Chris Watts: An Overview of the Life and Crimes of the Colorado Murderer
In 2018, Chris Watts made headlines when it emerged he had murdered his pregnant wife and two young daughters. Watts was a family man and model husband who had been married for six years and seemed content with his perfect family life. This made the horrific crime all the more shocking for those around him.
Watts’ trial quickly followed and he was sentenced to five life sentences plus 84 years apiece for the three lives he had taken. But who is Chris Watts and what led him to become a killer? Let’s take a look at the life and crimes of Colorado’s most infamous murderer.
Who Is Chris Watts?
Chris Watts was born in 1985 and raised in Oklahoma before his family moved to Colorado. After graduating from high school in 2005, Watts went on to pursue a degree in business at the University of North Carolina. His studies were interrupted in 2008 when he left college and returned home to care for his ailing grandmother.
It was at this time that Watts met his future wife, Shanann Watts, who was also caring for her grandmother. The couple married in 2012, two years after welcoming their first daughter, Bella. A second daughter, Celeste, was born in 2013. At first, Shanann and the girls were happy, healthy and content with their family life in their Colorado home.
Chris Watts’ Arrest and Conviction
On August 13th, 2018, Chris Watts was arrested and charged with the triple murder of his wife and two daughters. He was initially charged with three counts of first-degree murder, as well as unlawful termination of a pregnancy and tampering with evidence. He was later indicted on nine additional felony counts including identity theft and forgery and his trial began in November 2018.
In December of that same year, Chris Watts admitted to the murders of Shanann, Bella and Celeste in a plea deal that spared him from a death sentence. He was subsequently sentenced to five life sentences for the three murders, including two counts of first-degree murder for each victim. In addition, he was handed an additional 84 years for unlawful termination of a pregnancy and tampering with evidence. The sentence also included a fine of $150,750.
The Aftermath of the Murders
Despite his guilty plea, Chris Watts still maintains his innocence, claiming that he flew into a rage when Shanann threatened to keep him away from his children. He subsequently pleaded guilty to the minimum amount of charges in order to spare his daughters the horror of a prolonged trial.
The murders have left an indelible scar on the community of Frederick, Colorado, where the Watts family had lived. Shanann’s brother, Frankie Rzucek, still speaks about his sister and nieces in public and remarks on how difficult he finds it to come to terms with their senseless murders.
Chris Watts is a convicted murderer who was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder along with numerous other charges related to the death of his family. At first, it seemed Watts had the perfect life and with a loving wife and two happy daughters. But, on August 13th, 2018, something snapped and Watts murdered his family. His trial and conviction served as a stark reminder of the horror of domestic violence, and served as a powerful lesson in how quickly a seemingly normal family life can unravel.
