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                                                                                                          Chris Watts — PICS

                                                                                                          By:
                                                                                                          Jennifer Phang
                                                                                                          August 17, 2018 8:48AM EDT
                                                                                                          1 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts — Photos

                                                                                                          Chris Watts — Photos
                                                                                                          Weld's County Sheriff's Office

                                                                                                          Chris Watts will spend the rest of his life behind bars after murdering his entire family the early morning of August 13, 2018, in Frederick, Colorado, US. Chris was 33 when he murdered his family – his pregnant wife Shanann Watts, Bella, and Celeste “Cece”. He killed his pregnant wife by strangulation and their two young daughters who died by asphyxiation due to smothering. He is currently serving at the Dodge Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison, in Waupun, Wisconsin. Chris confessed to their murders and admitted to disposing of his daughters’ bodies in oil tanks and buried his wife in a shallow grave at his work-site. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2018 to multiple counts of first-degree murder as part of a plea deal when the death penalty was removed from sentencing. He was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole, three to be served consecutively and two to be served concurrently.

                                                                                                          August 17, 2018, 8:18AM
                                                                                                          2 of 20

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts & Chris Watts

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts & Chris Watts
                                                                                                          Netflix/Shannan Watts

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts and Chris Watts in happier times. They met on Facebook and married in 2012. 

                                                                                                          September 29, 2020, 6:44PM
                                                                                                          3 of 20

                                                                                                          The Watts Family

                                                                                                          The Watts Family
                                                                                                          Netflix/Shannan Watts

                                                                                                          Shanann and Chris Watts had two daughters: Bella and Celeste. Shanann was expecting a third baby when she was murdered. 

                                                                                                          September 29, 2020, 6:44PM
                                                                                                          4 of 20

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts
                                                                                                          (Courtesy of Frederick Police Department)

                                                                                                          Chris Watts’ pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, who was 34 at the time he murdered her on Aug. 13, 2018. She was 15 weeks pregnant with their son. 

                                                                                                          August 18, 2018, 6:51PM
                                                                                                          5 of 20

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts With Her Daughters

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts With Her Daughters
                                                                                                          (Courtesy of Frederick Police Department) 

                                                                                                          Shanann Watts with her two daughters Bella and Celeste, whom she shared with Chris. The little ones were only 4 and 3 years old when they were killed. 

                                                                                                          August 18, 2018, 6:51PM

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                                                                                                          6 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts family murders in Frederick, Colorado, US

                                                                                                          Chris Watts family murders in Frederick, Colorado, US
                                                                                                          AP Photo/David Zalubowski

                                                                                                          A photograph sits amid the tributes as they grow outside the home where a pregnant woman, Shanann Watts, and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste, lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman’s husband, Christopher Watts, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his wife and daughters. 

                                                                                                          August 18, 2018, 6:09PM
                                                                                                          7 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts family murders in Frederick, Colorado, US

                                                                                                          Chris Watts family murders in Frederick, Colorado, US
                                                                                                          AP Photo/David Zalubowski

                                                                                                          A photograph sits amid the tributes as they grow outside the home where a pregnant woman, Shanann Watts, and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste, lived Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Frederick, Colo. The woman’s husband, Christopher Watts, has been arrested on suspicion of killing his wife and daughters. 

                                                                                                          August 18, 2018, 6:09PM
                                                                                                          8 of 20

                                                                                                          Watts Family Vigil

                                                                                                          Watts Family Vigil
                                                                                                          AP Photo/David Zalubowski

                                                                                                          A photograph sits amid the tributes as they grow outside the home where a pregnant woman, Shanann Watts, and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste, lived in Frederick, Colorado. The woman’s husband, Chris Watts, was arrested for their murders. 

                                                                                                          August 18, 2018, 6:09PM
                                                                                                          9 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Press Conference

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Press Conference
                                                                                                          Katie Foody/AP/REX/Shutterstock

                                                                                                          A press conference was held after Chris Watts allegedly confessed to killing his wife and daughters. Chris was arrested on Aug. 15, 2018.

                                                                                                          August 17, 2018, 8:18AM
                                                                                                          10 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts During An Interview

                                                                                                          Chris Watts During An Interview
                                                                                                          ABC

                                                                                                          Chris Watts gave a live interview after his wife and daughters were reported missing. He was arrested and charged with their murders days later. 

                                                                                                          August 17, 2018, 8:18AM
                                                                                                          11 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts On Camera

                                                                                                          Chris Watts On Camera
                                                                                                          ABC

                                                                                                          Chris Watts appears on-camera before he was arrested. He initially pleaded for their return.

                                                                                                          August 17, 2018, 8:18AM
                                                                                                          12 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents Explanation

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents Explanation

                                                                                                          Court documents in the Chris Watts case show different charges he faced for murdering his pregnant wife and two daughters. Each count explains the reasoning for the charges against Chris. 

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          13 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents Continued

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents Continued

                                                                                                          Court documents state additional counts Chris Watts was charged with for the family murders in Frederick, Colorado. He was also charged with 3 counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          14 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents

                                                                                                          Court documents in the Chris Watts case show nine charges

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          15 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Warrantless Arrest Affidavit

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Warrantless Arrest Affidavit

                                                                                                          The arrest affidavit reveals details of the investigation. Chris alleged that he spoke to Shannan about separating when she returned home for a work trip before her death.

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          16 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Warrantless Arrest Affidavit Continued

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Warrantless Arrest Affidavit Continued

                                                                                                          Chris Watts initially claimed that he killed Shannan after he discovered Shannan ‘actively strangling Celeste.’ He said he then ‘went into a rage’ and strangled Shannan. 

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          17 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Arrest Affidavit

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Arrest Affidavit

                                                                                                          Court documents in the Chris Watts case show the arrest affidavit. Shannan’s murder occurred at their home in Frederick, Colorado. 

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          18 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Charges

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Charges

                                                                                                          Court documents in the Chris Watts case detail the counts he faced regarding the murder of his pregnant wife and two daughters. He was charged with five counts of first degree murder.

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          19 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Additional Charges

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Additional Charges

                                                                                                          In addition to five counts of first degree murder, Chris was also hit with 4 additional charges. Those charges included unlawful termination of pregnancy in the first degree.

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
                                                                                                          20 of 20

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents

                                                                                                          Chris Watts Court Documents

                                                                                                          Court documents in the Chris Watts case list the nine charges he faced. He was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole for killing his wife, who was 15 weeks pregnant, and his daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3.

                                                                                                          January 24, 2020, 1:29PM
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