Netflix’s American Murder: The Family Next Door captivated viewers with its chilling retelling of the Chris Watts case, but one unsettling detail about his life behind bars was completely omitted from the documentary.
On August 13, 2018, Chris Watts, 35, strangled his pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, and their daughters, Bella, four, and Celeste, three. Initially, Watts portrayed himself as a desperate husband searching for his family, pleading in an interview with Denver7: “Shanann, Bella, Celeste, if you’re out there, just come back.
"If somebody has her, just bring her back. I need to see everybody.”
Just a day later, Watts was arrested and ultimately confessed to the murders.
He pleaded guilty to nine charges, including murder and unlawful termination of a pregnancy, and is now serving life without parole in Wisconsin.
The Netflix documentary covered the shocking crimes and Watts’ manipulations, but left out several key details about his life before and after the murders.
One of the most startling omissions involves his prison life.
Chris and Shanann Watts, right, with their two daughters. Credit: Facebook.
Chris Watts Had a Steady Prison Visitor
Even after his conviction, Watts reportedly maintained a regular visitor.
According to an Inmate Visitation History document dated January 6, 2020, a woman named Anna Nowak was approved to visit Watts and did so 31 times between March and December 2019.
The visits were frequent (almost every week) and there was at least one incident where Nowak was turned away after exceeding the maximum visits allowed in a single day.
This detail raises unsettling questions about Watts’ life behind bars and the nature of relationships he maintained after committing such heinous crimes.
Other Key Details Netflix Omitted
While the documentary focused on the murders themselves, there were other elements of the Watts story that were not fully explored:
1. Tensions With Watts’ Family
Shanann had been estranged from Chris’ parents in the months leading up to her death, even accusing them of putting their daughter Celeste in danger due to her severe nut allergy, according to the Daily Mail.
2. Nichol Kessinger’s Obsession
Watts’ affair with coworker Nichol Kessinger had escalated to the point that she spent hours searching for wedding dresses and researching “marrying your mistress” just days before the murders, Business Insider detailed.
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Watts is currently serving five life sentences. Credit: Colorado Department of Public Safety.
3. Other Alleged Affairs
Beyond Kessinger, Watts was reportedly involved with several others, including a male escort and a Tinder date who claimed he turned violent, says The Mirror.
4. Shanann’s Efforts to Save Their Marriage
Despite the crumbling relationship, Shanann was actively planning a romantic getaway for the couple and arranging childcare, trying to salvage the marriage.
Legal analyst Joey Jackson highlighted the tragic disconnect between appearances and reality: “You look at a family so in love… and to think about how you can portray that in such a vile way is just totally remarkable. It reminds us that, notwithstanding what you might see on social media… perhaps there’s something amiss.”
While American Murder: The Family Next Door stunned millions of viewers, the story of Chris Watts is even darker and more complex than the documentary revealed.
His life in prison (including the regular visits from Anna Nowak) adds another chilling layer to a case that continues to fascinate and horrify.