Chris Watts has alleged that someone else is to blame for the murder of his wife and kids.
In August 2018, the 39-year-old brutally killed his wife, Shanann, who was 15 weeks pregnant, and their two daughters, Bella, four, and Celeste, three.
Watts strangled Shanann and smothered the girls before hiding their bodies in oil tanks at the site where he worked.
The horrific nature of the murders, combined with the father-of-three’s initial portrayal of himself as a desperate husband searching for his missing family, captivated the public.
But in the years since, Watts has attempted to deflect responsibility for the crime, even going so far as to blame others for his actions.
Blaming Others In Letters
In letters to God obtained by the Daily Mail, Watts continues to avoid taking full responsibility for his crimes, and instead accuses a string of "strange women" for the murders, including his wife and his former lover, Nichol Kessinger.
"I was misled, I was tempted by a harlot," he wrote about Kessinger. "I was weak and I allowed myself to be fooled by an evil woman. She led me from the path of righteousness."
Watts portrays himself as a victim of Kessinger’s supposed manipulation, claiming that he is "a man after your heart" and "seeks your face," but was misled by her.
He also writes disparagingly about Shanann, calling her "domineering" and "self-absorbed," even suggesting that she contributed to her own death.
And in other letters, he refers to women as "harlots," "Jezebels," and "whores," continuing to deflect blame.
The Brutality of the Murders
Watts' actions were both brutal and calculated. He had already been thinking about killing his wife before the night of the murders, even attempting to harm their unborn child by giving her OxyContin.
The final confrontation occurred when Shanann confronted Watts about his affair with Kessinger. In a chilling statement, Watts confessed that Shanann told him: "You’re never gonna see the kids again," to which he responded by saying he didn't love her anymore before strangling her.
Watts eventually confessed to killing his family after initially lying to the police and the public.
His guilty plea spared his victims’ families from the trauma of a lengthy trial, and he was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole.