Found Deceased CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *Arrest* #7

[lynxofsd]

Would [Shannan] have wanted to start an emotional conversation when she got home, exhausted...?

I wouldn’t be surprised if the girls were already dead when Shannan came home, and Chris had an elaborate plan in the works.

All the murders were premeditated. Chris murdered the children before Shannan came home. That saved as much time as possible so that he could drive away with all three bodies and dispose of them as soon as he could in the early morning hours. I doubt there were many, if any words spoken between Chris and Shannan after she came home.

In the unedited video of Chris answering questions on his front porch, he responded: "It wasn't like an argument. We had an emotional conversation, I'll just leave it at that."

I don't know how detailed of a "conversation" one has with your wife while you are strangling her to death, but I do believe the description that "it wasn't like an argument". An argument requires an exchange of viewpoints, a debate for which Shannan had not one molecule of oxygen to spare.

I think he decided on the oil tank because he thought they would all fit. I bet at his chosen site it took time to get the bolts for the hatch undone.

Chris should have devoted more thought and planning to the denouement of his sordid scheme. I'm not certain that the hatch was bolted--was that reported somewhere? In many tank batteries, the hatch is on a hinge (sometimes unlocked) and can be easily opened from the outside. Carrying the kids up a stairway leading to the hatch and dropping them into the tank was probably easy. Carrying an adult up a stairway and then stuffing them into a unyielding steel aperture is another matter entirely.

Thus, Shannan's shallow grave not far from the tanks, another rookie move. It would only be a matter of time before someone arrived there to check on the operation of those tanks and the separator and noted the odor of human decomposition. Maybe his job at Anadarko was to oversee that area, which would probably require no more than one person driving there by truck intermittently. Perhaps his disposal of Shannan was unexpectedly hasty due to Nicole's unexpected arrival, a situation he thought he could improve upon if he could return at a later time.

Of course, that would been almost impossible, IMO. Once LE had time to size Chris up, they would have stuck to him like glue--electronically, direct surveillance, ways I haven't thought of. Even without Nicole mucking up his plans, I think he would have implicated himself in short order.

 

[JCzMum]

I think we've inferred that SW got the home in NC in the divorce from 1st husband King, and the sale of that house may have provided a down payment for the CO home she bought with CW. Does anyone know how much they bought that home for? The reason I ask is that they list it in their bankruptcy filing as owing $400,000 on it in 2015 (they bought it in 2013). Did they buy it for more than that?

I’m a licensed Realtor in another state but I can pull the deeds for their home in Colorado. I see they purchased directly from the builder on 4/30/2013. The purchase price was $399,954 and they obtained an FHA loan in the amount of $392,709 At the outset, everything is in CW’s name holding title as a “married man”.


Then on June 4, 2013 a Quit Claim Deed was done and the title shows SW & CW as joint tenants.


It makes perfect sense that at the time they filed BK, the loan would not have decreased. $400k sounds right on.

 

[Tuliptiptoe]

It will be very interesting to see if CW sent SW text messages, after she was dead, to cover his crime. Stuff like, "Please don't leave with the kids.". To create his cover story. Before the police became involved.

That would really put a wrench in his story...

In his interview he did say he tried to contact her and she didn't reply, but he wasnt worried until she didn't reply to "her people"...

 

[Ronso]

I fully believe there's good reason he was charged with first degree murder on all three. The prosecution is not going to show its hand to the public, especially this early on. They know a lot that we don't know at this point.

 

[Doghairrules]

That would have ran the in debt couple about 1k out of pocket as she doesn't fit the qualifications IMO. Usually that's only covered by insurance for people over the age of 35, or where some chromosomal abnormalities are indicated by the birth of a previous child....or the last one may be possible, her first ultra sound was abnormal. I cannot see why a family struggling so hard would opt to drop money on this test when you can wait a few more weeks. What was the rush?

I suspect she was considered high risk because she has lupus. Could that be why they did the testing?

 

[JCzMum]

So not sure but does this mean CW twitter is private now? Makes me wonder who had access and password? Could he have given it to his lawyers and they did it?

Daddy??

 

[Ronso]

I suspect she was considered high risk because she has lupus. Could that be why they did the testing?

Doctors get kickbacks from the companies for pushing this testing on expectant moms. They really sold me with the gender reveal thing. Both of mine came back insufficient fetal fraction (not enough fetal DNA in the blood to do the testing), and my insurance covered both tests. My doctor REALLY REALLY pushed me to get it. When my testing came back insufficient, they started really pushing the genetic testing they do closer to 18 weeks. I opted out of that.

 

[cottonweaver]

I'm a long-time reader of this website and finally bit the bullet and joined to add to the discussion about this case. Thank you, Admins, for my approval to post.
Early when this case broke, I remember seeing things about CW having a prior record/arrests. Was there any truth to this? I see another Christopher Watts in NC with a bunch of charges on an online website, but it is a different person clearly.

Welcome LG . And welcome to all the other newbies with these great theories.

On this issue LG - unfortunately that Watts is a different Watts - MSM error in the early days.

 

[cottonweaver]

I listened to Nancy Grace for hours today on podcast “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace”... talk about this case. She hasn’t said anything we haven’t said on here ...

That made me laugh. We've said everything that could possibly said and still can't make it work & tell Nancy she needs to up her game.

 

[Deleted member 117120]

The dog, big? Little? Barker? I remember Nichole Simpsons dog helping with time of attack.....

Dogs name is Deeter. A wiener dog ~Datsun. Check 2:40 minute mark.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

My personal opinion is that CW planned to get rid of his entire family no matter what.

I think his original story was going to be SW left him because they had an argument and he had no idea where she went. But then his affair was discovered and the friend came over beforeche could stage the house and he couldn't come up with the name of the friend SW supposedly went to visit. He had to come up with a new story to try and fit the lies he already told.

I don't think there ever was any "emotional conversation".

MOO

I agree with this completely.

 

[cottonweaver]

The lights are a good observation does anyone remember if her friend mentioned House was dark or not ?

Good question - haven't seen a single reference to that. All NUA said was she dropped her off, SW turned around and waved goodbye and closed door.
Think NUA would have said if the lights were on. On ABC/to press seeing as she gave other details.

 

[Jackeee]

Exactly.

My mom passed away almost 2 years ago from cancer. I hadn't spoken directly to her in almost 8 years. I used to say I'd go to her funeral to make sure she was dead (before anyone harps on me, my mother was very verbally and emotionally abusive to me throughout my entire life, clear into adulthood). But, when she died, I could not hold it together. And I didn't even have a close relationship with her.

I could not imagine my grief at losing any of my children if I cried over a woman who harmed me the way she did. I'd be hysterical.

I understand and can sadly relate to your pain Ronso.

 

[Lore Listener]

He’s never confessed to 1st degree murder. He confessed to attacking SW in a rage because he saw her strangling/killing his children. If this was true, he would be a HERO and his reputation would not be destroyed by his actions.
I have moments when I think ... he’s devastated by what he did to those babies (putting them in oil tank) but then I consider how long it took to strangle or smother them...
We won’t know until autopsy HOW they died ... so this is pure assumption on my part.
I know parents who have lost children and can’t even bear to “donate organs” to help others - even when child has checked it on their DL.
Throwing their tiny bodies into a tank of oil... I just can’t get past that act - it’s just my opinion but that tipped the scale for me. Maybe you have never seen a child’s lifeless body? Maybe you imagine that it’s normal not to have feelings for that body? In my opinion, that’s not normal ... and the drive out there took an HOUR... plenty of time to change his mind. As he took each tiny body from his vehicle ... what could he have been thinking? Especially if SW murdered them - which I assume is what you are suggesting. IF she did, he would have been hugging and rocking them... not tossing them into oil tanks.

Thank you so much for this thoughtful post, Vaporlass. I can't imagine anyone watching that smug interview when SW and the girls were still "missing" and still think CW was "devastated" about anything.

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

I agree with this completely.

Didn't CW say about the "emotional conversation" because the neighbors could hear a loud argument? To explain that away?

 

[Deleted member 117120]

I’m a licensed Realtor in another state but I can pull the deeds for their home in Colorado. I see they purchased directly from the builder on 4/30/2013. The purchase price was $399,954 and they obtained an FHA loan in the amount of $392,709 At the outset, everything is in CW’s name holding title as a “married man”.


Then on June 4, 2013 a Quit Claim Deed was done and the title shows SW & CW as joint tenants.


It makes perfect sense that at the time they filed BK, the loan would not have decreased. $400k sounds right on.

So a $400,000 home you only need a down payment of $7000? Was that all SW received from her home in NC? In Canada we have different down payment requirements ~ a minimum 5% of purchase price. Their debt ratio was too high for the purchase price of the home.

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Didn't CW say about the "emotional conversation" because the neighbors could hear a loud argument? To explain that away?

Oh, no I don't remember hearing that. Hmm. That may change my theory then.

 

[molly1255]

Sorry if this is rehashing an already discussed and understood subject, but I don't recall a clear explanation and I've been on this forum for days! I'd really appreciate some clarification on this.

Charge 6 for Chris Watts, in the first degree, is:
On or about August 13, 2018, Christopher Lee Watts with the intent to terminate unlawfully the pregnancy of a woman, namely: Shanann Watts, feloniously and unlawfully terminated the pregnancy of the woman. Further, the woman died as a result of the unlawful termination of the pregnancy, in violation of 18-3.5-103(1),(2), C.R.S

Statute:
Universal Citation: CO Rev Stat § 18-3.5-103 (2016)

(1) A person commits the offense of unlawful termination of pregnancy in the first degree if, with the intent to terminate unlawfully the pregnancy of a woman, the person unlawfully terminates the woman's pregnancy.

(2) Unlawful termination of pregnancy in the first degree is a class 3 felony but is a class 2 felony if the woman dies as a result of the unlawful termination of a pregnancy.

(3) A defendant convicted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall be sentenced by the court in accordance with the provisions of section 18-1.3-406.

I believe the intent and legal interpretation of this statute is to hold individuals responsible if they physically harm (or kill) a pregnant woman, and it results in termination of the woman's pregnancy. I'm not an attorney, but the wording seems very funky to me.

I know CW has claimed to have strangled SW, but I've not seen anything official that substantiates that is actually how she died.

 

[stmarysmead]

Yes, I noticed that too. To be honest, the way she videotaped telling him, so he knew he had to act happy for the camera, seems kind of manipulative to me. (But nothing beyond what millions of wives and practical jokers do).

I'd prefer to tell my husband privately, then make a video together sharing the news.

I thought the video was staged...part of the Happy Families selling point. And , in my opinion, in a passive aggressive way...he got in a little dig at her...”If YOU want something bad enough, it happens.”

If he was falling in love and planning an exit, this pregnancy would have galled him. Having to participate in a phoney FB video for her business, one that he would have to explain to his new love interest, might have had him seething.

I see him as “the Mouse that roared.” Anger just building and building. For all we know, he might have had a rough time with the kids (in his mind) and the flight delay kept him from being “off duty” and being able to go to bed...and his anger and resentment exploded.

She was lovely, with a vibrant personality...and my guess is that for years he was content for her to be the dominant partner. But, now he’d buffed up, and he felt like he could be someone else...but had to be with someone new. I think he had a lot of simmering resentment...but how could Shanann know this? Things that were once endearing or appreciated in a relationship suddenly become the very things your partner resents about you....

Dunno...but that’s how it seems to me.

But, why, why...the children???

 

[Ronso]

So a $400,000 home you only need a down payment of $7000? Was that all SW received from her home in NC? In Canada we have different down payment requirements ~ a minimum 5% of purchase price. Their debt ratio was too high for the purchase price of the home.

Some of the FHA loans have extremely low down payment options, depending on credit score, etc.