Found Deceased CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *Arrest* #44

[LittleFleurDeLys]

It bothers me as I felt doctor’s offices were reliable on not releasing information.

Perhaps it depends on the situation itself. If you tell the assistans that your friend felt very sick last night /in the morning hours and your weren't able to reach her since than, maybe they would give out that information even if that wasn't allowed? But maybe they had just an appointment at the praxis and Shannan didn't show up. Nicole tried to write or later called her and she didn't pick up. But how important to the case is this?

 

[Mrspratcher]

Shanann Watts' father Frank Rzucek, pictured here reading a prepared statement in August, in September was named personal representative of his daughter's estate. Shanann Watts did not have a will prepared at the time of her death.

In Colorado, the slayer statute would prevent Christopher Watts from benefitting from his wife's estate if he is convicted in her murder. But, if he is found not guilty, his wife's family still has legal options it could pursue against him.

Shanann Watts' family could secure estate with slayer statute, or civil lawsuit if no conviction

And if CW is found civilly responsible (preponderance of the evidence standard), CW would also be barred from benefiting from SW's estate per the CO Slayer Statute.

 

[NuttMegg]

How did her friend know SW did not go to the doctor appt? Can people call a doctor’s office and ask about someone?

Maybe the DR office called Nikole to tell her that her dear friend had not arrived, wondering where she was. No Dr office wants appointments to stay unfilled.

 

[NuttMegg]

I am curious. Even when you go to a hotel, they will not tell you if a person is registered there.

Is it standard practice to tell if a person is at a doctor’s office?

What difference would it make? He murdered her before she could go, and only NUA stopped him from executing his plan, that she ran away, freeing him to hook up with one of his APS and to sell the house and keep the profit.

 

[NuttMegg]

It bothers me as I felt doctor’s offices were reliable on not releasing information.

Would it had been better if NUA hadn't learned that SW didn't show up for the Dr appointment? Then, maybe CW would have gotten away with cold blooded murder for a longer time?

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Hearing For Chris Watts, Man Accused Of Murdering Wife, Children, Moved Up

A spokesperson for the Weld County District Attorney’s Office said Watts would appear on Election Day, Nov. 6, instead of the previously scheduled Nov. 19 court date.

 

[Thepoet]

I'm curious how many here feel this case will actually go to trial? IMO CW is a coward and won't be able to go the distance. I've had a gut feeling, since the day that he was arrested, that he would either kill himself or take a plea. I believe his self image is very important to him and he might take a plea if he could mitigate damage to that image. I also believe that attorneys are required, by ethics, to be honest with their clients. If so, they should have told him how dire things are for him. Finally, I think his family may not want a trial!

So, will it go the distance?

 

[GoneGoldfishin']

This site says the extremities will turn blue within 8-12 hours. http://www.memorialpages.co.uk/articles/decomposition.php

By my reckoning if he saw Bella blue she had died at around 8-9pm. Maybe he will wish to recant that detail!

IME, if he saw Bella blue, it was while she was still alive as he was strangling her. I have a child with a severe seizure disorder, and during those seizures his lips will turn blue/purple, which spreads to his chin and cheeks from anoxia. Once the spasms stop wracking his body and he is able to take a breath, he flushes pink. If a person could not get that breath of oxygen, he or she would not remain blue, but turn white/pale after death. CW would have only seen that blue during the strangulation. Now if he would have said he saw CeCe blue, while she was supposedly being strangled by SW, that would have been more accurate. But he didn't, because it was an entirely fabricated story. So yes, he may want to recant that little detail! MOO.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Not usually. They would request a bond hearing.

Do some defendants purposely waive an arraignment so that the information that the prosecution has is not distributed in mainstream Media or to the public?. Just to keep it quiet. If I recall correctly that is the step where the prosecution has to lay out some of the evidence. But if is waived, it never comes out at all? How can they move to preliminary hearings, which only discusses timing for the court case, without having an arraignment at all. I guess that's the point of waiving it?

ETA. Corrected to the terminology of arraignment

 

[NuttMegg]

I'm curious how many here feel this case will actually go to trial? IMO CW is a coward and won't be able to go the distance. I've had a gut feeling, since the day that he was arrested, that he would either kill himself or take a plea. I believe his self image is very important to him and he might take a plea if he could mitigate damage to that image. I also believe that attorneys are required, by ethics, to be honest with their clients. If so, they should have told him how dire things are for him. Finally, I think his family may not want a trial!

So, will it go the distance?

If I were his family I would want a plea. But like others here have mentioned, I sure don't want the state to accept a plea for his killing just Shan'nan and her fetus.
I wonder if he can use this hearing to recant his confession? (In my next life I am going to law school)

 

[mickey2942]

I'm curious how many here feel this case will actually go to trial? IMO CW is a coward and won't be able to go the distance. I've had a gut feeling, since the day that he was arrested, that he would either kill himself or take a plea. I believe his self image is very important to him and he might take a plea if he could mitigate damage to that image. I also believe that attorneys are required, by ethics, to be honest with their clients. If so, they should have told him how dire things are for him. Finally, I think his family may not want a trial!

So, will it go the distance?

For all involved, he would be best served to take a deal. But the element of publicity for the DA's office is more than likely irresistible, he may not be offered one. This is a sensational case, lots of cameras. Unlikely to occur again in Weld county. And the economic boon to the area is also a factor. Hotels, restaurants, other businesses benefit from out of town news people.

This trial will go the distance, and is unlikely to be fast tracked, they will want every opportunity to benefit from the trial. Cynical yes. And probably very realistic.

 

[Thepoet]

For all involved, he would be best served to take a deal. But the element of publicity for the DA's office is more than likely irresistible, he may not be offered one. This is a sensational case, lots of cameras. Unlikely to occur again in Weld county. And the economic boon to the area is also a factor. Hotels, restaurants, other businesses benefit from out of town news people.

This trial will go the distance, and is unlikely to be fast tracked, they will want every opportunity to benefit from the trial. Cynical yes. And probably very realistic.

Very good points. Thanks.

 

[Thepoet]

If I were his family I would want a plea. But like others here have mentioned, I sure don't want the state to accept a plea for his killing just Shan'nan and her fetus.
I wonder if he can use this hearing to recant his confession? (In my next life I am going to law school)

Lol! Me too!

 

[Tortoise]

IME, if he saw Bella blue, it was while she was still alive as he was strangling her. I have a child with a severe seizure disorder, and during those seizures his lips will turn blue/purple, which spreads to his chin and cheeks from anoxia. Once the spasms stop wracking his body and he is able to take a breath, he flushes pink. If a person could not get that breath of oxygen, he or she would not remain blue, but turn white/pale after death. CW would have only seen that blue during the strangulation. Now if he would have said he saw CeCe blue, while she was supposedly being strangled by SW, that would have been more accurate. But he didn't, because it was an entirely fabricated story. So yes, he may want to recant that little detail! MOO.

Excellent information. Thank you!

His goose is cooked!

 

[Thepoet]

For all involved, he would be best served to take a deal. But the element of publicity for the DA's office is more than likely irresistible, he may not be offered one. This is a sensational case, lots of cameras. Unlikely to occur again in Weld county. And the economic boon to the area is also a factor. Hotels, restaurants, other businesses benefit from out of town news people.

This trial will go the distance, and is unlikely to be fast tracked, they will want every opportunity to benefit from the trial. Cynical yes. And probably very realistic.

While all you say is true, the economic boon to the area will be offset by the cost of prosecuting this case, costs the DA will be aware of and might want to avoid.

 

[Breesee03]

How did her friend know SW did not go to the doctor appt? Can people call a doctor’s office and ask about someone?

I read conflicting articles that either said her friend was supposed to take her to the appt or watch the girls. When SW didn’t answer her calls she went over there and that’s when the s**t hit the fan.

 

[Breesee03]

Welcome Breesee03

Thank you! Took a long time to catch up on the discussion and hopefully I can keep up!

 

[Thepoet]

I read conflicting articles that either said her friend was supposed to take her to the appt or watch the girls. When SW didn’t answer her calls she went over there and that’s when the s**t hit the fan.

In regards to when NUA "went over there"; I've thought about that a number of times and wondered if NUA risked her life with her persistence? What if LE hadn't been there when CW arrived? Would we have ended up with a scenario where SW and NUA disappeared with their kids? NUA interrupted home intruders who kidnapped everyone? NUA is a brave woman and a great friend and definitely a game-changer!

 

[BabyButterfly]

Testimony from Shannan straight to her best friend who thankfully foiled FA CW's plan. OP by @PrimeSuspect Sorry, having a system issue quoting your very relevant post. Thanks for posting. All jmo

Nickole Atkinson, the friend of Shanann’s who called police when Shanann didn’t arrive to her doctor’s appointment, said she immediately knew something was wrong.


“I knew [Chris Watts] had something to do with it the day I was at his house with him, but I didn’t want to think that,” Nickole Atkinson told ABC News.
“Anyone in their right mind will start piecing things together and think something had happened, but you don’t want to go there. You want to believe the best in people,” she added.
Atkinson said the two had been having problems for several weeks prior to Shanann’s death. She said Shanann told her that Chris was not acting himself during a recent trip to North Carolina.
“She texted me and said she was going to need a friend now more than ever when she got back,” Atkinson said. “He wasn’t being the loving Chris that he normally was. He wasn’t touching or hugging or doing stuff like that. And he wasn’t being as attentive to the girls as he normally is.”

Edited to add: We do have insight to his behavior. I believe Shanann. And I believe CW to be the murderous liar he has proven himself to be.

I have a question. Does anyone know when NA received that text saying SW would need her more than ever (or whatever it said)? They had just spent the whole weekend together, did SW text her after she went in the house?

 

[gregjrichards]

I'm curious how many here feel this case will actually go to trial? IMO CW is a coward and won't be able to go the distance. I've had a gut feeling, since the day that he was arrested, that he would either kill himself or take a plea. I believe his self image is very important to him and he might take a plea if he could mitigate damage to that image. I also believe that attorneys are required, by ethics, to be honest with their clients. If so, they should have told him how dire things are for him. Finally, I think his family may not want a trial!

So, will it go the distance?

I think he will go to trial and at least try and hang himself once convicted. He will go through the motions of the trial protesting his innocence playing the role of the grieving father until all hope is lost. He would be wise to just take a plea of life without parole to avoid bankrupting his parents.