Few true crime cases in recent U.S. history have captured as much attention as that of Chris Watts.
The 40-year-old is currently serving multiple life sentences for the brutal murders of his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste.
When Shanann and the girls were first reported missing in August 2018, Watts presented himself as a desperate husband and father, even pleading publicly for their safe return. He claimed Shanann had left with the children, attempting to mask the horrifying truth: he had murdered all three.
Watts strangled Shanann and then suffocated his two daughters before disposing of their bodies at a remote oil site in Frederick, Colorado, where he worked. The girls were hidden inside crude oil tanks, while Shanann was buried in a shallow grave nearby.
Investigators soon discovered Watts had been having an affair with coworker Nichol Kessinger and intended to start a new life with her. When questioned by police, Watts initially denied wrongdoing, even accusing Shanann of killing the girls. However, after failing a polygraph test, he confessed.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and received three consecutive life sentences without parole, plus 84 additional years.
Life in Prison and “Forgiveness” Claims
Watts is currently incarcerated at the Dodge Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison in Waupun, Wisconsin.
According to the Daily Mail, Watts recently wrote to a female pen pal claiming he has been forgiven by God and is “a new man.” In his letters, he quoted scripture, writing:
“I am a new creature. Old things have passed away; behold, all things are new. That’s me. God does not see me as a sinner who killed his family; He sees me as His child. I have confessed my sins. I am forgiven.”
Watts said the hardest part was forgiving himself but claimed he has now found peace:
“God has separated me from my sin as far as the east is from the west. Forgiving myself took years, but now I have peace that passes all understanding.”
Hated Even Among Criminals
Former inmate Eddie Nieves told The New York Post that Watts is widely despised in prison:
“He killed two little girls who did nothing to deserve it. He’s the lowest of the low.”
Watts reportedly lives in near-complete isolation for his own safety, spending most of his time reading the Bible and writing letters. Although he still receives occasional correspondence from outsiders, inside prison he remains an outcast under close guard supervision.