Police reportsChris Watts (l) and a crime scene photo (r).
The Chris Watts murders are horrific. The Colorado father and oil worker was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife Shanann, their unborn child, and their two children, Celeste and Bella, ages 4 and 3. Be forewarned that some of the details in this story are graphic and very disturbing because of the nature of the crime.
The voluminous police reports provide some photos from the crime scene and elsewhere. They also contain elaborate details about what police found when they got there.
Chris Watts is the subject of a new Netflix series called “American Murder: The Family Next Door.” Watts was convicted of murdering his wife and daughters, who were found in oil drums. Shanann was strangled and the children were smothered. Watts was having an affair with a woman named Nichol Kessinger. The Netflix shows details the deteriorating relationship between Chris and Shanann, who began suspecting her husband was having an affair and felt he was suddenly pulling away from her.
Police reportsPhotos of the Watts family in the police reports.
Here’s what the police reports say happened when police went to the scene:
The Children Were Found Inside Oil Drums
Police reportsThe crime scene.
The police reports contain several photos showing the oil drums where the bodies were found.
Police reportsThe oil drums where the bodies were found.
Nickole Atkinson was first to sound the alarm; she told police she dropped Shannan off and Shannon was 15 weeks pregnant and not feeling well. Shannan wasn’t answering phone calls or text and missed her doctor’s appointment. They went to her house and observed her car in the garage. Nickole called Christopher Watts and requested he come home and check on Shanann. Police came but found no sign of Celeste Watts or Bella Marie Watts.
The scene where the bodies were found.
Nickole called Chris several times and he kept giving different arrival times. Chris came home and gave consent to search and said that he found Shanann’s wedding ring on the night stand. He found her phone between the cushions. Chris said Shanann arrived home from a trip. He was asleep. He woke up at 5 a.m. to get ready for work, and they began talking about separating. He said it was emotional but a civil conversation and they were not arguing. He said they had been talking about separating for a few weeks. He said Shanann said she was going to a friend’s house with their two kids. Chris went to an oil well job site to check out it. He was an operator for Anadarko. That’s all information in police interviews with Shanann’s friends.
Police photoA sheet was found near where Shanann was buried.
Chris’s demeanor was “nonchalant. He asked one time if he should go look for his family…he did not ask again about looking and he did not seem overly concerned,” the police report said.
Police photoShanann’s shirt.
Shanann’s mother Sandra Rzucek told police she suspected “foul play” and suspected Chris, saying he was acting weird and out of the ordinary. She said he was telling people “he has to go to work” and that just doesn’t seem right. She felt that he is going out to “pour oil on the bodies to dispose of them.” Her husband spoke to Chris and he was “not shedding a tear about his missing family.”
Police photoShanann’s grave.
GPS from Watts’ work truck led police to the oil well. The ground was visible disturbed. Police saw a bed sheet. While officers were waiting, Christopher confessed to killing Shanann, and getting rid of the bodies of Celeste and Bella. He disposed of the bodies somewhere in the area of the well site, the reports say. He marked the picture where he disposed of the bodies.
Police photoShannan’s undergarments
Celeste and Bella’s bodies were each inside one of the tanks. One body was face down in the south side of the tank.
Chris Told His Father That Shanann Killed the Girls but Then Pleaded Guilty
The police reports contain a conversation Chris had with his father. They say:
Chris told his father, “She hurt them. And then I freaked out and hurt her.”
He whispered, “She…she smothered them. They were smothered. She strangled them.”
Police photoLast photo of Shanann Watts.
He said he was downstairs, came back up and they were gone. Chris said: “I freaked out and I did the same thing to f****** her. Those were my kids.” He claimed he saw Shanann on top of Cece and that “they were blue.” He said he lost it and choked Shanann.
Police reportsA photo of one of the girls.
Bella’s covers were pulled off and she was just lying in bed. Shanann was in there with her on top of her. He ran into Cece’s bedroom and got on top of Shannan. He didn’t know what to do and was shaking. “Both my kids were blue and they were gone. She hurt my kids.”
A letter Shanann wrote Chris.
Chris said, “They’re in a freakin’ oil tank. I didn’t know what else to do. Please God Forgive me for everything.”
However, prosecutors maintained that Watts killed his pregnant wife and the two girls, and he ultimately pleaded guilty to the charges. According to the Denver Channel, Watts received three life prison terms without the possibility of parole.
19th Judicial District Attorney Michael Rourke said that Watts “totally and deliberately ended four lives,” smothering the girls. Bella fought back, according to the prosecutor, Denver Channel reported. “Bella and Celeste were thrown away,” the prosecutor said adding that “investigators found scratch marks on one of the girl’s bodies and tufts of hair on the opening to one of the oil tanks,” the television station reported.
Shanann was wrapped in a sheet. The girls were just in their pajamas; they weren’t wrapped in blankets. Chris Watts advised that blankets and stuffed animals were left by the sheet which was near Shanann’s grave. He dug the grave with a shovel. She was wearing a black or gray t-shirt and blue underwear. He said it took minutes, the police reports say.
Police filePictures Chris sent Shanann showing he was chasing tornadoes and couldn’t go to the ultrasound.
The girls were wearing nightgowns, Cece a pink nightgown with birds on it, and Bella’s nightgown had a unicorn or believe on it. The children were in 20 foot tanks with hatches on top.
An odd photo that Watts sent Shanann.
Chris said he pulled Shanann off and onto the bed and “lost it.” He felt so much anger that he didn’t feel anything else when he strangled Shanann and he has no marks on his body.
Police fileText messages between Chris and his mistress.
The autopsy report said that Shanann had a “history of being reported missing and subsequently found unresponsive in obvious state of death in a shallow grave.” The cause of death was “Asphyxiation due to manual strangulation” with “Bruising of the Anterior strap muscles of the neck.”
Police fileUltrasound picture of Shanann’s unborn child.
There was a largely decomposed fetus expelled from the uterus. “Based on the history provided and the autopsy findings, the cause of death is asphyxiation due to manual strangulation by another individual. The manner of death is homicide,” the autopsy report says.
Shanann returned home from a business trip on the early morning hours of August 13, 2018. This was the last time she was seen alive.
Police fileMissing person photos
Autopsy reports for Bella and Celeste say that the necks of the children were swabbed even though they were in a container of oil, water, and associated sludge matter.
The children’s cause of death was given as “asphyxiation due to smothering.” Bella also had “Blunt force trauma. Oil water and sludge debris in the stomach.”
police fileA picture Shanann sent a friend.
“Based on the history provided and the autopsy findings, the cause of death is asphyxiation due to smothering. The toxicology results likely represent decomposition and an artifact of being submerged in an oil tank for several days. The manner of death is homicide,” the autopsy for Bella said. Celeste’s was similar.
The autopsy noted that recovered items included “oil soaked pink pajama type top with images of hearts and butterflies” and “a pair of oil soaked underwear.”
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FAQs
Before the bodies of his pregnant wife and two daughters were found in an oil field in 2018, Chris Watts denied any wrongdoing in a chilling text to his mistress, Nichol Kessinger.
Was Shanann Watts buried? ›
Chris then drove his dead wife and his two children, who were still alive, to an oil site where he worked. It was there where he fatally smothered the children before stuffing them into oil wells. He buried Shanann in a shallow grave nearby.
Were Bella and Celeste alive in the tanks? ›
Bella and Celeste, whose bodies were sitting for days in oil tanks containing unprocessed crude oil, reportedly had the substance in their throats, stomachs, and lungs. The autopsy of the two children stated that the cause of their death was asphyxiation due to smothering.
Is Nichol Kessinger in witness protection? ›
It's now said that due to the amount of information she provided police, Nichol is living under witness protection. According to reports, one source said: “She has received several threats, public shaming, and could be considered one of the 'most hated women' in America.
What did Nichol Kessinger do? ›
Chris Watts claimed NICHOL KESSINGER murdered his daughters and dug Shanann's grave, says inmate. Chris Watts who is serving five life sentences for the murders of his two young children and pregnant wife tried to blame it all on his mistress, according to a former inmate who spent time with him in prison.
What was Shanann Watts last words? ›
The texts revealed in American Murder show that Shanann had no idea that her husband would soon kill her. ″Finally on plane and about to take off,″ she wrote in her last text to Chris. ″Thank God! Prayers for a safe flight. Love you!" Chris did not respond.
What was the cause of death of Shanann Watts? ›
The shallow grave she had been placed in had been dug by Watts with a shovel. Shanann's autopsy concluded that her cause of death was asphyxiation due to manual strangulation. Her neck muscles had been bruised and the manner of death was deemed a homicide.
What happens to a human body submerged in crude oil? ›
Breathing the fumes from crude oil are known to cause chemical pneumonia, irritation of the nose, throat, and lungs, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, loss of coordination, fatigue, nausea, and labored breathing. Chronic exposure can result in irregular heartbeats, convulsions, and coma.
How were the Watts bodies found? ›
Chris Watts was convicted for the murder of his pregnant wife and two daughters after their bodies were found at a nearby oil plant. Chris said he strangled Shanann in their bed on August 13, 2018, after he told her their marriage was over and she said he would never see their children again.
Has there been any sightings of Nichol Kessinger? ›
There doesn't appear to be any legitimate sightings of Nichol Kessinger on the internet, which has caused true crime fans to once again push the witness protection theory. In an interview with DailyMailTV, author Cherlyn stated, "I do not believe in my heart that Nikki knew he was going to murder his family.
A woman who met Colorado killer Chris Watts on Tinder is opening up about her short-lived affair with him. Amanda McMahon met Watts, who pleaded guilty last month to killing his pregnant wife, Shan'ann, and two daughters, on the dating site last March, just five months before he committed the murders.
Where did Nichol Kessinger work? ›
Nichol is a geologist who was working in the environmental department at Anadarko Petroleum when she met Chris (he was then an operator at the same company). Things moved quickly in their relationship: They met in June 2018 and started dating in early July of that year, according to The Denver Post.
What happened to Watts family? ›
He then revealed he had attempted to kill both of his daughters before he strangled Shanann—an attack they survived—before taking them all out to the work site where ultimately, they died. On 19th November, having submitted a plea deal to escape the death penalty, Chris Watts was found guilty.
What did Dylan Tallman do? ›
The incident occurred in July and resulted in Tallman being punished for Unauthorized Transfer of Property, Unauthorized Forms of Communication, and Possession of Contraband-Miscellaneous.
How old was Shanann Watts? ›
Was Watts family in debt? ›
The couple also had thousands of dollars in credit card debt, as well as student loans and medical bills which amassed to $70,000, besides a large mortgage. They had said that their almost $3,000 mortgage and $600 monthly car payments were the major portion of their $4,900 monthly expenses.
Were the bodies of Cece and Bella recovered? ›
Bella and Celeste were found submerged in crude oil inside two tanks 100 feet away from their mother's grave. Watts went to work at that location just hours after he got rid of the bodies, co-workers have said.
What were Bellas last words? ›
He also shared the devastating last words of his daughter Bella. Bella's last words were “Daddy, no!”, according to the police report.
Was Shanann Watts married before Chris? ›
Shanann met Chris Lee Watts in 2010. He was an employee of the Anadarko Petroleum, Woodlands, Texas. Before meeting Chris, she was married to a man named Leonard King, and they got divorced in 2009. Chris and Shanann got married on November 3, 2012, in Mecklenberg County, North Carolina.
How long does it take for a body to decompose in crude oil? ›
He processed the bodies in a 45-gallon oil drum and reported that the victims dissolved completely in about two days. He also said he had to leave the room, finding the fumes intolerable.
Avoid any direct skin contact with the oil. If oil does touch you, wash it off immediately with soap and water. Don't try to swim or enter any waters that may have been affected by the oil spill.
Why can you not swim in oil? ›
Density and Buoyancy
The Human body has an average density of 1062 kg/m3 ‡ This is why (most) humans float in the Dead Sea without any swimming effort and do not sink. Lighter forms of crude oil would support the human body less, this can make staying afloat difficult or impossible.
Who was Chris Watts wife? ›
What did Dylan Tallman do? ›
The incident occurred in July and resulted in Tallman being punished for Unauthorized Transfer of Property, Unauthorized Forms of Communication, and Possession of Contraband-Miscellaneous.
Is Chris Watts Confessions of a Killer a true story? ›
Earlier this year, in January, Lifetime aired the movie Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer, and the family spoke out through their lawyer. "It's a false narrative that does not accurately depict who Shanann was in life, who Bella was in life, who CeCe was in life," attorney Steven Lambert told Inside Edition.
What happened to the Rzucek family? ›
My name is Frankie Rzucek. On 13 August 2018, my only sister, Shanann Watts along with her two daughters Bella Marie and Celeste, aged 4 and 3, and unborn son Nico, were brutally murdered by her husband (and their father) Chris Watts.
What do Chris Watts parents think? ›
Chris' Parents Don't Believe He Is Guilty
“(His defense attorney) shut me down. She completely shut me down.” His father, Ronnie, chimed in adding, “If he didn't kill the children, I want him to face that and let them prove it.” Cindy insisted her son is not a “sociopath” and justice had not been served.
How much did Chris Watts house sell for? ›
Chris Watts' $660K family home where he strangled pregnant wife Shanann to death is secretly ON SALE in Colorado. CHRIS Watts' family home, where he brutally murdered his pregnant wife Shanann, has secretly gone on the market, The Sun can exclusively reveal.
Was Chris Watts in the military? ›
My dad, he retired as well so it was just a path," Army veteran Christopher Watts said. "It was already written, I just had to sign the papers." The Elizabethtown native continued that narrative, serving three years active duty. Watts spent time in both Afghanistan and Iraq before retiring in 2019.
Who thinks Chris Watts innocent? ›
So he could live like this for the next 50 years. ” Among his penpals is Christa Richello – a former prison psychologist featured in Lifetime's Cellmate Stories – who believes that Watts is innocent and should be released from prison.
Who is Christa Richello? Christa Richello, age 42, is a clinical psychologist and has previously worked as a prison psychologist. She specialises in sexual abuse and trauma cases and told The Daily Mail that she had worked inside the Connecticut prison system - which Watts is currently serving time in.
What did Chris Watt do to his family? ›
In the early hours of August 13, 2018 in Frederick, Colorado, American oil field operator Christopher Lee Watts (born May 16, 1985) murdered his pregnant wife Shanann by strangulation, and their two children Bella (4) and Celeste (3) by smothering them with a blanket.
How did they get the Watts bodies? ›
And the tiny, oil-slicked bodies of Bella and Celeste Watts, pulled from the oil storage tanks where their father, Christopher Lee Watts, stuffed them after suffocating them with their own blankets. Nearby, Watts' pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, and their unborn son, Nico, lay in a shallow grave.
How old was Bella Watts? ›
What happened to Chris Watts House? ›
Watts and his wife bought the home for just shy of $400,000 in 2013. The property was listed for auction in 2019, after the murders, when Watts defaulted on his mortgage and the bank foreclosed on the home, People reported. However, no one bid on the property, likely due to the horrific history attached to it.
Where does Chris Watts family live? ›
The notorious Colorado home where Chris Watts strangled his pregnant wife to death before murdering their two young daughters has finally hit the market—nearly four years after the unthinkable crime. Offers are due on Tuesday on the five-bedroom, four-bathroom home in the Denver suburb of Frederick priced at $660,000.
What nationality was Shanann Watts? ›
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