Found Deceased CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *Arrest* #41

[MsBetsy]

That’s the argument -
The statute says the custodian of records has to make the request... the coroner is the official custodian of autopsy records.

Despite any liberal interpretation of the word “custodian”, the coroner would be the one receiving the FOI requests for the autopsy report and therefore the one with the statutory duty to disclose them - unless and until the court orders the documents sealed.

Ok, thanks... all this legal stuff gets confusing to me.

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

Love the defense snark. Lol. Sounds like the defense feels the state's motion is the pot calling the kettle black. Per the defense the state either enabled or don't care about leaks that make the defendant look bad but they care about the autopsy report hurting their client?

They have a point.

And they're fishing for info on state witnesses that may be tainted by release of the autopsy.

In any event, all of this lines up with that sweet bit of what I feel is pure PR leaked yesterday about poor CW in his cell, staring longingly at his dead children and the woman he claims murdered them.

Defense is on fire.

Like a dumpster.

 

[JudgeJudi]

@mtnlites

RSBM

“They were basically jumping on this one just hours after someone last saw her, at a time when it could have been possible that she really did just take the kids and go off with some friends. I really want to know what the smoking gun was for them-did NUA confide in them with some info that we don't have yet (I am assuming so), …did CW come off even shadier to them than he did to us in his interviews, etc.”

Smoking gun? More like a canon that had just gone KA-BOOM.

NUA rang LE on Monday because she felt something wasn’t right. I believe she was totally responsible for drawing their attention to the fact that something was very wrong and she feared for SW’s safety.

She told LE that SW wasn’t responding to phone calls or text messages.

She told LE that SW was 15 weeks pregnant and had missed her doctor appointment.

She told LE that the car was in the garage together with the children’s car seats.

She told LE the house was locked but there was also a latch on the front door which was only ever used to stop the children getting out.

With the house completely locked, it was impossible for them to leave whether by their own accord or if they’d been abducted.

She would have told LE that SW had mentioned the possibility of an affair.

She would have told LE that CW told her that morning that they were separating.

Once inside, they found the bed had been stripped and the bedding was on the floor.

The children’s beds were unmade and their blankets missing.

She told them SW was meticulous and would never have left the house with the bedrooms like that.

LE found her phone between the cushions and NUA told them SW was never without it, ever.

Her purse, wallet, keys and the children’s medications were in the house.

A neighbour who goes to the gym every day said his car was idling on the driveway at 5:15 and she’d never seen him leave at that time before.

CW told NUA she was going to a friend’s house that day but he didn’t know who the friend was.

CW told Officer Conrood that he woke up at 5:00 and less than an hour later told Det. Baumhover that he woke up at 4:00.

A neighbourhood canvas was conducted for several hours later that evening by patrol and a check well-being BOLO was initiated through dispatch.

I’d say that’s one heck of a lot to fire off an investigation with on day 1.

 

[PommyMommy]

I'm a little confused, was SW buried in the grassy area? Was it disturbed further by LE vehicles because the area looks quite large, just too obvious.

That is my understanding. And yes, it had to be disturbed further to excavate (ugh, for lack of better term) the body. I wouldn't think there were vehicles present in the immediate grave area, however.
MOO

 

[WildWest]

I'm a little confused, was SW buried in the grassy area? Was it disturbed further by LE vehicles because the area looks quite large, just too obvious.

Good point, I "assumed" it was the cleared area in the brush (grassy), the very right of the screen at -10:27.

 

[human]

Detect means to discover or identify the presence of. Edited to add, the affidavit says, "The drone search also revealed fresh movement of dirt consistent with a clandestine grave near the oil tanks." Hope that helps..

That makes more sense. Detected to me meant some kind of sensor, perhaps.

 

[katydid23]

How soon would any paramedics arrive?

Probably in less time than it took to strangle his wife.

 

[Thepoet]

In regards to the GPS, it's easy to forget it's there. You drive a vehicle every day, in his case probably for hours, and it would be easy to not think about it. Also, some company vehicles have more than one system.

IMHO once he began his horrible acts, he was in a zone, he concentrated on things he was doing and had planned to do. He was mindful of the time. That is one reason he overlooked things, like a sheet, and why interference, like NUA, tripped him up.

 

[JudgeJudi]

<modsnip - the quote button should be used, not the tag feature, when replying directly to another poster>

“The phrase “pregnant wife” includes the fetus. I have stated I feel his actions afterwards were an attempt to cover up his crime. The phrase “pregnant wife” includes the fetus. I have stated I feel his actions afterwards were an attempt to cover up his crime”.

How does that differ from his actions after the toddlers were murdered? He secreted their bodies in separate oil tanks where they could have remained hidden for months, even years, in an attempt to cover up his heinous crime.

 

[gitana1]

Like a dumpster.

Oh I think they're doing a great job.

The timing of that precious bit of PR about poor, sweet Chris reading the Bible and staring at his dead family, being released just before their angry motion response in which they basically throw up their hands (it's coming out anyhow) and call out the state for enabling leaking that makes the golden boy look bad, while claiming to care about his rights?

Perfect.

They don't have much to work with but they're working it well.

As a litigator I've got to give credit where credit is due.

 

[Deleted member 229974]

It seems quite evident that the ground was disturbed and would have been easily detected with a drone, whether there was a sheet left there or not. MOO

ETA: For anyone who missed the video Marli61 linked upthread:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=236239767095042

Geez, talk about the middle of no where! If he had used a vehicle other than his company work truck, he might have might have gotten away with this.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

To me, it reveals a lot about how he felt about his 'loved ones.' Thank the Lord that I have never had a deceased child to discuss here. But I do remember clearly, how it felt when my Father died at home, in hospice care. We knew it was coming and we were relieved for him. It was time.

But we all treated his body with love and respect. I could NEVER have twisted or contorted him as we were moving him out. It was quite the opposite. Candles were lit for him, and we all held hands in a circle and said our last words to him, and cried softly, and gave him a last hug and kiss.

So when I hear about how this supposedly loving father disposed of his girls, it makes me sick. I treated my dead cat better than he treated his daughters.

I hope, and believe, that if this goes to trial that the prosecution will take a lot of time on this aspect to have the jurors have a mindset for this.

 

[katydid23]

Watch her kill and go call 911?

He had a PANIC BUTTON on the alarm system. He could have pushed that button in a split second.

And he didn't have to watch her kill...he was much stronger than she was. He could have thrown her out of the room, and then begun CPR, and screamed loud for help from neighbors. He could have knocked her out, and called 911, or any number of other options.

 

[Jennifer17]

@MerryB

“The phrase “pregnant wife” includes the fetus. I have stated I feel his actions afterwards were an attempt to cover up his crime. The phrase “pregnant wife” includes the fetus. I have stated I feel his actions afterwards were an attempt to cover up his crime”.

How does that differ from his actions after the toddlers were murdered? He secreted their bodies in separate oil tanks where they could have remained hidden for months, even years, in an attempt to cover up his heinous crime.

It will be very interesting to see what he said to LE that morning before he was confronted with the evidence and straight after it.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

You guys are forgetting his rights have been "wrecked" because people just don't get him. He's not a monster, he's just misunderstood.

I'm trying to remember, but others here will probably know the name, but there was a media person with the Jodi Arias trial who was definitely Pro defense. He wrote stuff all the time within his media outlet that was pro-defense. I'm thinking the People Magazine person who keeps writing is also pro-defense.

Analogous to the Jodi media person.

 

[human]

He had a PANIC BUTTON on the alarm system. He could have pushed that button in a split second.

And he didn't have to watch her kill...he was much stronger than she was. He could have thrown her out of the room, and then begun CPR, and screamed loud for help from neighbors. He could have knocked her out, and called 911, or any number of other options.

Where is the alarm system located with a panic button?

 

[Tippy Lynn]

You guys are forgetting his rights have been "wrecked" because people just don't get him. He's not a monster, he's just misunderstood.

Is that your opinion or was that stated somewhere?

 

[Thepoet]

If there are sensors on the tanks to monitor a rise or fall in volume and he put one girl in each tank to limit the change in volume and avoid setting off alarms; that could be premeditation. He had certain knowledge and used it in planning the crime.

 

[katydid23]

Where is the alarm system located with a panic button?

There is one on the main key pad. But there may be other ones as well, I am not sure.

 

[Lorelei1]

@MerryB

“The phrase “pregnant wife” includes the fetus. I have stated I feel his actions afterwards were an attempt to cover up his crime. The phrase “pregnant wife” includes the fetus. I have stated I feel his actions afterwards were an attempt to cover up his crime”.

How does that differ from his actions after the toddlers were murdered? He secreted their bodies in separate oil tanks where they could have remained hidden for months, even years, in an attempt to cover up his heinous crime.

IMO, I’m wondering if he’d been working on a story for the day the girls’ bodies might eventually be found. I’m assuming one day they’d find some trace of evidence? How could he expect to get himself out of that since he worked there? Was he thinking of removing the bodies at some point in the future, maybe when the tanks were nearly empty? Could he have been working on a story to blame a co-worker, maybe even the AP if they were no longer together?