Found Deceased CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *CW GUILTY* #46

[MassGuy]

Can someone point me in the direction of the meanings of the abbreviations used in this forum? Example: BBM
Thanks so much!

Websleuths Lingo

 

[Mo Thuairim]

I wonder why I can't open these pdf's from the court, none of them, throughout the whole several months. Any way to read them aside from pdf form? What would the url be to see something on the court site? The url without the .pdf doesn't work either.

Here are jpeg versions of the waiver and plea documents. You should be able to open them...

 

[Zella]

I don’t know about “turn on him,” but perhaps some of them came to the realization that he really did do this.

That would have been because of his guilty plea, and not because they were privy to evidence though.

Thank you! Yes, that's better phrasing.

One of my great-grandmother's brothers killed his family back in the 80s. There was a pretty deep divide in the family between those who wanted to believe he was somehow innocent or not responsible and those (like my great-grandmother) who believed he was guilty and deserved no mercy, regardless of their blood ties. I can see how CW's family would go from desperately wanting to believe he couldn't have done this to realizing that he actually did.

 

[Zella]

Can someone point me in the direction of the meanings of the abbreviations used in this forum? Example: BBM
Thanks so much!

Bolded by me.

 

[Deleted member 182072]

Thanks, I knew I wasn't dreaming that discussion. I wonder if he knew, or if maybe he even bragged about it to someone else.

We do know it was at the forefront of his mind after he murdered his family because he told the Thayers he wanted to sell the house the day after. And even though they were behind on their HOA dues, there is no record that they were behind on their mortgage.

 

[Melsworld]

Websleuths Lingo

Thank you Mass!

 

[NuttMegg]

I don’t know about “turn on him,” but perhaps some of them came to the realization that he really did do this.

That would have been because of his guilty plea, and not because they were privy to evidence though.

I'm not so sure about that last sentence, but we'll never know unless, well unless his private discussions before the affidavit are disclosed.
But that twitter site posted here yesterday, the one which was tweeting often from inside the courtroom, mentioned that his family was very upset and weeping, but Shan'ann's family was dry eyed and stoic, paraphrased. I took that to mean, from my POV, that probably his family had just learned about his guilt. And that her family has had 3 months to digest their own grief.

 

[NuttMegg]

We do know it was at the forefront of his mind after he murdered his family because he told the Thayers he wanted to sell the house the day after. And even though they were behind on their HOA dues, there is no record that they were behind on their mortgage.

Would be very interesting to hear from any witnesses whom he had told about the worth of the house before he killed the family. That could even be the "partial motive".

 

[Serena Angelique]

I don’t know about “turn on him,” but perhaps some of them came to the realization that he really did do this.

That would have been because of his guilty plea, and not because they were privy to evidence though.

I am just relieved that he came clean but I doubt his family putting pressure on him had anything to do with it. I assume that some of his family members wanted to buy his cockamamie story-denial is a natural response when the unthinkable has taken place.

It has always been crystal clear to me who was responsible for their deaths. It was the last man standing who had lied several times and changed his story several times. I tend to think the details are much worse than we can fathom and once they came out it would have made him look even worse (aka the autopsy reports). Therefore he’s not willing to put his neck on the line with a trial that only proves what a jerk he is. The fact that he tried to pin the girls’ deaths on Shanann is still horrific. He added insult to injury by potentially sullying her credibility when he and he alone is responsible.

Will the autopsy results be released after he is sentenced later this month now?

 

[nwmouse]

On another level I must say I was hugely annoyed reading reports and watching the press conference. When I heard the defence had made the approach for a plea I just felt it was yet again Watts trying to control the situation. He was willing to admit what he had done and clear Shanann's name on condition of him being granted his requests. What a truly selfish person he is. It reminded me of early news reports where it was said he agreed to tell police what happened if he could speak to his father first - that shows the true person he is, clearly selfish and self absorbed.

SBM
BBM
It shows that CW is highly manipulative, and his "Mr Nice Guy" act was also a part of his manipulative tactics.
All he ever thought of were his own selfish needs.
To the point of him deciding to DESTROY his family by murdering them, in order to fulfill his own disgusting self-gratification.
I DO think it was premeditated.
I do think he's a weak, cruel, despicable monster.
MOO

 

[Serena Angelique]

Would be very interesting to hear from any witnesses who knew about the worth of the house before he killed the family. That could even be the "partial motive".

The Thayer family had mentioned that he had talked about selling the house when he stayed with them even though it seemed an odd thing to be discussing while they were supposedly “missing”—it was one of the things that made them contact the police when they wanted to say there was something amiss with his behavior.

 

[MassGuy]

I am just relieved that he came clean but I doubt his family putting pressure on him had anything to do with it. I assume that some of his family members wanted to buy his cockamamie story-denial is a natural response when the unthinkable has taken place.

It has always been crystal clear to me who was responsible for their deaths. It was the last man standing who had lied several times and changed his story several times. I tend to think the details are much worse than we can fathom and once they came out it would have made him look even worse (aka the autopsy reports). Therefore he’s not willing to put his neck on the line with a trial that only proves what a jerk he is. The fact that he tried to pin the girls’ deaths on Shanann is still horrific. He added insult to injury by potentially sullying her credibility when he and he alone is responsible.

Will the autopsy results be released after he is sentenced later this month now?

Yes. We should see the autopsy results around sentencing time. The DA said that he is not going to request they remain sealed.

I agree. He took the plea because he knew he was done. For him to actually get there, there must be a lot more that we aren’t yet privy to.

We should get some of the picture on the 19th.

 

[NuttMegg]

The Thayer family had mentioned that he had talked about selling the house when he stayed with them even though it seemed an odd thing to be discussing while they were supposedly “missing”—it was one of the things that made them contact the police when they wanted to say there was something amiss with his behavior.

I remember that, so presumably he knew there would be some $$ to be gained. I am wondering more if he told anyone before he murdered her that there was a way he would come out smelling sweet. If someday she ran away.
edit: Sounds like a pulp novel, but common themes do reappear, even from old crime novels to the present.

 

[Deleted member 182072]

Would be very interesting to hear from any witnesses who knew about the worth of the house before he killed the family. That could even be the "partial motive".

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sa...9628,-105.075131_rect/12_zm/1_fr/?view=public
Zestimate is $499K now. It's hard to say but I imagine it depends on the upgrades, etc. I have seen other posters here mentioning how it had very nice cabinets made by her father. I'm no real estate expert though, but I do know the housing market has also been softening since summer, so CW might have even thought it was worth $550K when he murdered them.

 

[Zella]

I remember that, so presumably he knew there would be some $$ to be gained. I am wondering more if he told anyone before he murdered her that there was a way he would come out smelling sweet. If someday she ran away.

I would be surprised if he phrased it that way. Partially because nobody seemed suspicious of him until after his disastrous interviews and the way he behaved after the disappearance. As we've discussed on here before, the person who initially contacted authorities didn't do so because she assumed foul play had happened, so it doesn't seem like it was one of those cases where everyone was already worried/concerned about something like this happening.

Also partially because he doesn't seem to have close friends he would say that to. Looks like most of his acquaintances in Colorado were friends of him and SW as a couple, so that sort of comment would have been a red flag he was up to something and would have been passed on pretty quickly through the grapevine.

Edited to add: Would not surprise me if there was evidence of online searches showing he was doing some heavy-duty planning and pondering on these types of issues when she was in NC that summer.

 

[NuttMegg]

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sa...9628,-105.075131_rect/12_zm/1_fr/?view=public
Zestimate is $499K now. It's hard to say but I imagine it depends on the upgrades, etc. I have seen other posters here mentioning how it had very nice cabinets made by her father. I'm no real estate expert though, but I do know the housing market has also been softening since summer, so CW might have even thought it was worth $550K when he murdered them.

You'd think any modern young couple would crow a little to each other about appreciation, of houses and of 401k's. I hadn't really thought about the angle that selling the house might have been a murder motive.

 

[Peppery]

I take the Zillow info with a huge grain of salt. It’s highly inaccurate for my house; the number of bedrooms, square footage, purchase date and purchase price and current value are all wrong.

 

[MsBetsy]

Well, not really. Lots of info about her is "out there" but I am still curious that the press haven't been all over her. I presumed it was because they were showing restraint so as not to interfere with proceedings, but now I wonder if they will go after her.

Sorry to reply so late, but yes, I can definitely see the media hounding the AP, as well as her coworkers, for any information they can get. Then they will try to make a big story out of it. But I hope this doesn't happen. I would think this person has been through alot, as well as her family. She will probably never consider having an affair again. But I wouldn't be surprised if CW led her to believe he was already seperated and planned to continue a serious relationship with her. It may very well have played a part in his decision to go through with the murder. Jmo

 

[The Farm]

He would have to be capable of 'feeling' sympathy in the first place in order to plead guilty for the sake of others. I think he did it because he finally realized there was no other way out. Jmo

But there was a way out called divorce. Yes he would have had to pay child support for years to come but it was an option. He did not have to kill them all.

 

[molly1255]

What are the laws about claiming on life insurance when someone has disappeared? Are they presumed dead after a certain number of years? Because that would be a very long term goal if so.

It's either the state, or the insurance carrier that dictates when the benefit is paid for a missing person. It is usually several years.

A while back, I found the life insurance benefit information on his employer's website and posted the information. CW would have had the option to purchase various amounts of coverage from $25,000 up to $100,000 on Shanann. I heard he did purchase coverage, I believe via Ashley Banfield. I do not know what amount of coverage he purchased.

He had the option of purchasing either $5,000 or $10,000 each, on Bella and Celeste. Again, I don't know what he purchased.

I could not tell by the information on the employer website whether the life insurance benefit included accidental death coverage or not. I don't believe the additional benefit was there, but if it was, the homicide of an insured is considered by the insurance industry to be an accident to the insured. An accidental death benefit, if applicable in this case, would likely double the benefit payable.

If a spouse or child dies, the life insurance payout is tax-free and is payable to the employee. In this case, the premium for the month of August was likely deducted from his paycheck and my thoughts are SW and the girls were very likely covered under the life insurance plan until the last day of August. The murders occurred on August 13-14.

CW has admitted to being the slayer and he has no hope of collecting the benefit. Someone will receive the benefit, but I am not sure how that will be handled.

Hope that helps! ETA: I am curious to hear what the DA believes was the motive. I have no idea if CW thought he might collect a life insurance benefit but he may have thought that he would. I followed a case on websleuths a couple of years ago where a husband murdered his wife and his motive was indeed to try to collect $1,100,000 on her. All of the assumptions he made about the life insurance were 100% wrong.