her friends, showing signs of trouble between her and Watts. There was even conflict between her and Chris’s parents. Later,on Aug. 9, 2018 she told her friend that she and Watts had a talk and it was “their best talk yet.” As stated on biography.com, while Shanann was away in Arizona for a business trip, Watts went out to a bar with Nicole. On Aug. 13, 2018 around 1:48 a.m. Shanann returned from Arizona at 2:00 a.m. Her friend Nickole Atkinson gave her a ride back home. Later, when Shanann was home, Watts woke Shanann up and told her that they needed to discuss what was going to happen with their marriage and their future. He told Shanann that he was having an affair and their marriage was not going to last. She replied and told Watts that he was not going to see the kids again. Chris began to strangle Shanann. Their 4-year-old daughter came into the room and asked what happened to her mother. He wrapped Shanann in a blanket, put their two kids in the backseat and drove to his work site. He then began to smother Celeste and Bella and put them in separate oil tanks. Watts then proceeded to bury his wife's body near the oil tanks.
On Aug 14, 2018, the Colorado Bureau of Investigators issued an Endangered Missing Alert. Chris pleaded for his family's return by saying, “Shanann, Bella, Celeste, if you’re out there just come back, like if somebody has her, just please bring her back, I need to see everybody, I need to see everybody, again, this house is not complete without anybody here. Please bring them back.” On Aug 15, 2018, Watts took a polygraph test and failed. Officials stated that Chris had killed his wife. Watts said that he killed Shanann because she had killed their daughters. Shanann, Bella, and Celeste’s bodies were found on Aug, 16. 2018 at his work site. According to the online news organization The Wrap, he then was charged with first degree murder on Aug 21, 2018, along with nine charges total, Watts was sentenced to life in prison.
Shanann, Bella, and Celeste’s funeral was held in North Carolina where her family lives. Her mother described her as “a fireball. She had dreams to be fulfilled, and she worked toward those dreams.” Shanann and the girls were loved by many. Everyone was devastated when they heard about what Watts had done. Chris Watts is now in prison serving five consecutive life sentences.
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