Found Deceased CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *Arrest* #22

[Nikynoo]

Which charge are you referring to? In my opinion LE would have to be pretty confident in the charges. Which one are you questioning? Just curious.

IIRC the DA said that the charges are only allegations at this point (paraphrasing here from court documents). The charges have been brought early on in the case on the evidence based at hand at that time. As other evidence comes to light and/or is assessed, charges may be changed or added to.

 

[MassGuy]

Yes, that's what appears to be the case. That's why I questioned it, I could not comprehend looking in their eyes and facing them as their life is being taken away. It would seem to be a more controlled method rather than an act of uncontrollable rage. Which makes it all the more horrible. Jmo

Both methods are horrible, but I agree, the strangulation is far more cold.

Smothering allows one to kill without looking your victim in the eyes. It is another thing altogether, to be able to watch the life slip from another’s eyes, especially those of your children. How sick.

 

[Thepoet]

Just because someone thinks about and plans a murder, then carries it out, doesn't mean that they won't make blunders. I personally believe that he killed all three and that this was at lease a little planned out prior to. He reminds me of my ex - who was and still is a narcissist (actually diagnosed by a professional).

My ex came to me one night and said that he couldn't take it any more, and he wanted a divorce. I told him, "You are right! We can't do this any more, we tried and we can't fix it. I'll go and file tomorrow." He didn't expect me to agree. He also didn't want to be the one to file so that he could blame me for "breaking up our family" later on. He went a bit bonkers after that, and even tried to commit suicide. When we were finally separated, he would antagonize me until I lost my temper at him so that I would look like the crazy one.

My point is, CW was having multiple affairs. They were having financial difficulties. She traveled a lot for her "job". There was a lot of stress on this marriage. The affairs is a very typical trigger. His complete lack of emotion after admitting to the murders leads me to believe that he separated himself from the fact that these three were human beings, they were his family, and they didn't deserve to die.

Is it possible that she killed the little ones and he killed her in retaliation or self-defense. However, from my experience watching multiple, multiple cases here on WS, I believe he did this. I think he thought with calm self-assurance, he could get away with murder. I think he wanted to basically start over in life without the responsibilities of the children and without a wife that he resented.

This case breaks my heart like so many before it!

Very well said. Thank you.

 

[pocketaccent]

Yes. SW will be on trial as much as CW, only she won't be here to defend herself.

The prosecutor will be there to defend her.

 

[MassGuy]

Did CW ever claim to have seen the first child being strangled? IIRC only that he saw her body spread out and blue. I have never seen this loose end tied up. But I think that he claimed that SW strangled them, how did he know, if the child on the monitor was already blue and not moving? How did he know unless he did it himself, of course.

He only claimed to have seen her strangle one. I think most of us agree that he wouldn’t be able to see the color “blue” on the monitor. If his child did turn blue, it was because he saw it, up close and personal.

 

[MsBetsy]

You can quote sources in a presentation or essay, and then disagree with or debate the merits of the quoted statement. As long as you attribute quotes correctly, that's pretty standard.

I'm speaking generally, I only half watched that video, as it was a little boring

You said it better than I did, thanks. I'm not sure if he said, "according to...(whoever) or not. But I couldn't finish it either that's why I said it sounded like he was explaining the stages of basic experimentation instead of talking about relationships!

 

[Kensie]

The prosecutor will defend SW but the defense (defence) will chew her up and spit her out. Remember Travis Alexander? He was brutally murdered by a lying , yet the defense tried to make TA almost responsible for his own death because he did not worship the ground that the JA walked on.

I wish there was a way to get around blasting the victim.

 

[Clement86]

I also wanted to say something about how the bodies were disposed.

Throught the years, I’ve had to do chest compressions, open chests wide open, put my hand in someone’s bleeding neck in the hospital cafeteria while they were dying, hold a dying baby, deal with their families.Being yelled out, grabbed, pushed . I’ve dealt with death before it happens, while it happens and its aftermath. It has never, never been easy. To see someone’s life slipping away. Eyes getting glassy, pale skin, cold body. Life just ending, just like that.
I can’t remember a single time I didn’t feel bad about the patient. I’ve alway feel inclined to respect the person, their bodies, their belongings. There’s never been an ill mean comment, a joke. Never. The opposite, just sadness, need to keep going, to help them out.

I just cannot understand how someone whose child just got murdered is capable of packing their bodies, driving for hours and throwing them like garbage into a tank full of oil. It is just such an odd reaction to panic and pain. To me it’s so telling, and sad.

 

[MassGuy]

The prosecutor will defend SW but the defense (defence) will chew her up and spit her out. Remember Travis Alexander? He was brutally murdered by a lying , yet the defense tried to make TA almost responsible for his own death because he did not worship the ground that the JA walked on.

I wish there was a way to get around blasting the victim.

Exactly. It’s a sad reality that it many cases, attacking the victim is the correct (statistically) strategy. That’s going to be especially true in this case, where the suspect is blaming the victim for his crime. The defense will have to prove a pattern of behavior from Shanann, in order to convince the jury that she may have done this.

It’s messy business, it’s unfair to the victim, it’s unfair to the family, but it’s likely the only way to win.

 

[Kensie]

...............

 

[newsjunkie]

The prosecutor will defend SW but the defense (defence) will chew her up and spit her out. Remember Travis Alexander? He was brutally murdered by a lying , yet the defense tried to make TA almost responsible for his own death because he did not worship the ground that the JA walked on.

I wish there was a way to get around blasting the victim.

Completely agree!
*** Liking the post just wasn’t enough.

 

[Thepoet]

You know, it's interesting. At about the same time the murders were committed a Mother threw herself in front of a car to save her children. Big difference. She is a true hero!

 

[MassGuy]

I also wanted to say something about how the bodies were disposed.

Throught the years, I’ve had to do chest compressions, open chests wide open, put my hand in someone’s bleeding neck in the hospital cafeteria while they were dying, hold a dying baby, deal with their families.Being yelled out, grabbed, pushed . I’ve dealt with death before it happens, while it happens and its aftermath. It has never, never been easy. To see someone’s life slipping away. Eyes getting glassy, pale skin, cold body. Life just ending, just like that.
I can’t remember a single time I didn’t feel bad about the patient. I’ve alway feel inclined to respect the person, their bodies, their belongings. There’s never been an ill mean comment, a joke. Never. The opposite, just sadness, need to keep going, to help them out.

I just cannot understand how someone whose child just got murdered is capable of packing their bodies, driving for hours and throwing them like garbage into a tank full of oil. It is just such an odd reaction to panic and pain. To me it’s so telling, and sad.

Wonderfully stated, and absolutely right IMO. The story is far fetched as it is. When you throw in what he did after the fact, it stretches all credibility.

Those aren’t the actions of an innocent man who had lost all that is dear to him. Those are the actions of a guilty man, who has just done the unthinkable.

 

[Sillybilly]

This post lands at random.

Please discuss the case and not each other.

Thanks.

 

[searchinGirl]

Exactly. It’s a sad reality that it many cases, attacking the victim is the correct (statistically) strategy. That’s going to be especially true in this case, where the suspect is blaming the victim for his crime. The defense will have to prove a pattern of behavior from Shanann, in order to convince the jury that she may have done this.

It’s messy business, it’s unfair to the victim, it’s unfair to the family, but it’s likely the only way to win.

What I’m wondering is if the forensics indicates she may have had a hand in killing her children (which I doubt), then the defense will claim self defense on behalf of another, an affirmative defense; in which case the burden of proving it didn’t happen as the defendant said falls on the prosecution. Perhaps one of the legal minds here could weigh on on that.

 

[Trinket78]

I'm not being disrespectful. If you are close to CW, how could you not know what vehicles he has/had? That seems like something most friends know.

The question was about how many work vehicles he had correct? I don’t know if his work truck was ever changed out. Maybe I read it wrong

 

[Trinket78]

I can see that. A lot of marriages go that way. Once you figure out you can’t change one another, and accept who one another is, that’s when you start getting happy. I can see that you really liked CW, and it’s going to be very painful for you if it turns out he is responsible for all this. I’m so sorry for you that you have to go through this.

Thank you and yes that’s a possibility I may have to face.

 

[cocomod]

Friends of the suspect, just like friends of the victim, can add color and clarity to the overall picture. What they can’t do however, is change the damning facts against the suspect.

I totally agree! He could have tried to make claims if he had done the right thing and called LE immediately if she really was the one to kill the girls. Hiding their bodies as well as hers is pretty damning. Honestly, we need to think about this. LE has forensics that could and would have cleared him of the girl's deaths and probably hers as well IF his story were true. His lack of conscience tells me he is a monster.

LE knows way more than we do. I will be interested to see if there is any chance that he made two trips to the site. One with the girls, and later with SW. That will be a very telling story IMVHO.

 

[MerryB]

I think it's a bit unfair to accuse those who believe the state with "confirmation bias" or if not looking at the "whole picture".

Forgive me if I worded my response ineffectively. I did not mean to imply that if you believe the state you have confirmation bias (as you’ve stated). I was speaking to those who have their minds made up and refuse to validate anything that does not fit their schema as false. Also those who dismiss anyone for exploring possibilities that differ from what they believe as “victim shaming.”

 

[roteone]

Hi Everyone,
I am new to Websleuths, I have been reading for the past few weeks, and am fascinated by this case.
As I am from New Zealand, I cannot offer any practical opinions on your laws, states etc, but this crime is truly horrific.
JMO: I feel CW didn't really care what happened after the murders, it was like him being that person who had no thought whatsoever for the consequences of his actions like he didn't care.
I relate him to a quiet simmer, a simmering pot taking a long time to reach the boil and when it did, it blew!
After watching many of Shannan's videos, she seemed caught up in her thriving, that everything she did whether it be for/with CW, BW, or CW, her life had to be her job, to us as the viewer of her videos (after the fact) that she was SO into it nothing else mattered. But I expect this was not the case. I suspect she was a great mother, just a little obsessed with a job.
There are some incredible posters on Websleuths, I am impressed with people's knowledge and insight.