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

[Boodles]

The LE has been saying since he got arrested that he confessed. I’m not sure why this is still in question. He confessed and told them where to find the bodies, which is what the headlines said the night he was arrested. It’s not a rumor or the family claiming it to be so.

I haven’t heard any official source say that he confessed. I’ve read journalists say that a “police source” (unnamed) has said he has, but no named official source has said this AFAIK. Do you have the name of a LE or DA source?

I’m not saying he didn’t confess. I don’t know whether he did or didn’t. I just know that journalists can get things wrong, even with the best intentions.

I’ll be interested in Monday’s and Tuesday’s hearings for more official facts.

 

[HoldySi]

Could there have been another reason for the unpaid HOA dues, like an ongoing argument between them and the HOA? “We’re not paying the dues until such and such is done to our yard like you said when we signed the contract” Or something along those lines?

 

[gitana1]

Here are some questions for those of you who are familiar with the legal aspect of homicide cases:

1) If a suspect confesses, does this mean the case tends to move more quickly through the legal system?

2) Is it correct that Tuesday's court meeting will include an announcement of the official charges and CW's plea?

3) How common is it for a suspect to confess but then plead innocent?

4) Do you think it is likely they will offer a plea deal to get him to plead guilty? If so, would this play out on Tuesday or later?

I am just trying to get an idea of what is usually typical when a confession is involved. Thanks!

1. Cases with confessions absolutely tend to move fast. Except false confession cases. This is not a false confession as I think we all know.

2. Tuesday is about the charges being announced but I do not believe it is an arraignment.

3. It is very common (almost universal) for someone to plead not guilty at the initial stage after confessing. Because they need to examine evidence and have psych eval, etc., before intelligent plea discussions can be had.

Almost no one pleads guilty at arraignment and throws themselves on the mercy of the court to let the court sentence them without mitigators being presented and thus as high a sentence as possible. If he just pled guilty at arraignment he could be quickly sentenced to death.

This is just not how any of this works.

Discussions about plea offers will be had between the lawyer and client. A defense attorney cannot advise a client about taking a deal until all the evidence is seen. I mean that would be malpractice.

Mitigating factors come out via evidence exchanged and psych evals. None of that is going to happen before or at arraignment. It's just too soon.

4, They will not offer a formal plea deal at arraignment or on Tuesday. They could maybe have an informal discussion if CW insists he wants it all over with.

 

[SuperTmo]

A few pages back, we were discussing what S.W. probably made a month according to her being in the 80% bracket.

One of you gave a figure after reading the charts that were posted. Did that figure include the percentages she would gain from people she had brought into the company? In other companies similar to this, one gets credit for each person they bring in. I have no idea how much it would be. Does anyone know?

One thing I thought about is all these trips she takes to sales conferences, is she paying for her own expenses such as flight tickets, hotel, and meals? This could really run the CC bills up!!

Of course, she can deduct it off her taxes at year end, but that doesn’t pay those CC bills.

It was mentioned she had an $800.00 monthly car allowance. Wouldn’t that pay her car payment and insurance? She drove a Lexus. What was the company’s rules on distance as to whether to drive or fly? Did she really travel across the United States or only traveled in a specific area / region out west?

From what I’ve read on the LeVel website and on other sellers’websites, she got 20% on all of her sales and then 4% of all of the sales through 8 levels of her down line. That income probably made her a lot! She also would have qualified for an $80k bonus, payable over 14 months, when she hit that $80k level. She also would have got the bonuses at the 40k level and whatever the others lower than 80k were.

She was one of the people doing well with a MLM because she was closer to the top. Everyone keeps saying they were super broke and living beyond their means but really it just seems like they managed their resources poorly.

 

[tlneedham]

Could there have been another reason for the unpaid HOA dues, like an ongoing argument between them and the HOA? “We’re not paying the dues until such and such is done to our yard like you said when we signed the contract” Or something along those lines?

There’s usually language in the HOA agreement stating that this isn’t allowed. But that doesn’t mean that people don’t try.

Did the court filing say for sure it was unpaid dues? Sometimes they’ll levy fees for other things or to fix things you did that were against the rules.

 

[Deleted member 117120]

Interesting. Someone wrote on here how video of him in the background watching his wife as she taped some friends dancing reminded them of how her abusive husband used to stare at her.

Like CW was attracted to her vibrancy but then sullenly began to resent her for it? He couldn't control her. She had something outside of him.

I saw the video. "Flossing". I got what she meant.

Is there a video available to view of this?

 

[katie565]

Ugh his twitter cover pic is him and SW and kids. And why are they Steelers fans? Isn't she from NC via New Jersey and he from NC?

Wow. I didn’t realize he had a Twitter account and it looks like he was on his account Sunday to like a post.

Edited to specify it was Sunday night!

 

[DexterMorgan]

He's going to enter a plea of not guilty. Pretty much everyone does at that stage. There's not enough time to discuss a plea deal. His lawyers are going to command him to do so and explain why.

That does NOT mean there will be a trial.

I have a feeling there won't be.

Also. Most confessed guilty people will plea not guilty because they know that the media and Lawyer visits and the court prep and court visits will stop if they do just simply take the guilty plea on Day1

So they really just plea not guilty just to continue having access to visitors and day trips to the jail library and court before finally getting sent to a locked down prison for life.jmo

 

[SuperTmo]

You folks are fixated on her spending and not his. Plus some act like she was selling snake oil and tricking people to support her lifestyle.

She wasn't a gypsy, card reader folks. Lol. Come on.

I agree! She wasn’t conning people, they could research the patches and decide for themselves.

I feel like there are a lot of posts being judgey about her and her job. I don’t like that, and don’t like the posts that imply that Shanann was hiding bills and default notices and being dishonest with her husband. We have no idea what their circumstances were.

 

[mtnlites]

RSBM

And I am not judging them at all. We have had our financial struggles over the years at times too. I am more looking for a motive for these murders.

My husband hadn't heard of this crime until I told him about it tonight. When I was finished, I said, "You really wouldn't think that someone like that would do such a thing" to which HE replied, "No, you'd think it would be someone like me."

British sarcasm aside, he has a point. The past 10 years have been hard. My husband lost his mother exactly 10 days to the day we buried our youngest son (both were sudden, unexpected deaths). I was diagnosed with a rare disease with no cure and a life expectancy of 42 (I am 38). Our daughter was 8 weeks early and is the only person in our entire state with HER disease-a disease that has kept her in and out of the hospital for 7 years. Medical bills bankrupted us. My husband lost his job at a really bad time. As an only child I have seen 4 heart attacks from my mom and 3 strokes from Dad over the past few years; my husband had to traverse all of that with me. We lost our beautiful new vehicle when an uninsured motorist ran a redlight and when a big rainstorm flooded our downstairs we were left with $35,000 in damages (homeowners didn't cover flooding). Last October I was the victim of ID theft and all my bank accounts were wiped clean. We are still picking up the pieces. During our lowest point several years ago, we had to go on Food Stamps and let me say, few things make you feel worse than sitting in THAT office. And then there is the fact that my husband isn't even from this country-the kids and I are his only form of support here. No drinking buddies, no parents, no cousins to invite us to family reunions.

We have both suffered depression but not once have we wanted to kill each other. In the weeks after our son died we both admitted to wanting to kill OURSELVES, but not the other person. And certainly not the kids.

Whatever was going on in CW's life, I am going to have trouble accepting any outside influence as motive for killing his kids and pregnant wife. This wasn't anyone's fault but his. Many, many people deal with financial burdens and live under the pressures of being SM perfect, but they don't kill their families. Whatever outside things were weighing on him is moot, IMO; emotionally and mentally healthy people with proper coping mechanisms do not kill those around them. And I believe that someone like that, with whatever was building inside, probably didn't need much to give him reason. He probably would have used just about anything as an excuse.

 

[Deleted member 117120]

Wow. I didn’t realize he had a Twitter account and it looks like he was on his account Sunday to like a post.

Can't locate the twitter account do you have a link please?

 

[KALI]

I am envisioning the law enforcement staff tasked with the job of fishing these two children out of crude black oil.
I think that the word "horror" is not enough.
Personally, I would be changed forever.

 

[katie565]

I haven’t heard any official source say that he confessed. I’ve read journalists say that a “police source” (unnamed) has said he has, but no named official source has said this AFAIK. Do you have the name of a LE or DA source?

I’m not saying he didn’t confess. I don’t know whether he did or didn’t. I just know that journalists can get things wrong, even with the best intentions.

I’ll be interested in Monday’s and Tuesday’s hearings for more official facts.

Her brother said he admitted to it and that’s what LE told the family.

 

[Deleted member 117120]

Maybe the cameraman had the wherewithal to zoom in.

At the 6 minute mark it is zoomed in quite close.

 

[DexterMorgan]

I agree! She wasn’t conning people, they could research the patches and decide for themselves.

I feel like there are a lot of posts being judgey about her and her job. I don’t like that, and don’t like the posts that imply that Shanann was hiding bills and default notices and being dishonest with her husband. We have no idea what their circumstances were.

100% agree my friend.

 

[passionflower]

If CW used Thrive and maybe anything else, he will face eithdrawswi?

 

[katie565]

Can't locate the twitter account do you have a link please?

@WattsTastic

 

[bluesneakers]

From what I’ve read on the LeVel website and on other sellers’websites, she got 20% on all of her sales and then 4% of all of the sales through 8 levels of her down line. That income probably made her a lot! She also would have qualified for an $80k bonus, payable over 14 months, when she hit that $80k level. She also would have got the bonuses at the 40k level and whatever the others lower than 80k were.

She was one of the people doing well with a MLM because she was closer to the top. Everyone keeps saying they were super broke and living beyond their means but really it just seems like they managed their resources poorly.

I don't think she was doing as well as she made it appear on SM.

How much does a Promoter make at LE-VEL in the United States?
Average LE-VEL Promoter monthly pay in the United States is approximately $1,748, which is 55% below the national average.
Salary information comes from 127 data points collected directly from employees, users, and past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months.

Le-Vel Brand Promoter Salaries
A Brand Promoter at Le-Vel earns an average of $60,725, ranging from $53,414 at the 25th percentile to $67,092 at the 75th percentile, with top earners (the top 10%) earning more than $74,341. Compensation is derived from 86 profiles, including base salary, equity and bonus.

 

[gitana1]

When someone pleads "not guilty" it doesn't mean they didn't do the alleged acts. People also plead "not guilty" because they have a defense to the charges or they believe there's some element of the crime that the prosecution won't be able to prove. e.g., In a first degree murder case the defendant can try to claim they lacked the mens rea required--they lacked premeditation.

I assume a big part of CW's defense will be to try to knock the charges down to 2nd degree murder/manslaughter.

Prosecutors have until Monday to file charges or release--CW's being held without bond. After that, they have about 2 months to decide whether to seek the death penalty.

If they seek the death penalty, I believe a trial would be mandatory. I don't think a defendant can plead guilty with the punishment being death.

Tuesday will be CW's arraignment hearing. He'll be notified of the specific charges and enter a plea and then either get bond or a bond hearing scheduled. No plea deals happen at arraignment hearings.

I'd guess the prosecutors are going to take as much time to decide on the death penalty thing as they can. Until they decide on that, I doubt any plea bargaining happens.

LE doesn't stop investigating a case b/c someone confesses. They still have to build up all the forensic evidence they can and ancillary witnesses. Confessions get thrown out of court by judges all the time. Heck, could be years later and an appellate court could send the case back for a new trial sans confession.

Excellent post. Yes. In fact I think the judge could and would reject a guilty plea at that stage. Double checking with my law partner who does criminal.

 

[bluesneakers]

I agree! She wasn’t conning people, they could research the patches and decide for themselves.

I feel like there are a lot of posts being judgey about her and her job. I don’t like that, and don’t like the posts that imply that Shanann was hiding bills and default notices and being dishonest with her husband. We have no idea what their circumstances were.

I don't know anything about her hiding bills or who was responsible for the family's finances, but MLMs are pyramid schemes and it's sad to see people sucked into them. People fall for the con and end up in so deep all they can do is to con others.