GUILTY CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *CW LWOP* #67

[BioInspector]

The very fact that he texted NAU "Do not call the police" shows that he was not done carrying out his plan yet.

 

[1mtroyal]

As to Chris parking the Lexis away from his drive when Shanann was away, and away from Nichol's doorstep when he was visiting her, there is a pattern here. I imagine he parked it away from Nichol's driveway because he did not know where all the cameras were and just to be safe, did not want any cameras showing her Alexis parked in front of Nichol's door. As to why he parked the Alexis away from his own driveway when Shanann was gone, it was probably the same reason (did not want it on camera sitting on the driveway). And then there is the negative psychology (Shanann wanted the Lexis to remain always in the garage," she is gone, I think I will do as I please and park it outside, I'll show her)."

 

[NuttMegg]

As to Chris parking the Lexis away from his drive when Shanann was away, and away from Nichol's doorstep when he was visiting her, there is a pattern here. I imagine he parked it away from Nichol's driveway because he did not know where all the cameras were and just to be safe, did not want any cameras showing her Alexis parked in front of Nichol's door. As to why he parked the Alexis away from his own driveway when Shanann was gone, it was probably the same reason (did not want it on camera sitting on the driveway). And then there is the negative psychology (Shanann wanted the Lexis to remain always in the garage," she is gone, I think I will do as I please and park it outside, I'll show her)."

And maybe just establishing an erratic pattern of where the lexus was at any time, to lessen attention paid by neighbors to its location while he figured out how to get rid of it when he finally made his move. He must have done some switching of car/truck as he was spending nights with nk soon after SW went to NC. Iirc she left on june 26, and cw was texting nk on 29 june about sleeping with her. Iirc it was at her place. Had he already, at the end of June, mentioned to his boss that the company truck might be parked away from his own home from time to time?

 

[mickey2942]

I wonder if NK is in contact with CW since he has been in prison.

 

[Pasasana]

Man....just getting caught back up with this. The fixation on and demeaning accusations about NK is out of hand and shocking.

Over 50% of marriages fail and infidelity from both genders is a leading cause. Using those numbers a decent percentage of any group, including right here on WS, is going to have those who were unfaithful and it led to divorce. Lets not pretend her conduct was shocking. Millions do it yearly, it just doesn't end up tragic like this.

I don't find her conduct in having an affair shocking. What gives me puse are her actions and demeanor in the aftermath.

 

[Pasasana]

Why make it easier for those who monetize teaching how to fool the test... How to Beat a Polygraph Test

I wonder if he had passed the test, would LE have told him he failed anyway? I mean they knew he did it, and once he knew that he'd failed the (partial) truth came out.

 

[NuttMegg]

I wonder if he had passed the test, would LE have told him he failed anyway? I mean they knew he did it, and once he knew that he'd failed the (partial) truth came out.

idk. If they thought he was going to pass they might not have been so ready to give him the test. I think he was ready to break anyway Too stupid to say I want a lawyer.

 

[Jessthinkin]

Excellent points BioInspector. Welcome to WS!

I never thought of that before - brilliant - he likely didn't have a garage opener in the truck because he never parked it in the garage, and not only that, Shanann didn't like him using the garage door because it would wake up the children.

Interesting. He never needed the garage door opener, but he needed it that morning, to close the garage door after loading up his truck.

 

[Pasasana]

Hi, I found this site due to my recent interest in this case via youtube, and just joined up to throw my two cents in.

Most likely the plan also involved the garage opener which it seems like he took with him and was one of the objects he was holding when he first pulled back up to the house (after rummaging through the passenger side of his truck quickly), shook the policeman's hand, and then rushed to dump into the white SUV (passenger side) inside the garage before even going into his house. I recall among many inane details he stressed to the officer was that you can't close that garage door from outside without the device. The officers at one point noted in their records that they tested whether a person could have closed the garage door from the inside and had enough time to slip out before the door closed (thereby not needing to take the device with them). They confirmed that was indeed possible.
It becomes clear to me that his plan involved some variation of the fact that the garage door opener/closer was missing (and probably that lexus too) along with his wife. Ie, she used that device and exited the house, as she informed him she would to go to a friend's house with the kids, while his alert system was supposedly not working (It says I left the garage door open, but NUA found it closed, see officer?).
Why would he have brought back the device and planted it back in the SUV? Well because he probably realized how dumb it would look for his story of someone walking out on foot and hanging onto a garage door opener, as opposed to taking off in a car? I don't know exactly.

Maybe he was also planning to carefully curate and delete things from her phone before dumping it as well. Why do you think he turned it off and hid it in the couch cushions? Remember it was NUA's son who found it initially, and only then he grabbed it and announced to the officer we found her phone (likely overcompensating as he instinctively knew that was some evidence that would circumstantially point to his guilt - why wouldn't she have taken her phone with her to her "friend")

I seem to get the impression from people who diagnose these psychopaths from afar that they are super intelligent and careful planners, but it's clear that CW isn't very bright. And occam's razor would dictate that most or all of his blunders in terms of thinking he could get away with this and also failing to get away with this, are easily explained by that fact.

Great points. Personally, I don't think he's a psychopath. They tend to be good at lying, and we all know he can't lie to save his life. Literally. MOO. As a couch therapist.

 

[book-thinker]

Was CW planning on leaving work early August 13, knowing evidence needed to be destroyed, he underestimated Shannon's friends. Nickole Atkinson's concerned over Shannon's health, CW's lack of concern, subsequently calling 911.
I cringe thinking if Nickole Atkinson hadn't called 911, would this have turned out any different, I believe LE would have caught on fast to CW.
Had he planned contacting family and friends, giving the impression Shannon had enough of the marriage and left him.
I recall CW talking to his family about divorce before the murders. He was setting the scene. However her plane arrived later than expected , Nickole dropped her off at home nearer 2:00am. This changed his timeline, destroyed all remaining evidence after work.

The narcissist, believed he was smarter than LE. He is now living the rest of life behind bars.

 

[molly1255]

Very good. If he didn't have a plan for/with the Lexus, how could he explain how she left?

He couldn't explain how she left. I imagine he had to have a plan to get rid of the Lexus, Shanann's cell phone, etc. and was probably going to do that after he got home from work on Monday.

If NUA hadn't called the police and CW had managed to move the Lexus, the neighbor's security cam would have shown when the Lexus left the garage. I don't think it would have taken LE very long to figure out that no one had been able to reach Shanann on Monday, she missed her doctor's appointment, and the girls weren't in school. In fact, CW himself had called the school that morning.

CW also had a big problem at the Cervi work site with Shanann's grave. LE would have been out there searching because CW was person of interest #1 and they would have found the grave.

I also think LE would have discovered the affair and it appears they were working on this as security at CW's employer had gone through work emails and provided LE with NK's name as a possible affair partner before NK contacted LE.

He made a lot of mistakes, and fortunately he did and he couldn't overcome them. I do think he thought he was going to get away with it, and even when he realized his mistakes, he still kept lying and insisting he didn't know where they were. As someone pointed out, CW thought he was the smartest guy in the room.

 

[FlossiePotts]

He couldn't explain how she left. I imagine he had to have a plan to get rid of the Lexus, Shanann's cell phone, etc. and was probably going to do that after he got home from work on Monday.

If NUA hadn't called the police and CW had managed to move the Lexus, the neighbor's security cam would have shown when the Lexus left the garage. I don't think it would have taken LE very long to figure out that no one had been able to reach Shanann on Monday, she missed her doctor's appointment, and the girls weren't in school. In fact, CW himself had called the school that morning.

CW also had a big problem at the Cervi work site with Shanann's grave. LE would have been out there searching because CW was person of interest #1 and they would have found the grave.

I also think LE would have discovered the affair and it appears they were working on this as security at CW's employer had gone through work emails and provided LE with NK's name as a possible affair partner before NK contacted LE.

He made a lot of mistakes, and fortunately he did and he couldn't overcome them. I do think he thought he was going to get away with it, and even when he realized his mistakes, he still kept lying and insisting he didn't know where they were. As someone pointed out, CW thought he was the smartest guy in the room.

I really think that when they hadn't come for him on the Monday night, that he was home free.

 

[molly1255]

I really think that when they hadn't come for him on the Monday night, that he was home free.

I don't think LE would have just let him off the hook when his pregnant wife and two little girls were missing. Shanann had no way of getting money to survive (her purse was at the house), multiple LE agencies were involved and it was extremely suspicious.

CW was always going to be person of interest #1. He was the husband and he had a motive - the affair. LE had the name of NK by Wednesday, before NK contacted them. The Cervi work site would have been searched by LE because it was established that CW had been there that morning and LE would have been tracing everything he had done in recent days.

There's also the neighbor's security video showing CW was the only one who left the house via the garage on Monday and no one was able to reach Shanann on Monday, plus her numerous friends making statements of what Shanann had told them about CW's behavior.

Even if he had managed to move Shanann's body to another location before it was searched by LE, he would not have been able to disguise there had been a grave there, as there would be signs the earth had been disturbed.

A decomposing body in a primary grave site (all stages of decomposition) leaves mitochondrial dna in the soil. It very likely would not have been necessary to discover Shanann's body to make a determination she was deceased and had initially been buried in that grave.

JMO, all that would have been needed would be soil samples from the grave site and a sample of Shanann's mother's dna to make a definitive match. With multiple LE agencies involved, including the FBI, I believe they would have done exactly that.

JMO

 

[FlossiePotts]

I don't think LE would have just let him off the hook when his pregnant wife and two little girls were missing. Shanann had no way of getting money to survive (her purse was at the house), multiple LE agencies were involved and it was extremely suspicious.

CW was always going to be person of interest #1. He was the husband and he had a motive - the affair. LE had the name of NK by Wednesday, before NK contacted them. The Cervi work site would have been searched by LE because it was established that CW had been there that morning and LE would have been tracing everything he had done in recent days.

There's also the neighbor's security video showing CW was the only one who left the house via the garage on Monday and no one was able to reach Shanann on Monday, plus her numerous friends making statements of what Shanann had told them about CW's behavior.

Even if he had managed to move Shanann's body to another location before it was searched by LE, he would not have been able to disguise there had been a grave there, as there would be signs the earth had been disturbed.

A decomposing body in a primary grave site (all stages of decomposition) leaves mitochondrial dna in the soil. It very likely would not have been necessary to discover Shanann's body to make a determination she was deceased and had initially been buried in that grave.

JMO, all that would have been needed would be soil samples from the grave site and a sample of Shanann's mother's dna to make a definitive match. With multiple LE agencies involved, including the FBI, I believe they would have done exactly that.

JMO

Oh no, I am sure that LE did not let him off the hook, but I am sure that he thought that they had. Moo

 

[CrimeAddict]

I wonder if NK is in contact with CW since he has been in prison.

Good question- I doubt it. I have heard she has defamation lawyer and is red flagging everyone on YouTube talking about her. There are a ton of sites set up and charge.org as well to try to go after her. If she was to contact him, it would make her look worse!

 

[mickey2942]

I really think that when they hadn't come for him on the Monday night, that he was home free.

Meanwhile, LEO was working around the clock building a case against him.

 

[CrimeAddict]

Oh no, I am sure that LE did not let him off the hook, but I am sure that he thought that they had. Moo

Yep what an idiot for him to think people would just brush it all off and say oh ya they are just gone,everyone move along with their lives because I have... like one of those dumb criminal shows..

 

[ray9898]

I don't find her conduct in having an affair shocking. What gives me puse are her actions and demeanor in the aftermath.

I see the demeanor of someone unwillingly thrust into the national spotlight in a tragedy of epic proportions.

It is easy to rationalize how you think someone else should act with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, not so much when it is you who is involved as it is unfolds in the shock of the moment.

 

[ray9898]

He couldn't explain how she left. I imagine he had to have a plan to get rid of the Lexus, Shanann's cell phone, etc. and was probably going to do that after he got home from work on Monday.

If NUA hadn't called the police and CW had managed to move the Lexus, the neighbor's security cam would have shown when the Lexus left the garage. I don't think it would have taken LE very long to figure out that no one had been able to reach Shanann on Monday, she missed her doctor's appointment, and the girls weren't in school. In fact, CW himself had called the school that morning.

CW also had a big problem at the Cervi work site with Shanann's grave. LE would have been out there searching because CW was person of interest #1 and they would have found the grave.

I also think LE would have discovered the affair and it appears they were working on this as security at CW's employer had gone through work emails and provided LE with NK's name as a possible affair partner before NK contacted LE.

He made a lot of mistakes, and fortunately he did and he couldn't overcome them. I do think he thought he was going to get away with it, and even when he realized his mistakes, he still kept lying and insisting he didn't know where they were. As someone pointed out, CW thought he was the smartest guy in the room.

To me all this shows disorganization and panic. I know it is popular on here to claim he was unintelligent but he wasn't. You don't graduate from a pretty intense technical school for mechanics, become a Ford Master Mechanic or gain the nickname of 'Rainman' from your oil field co-workers by being an idiot.

He made many mistakes that seem dumb on their own but I attribute many to being blunders made in a panic and some because he was unable to finish with his cover up. His plan was cut short when LE became involved early and he had to play the hand he was dealt which wasn't a very good one.

 

[laurvelous]

That's a really good question - why did CW park Shanann's Lexus outside when she was in NC, per the neighbor? No one parks a luxury car like that on the street at night.

None of it makes any sense, and I do think he had some plan for Shanann's Lexus - he needed to have a plan in order to make his story work - that Shanann took the girls and left.

Also agree and I've never bought NK's story that she wasn't on social media. I believe she deleted her accounts. She does have a motor mouth she thought she was clever by deleting her texts, but as you said, she spilled the beans on herself in terms of just how involved she was with CW. If I was her, I'd be so ashamed, humiliated and disgusted with myself, I'd dig a hole and stick my head in it.

JMO

I think NK was likely over at the house more than twice, and parked in the garage. He moved the Lexus out to the street, so she could pull into the garage without her car being seen by neighbors, and she could enter the home without being caught on the Ring doorbell camera, which I am sure Shanann had access to view as well (we have one, and both hubby and I have the app on our phones and can view the camera when there is motion or someone rings the doorbell)

ETA: I bet the neighbor's cam could have confirmed whether this was the case, but LE didn't seem as interested in verifying her statements as I would have imagined...