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Chris Watts

Also known as: Christopher Lee Watts, Watts family murders

Active

2018–2018

Region

Frederick, Colorado, USA

State

CO

Kind

Mass

Status

Pleaded guilty

Victims

3

On August 13, 2018, Chris Watts killed his pregnant wife, Shanann, 34, and their daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, at their home in Frederick, Colorado, then hid their bodies at a remote Anadarko Petroleum oil site in Weld County where he worked. Two days later he confessed and was jailed. He pleaded guilty to all charges in a deal that spared him the death penalty at the request of Shanann's family, and on November 19, 2018, was sentenced in Greeley to five life terms without parole plus 84 years.

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Victims

We remember the people whose lives were taken.

• Shanann Watts, 34 · August 13, 2018

  A mother of two who was 15 weeks pregnant with a son the family named Nico.

• Bella Watts, 4 · August 13, 2018
• Celeste Watts, 3 · August 13, 2018

Timeline of locations

1. August 13, 2018
   Watts family home, Frederick (Crime scene, approximate area)

   Shanann, Bella and Celeste were killed at the family's home in a Frederick subdivision early on August 13.

2. August 15, 2018
   Frederick (arrest) (Arrest, approximate area)

   After questioning, Watts confessed and was taken to the Weld County jail late on August 15; Anadarko fired him the same day.

3. August 16, 2018
   Anadarko well site near Roggen (Recovery site, approximate area)

   Watts took the bodies to an oil and gas site where he worked, about 3 miles north of Roggen. They were found there on August 16 after his confession.

4. November 6, 2018
   Weld County District Court, Greeley (Court / trial, approximate area)

   Watts pleaded guilty to all nine counts on November 6 and was sentenced by Judge Marcelo Kopcow on November 19, 2018, to five life terms without parole plus 84 years.

5. December 5, 2018
   Dodge Correctional Institution, Waupun, Wisconsin (Prison, approximate area)

   Watts was moved out of state to a Wisconsin prison in December 2018 for his safety.

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Sources

• Watts family murders (Wikipedia)
• Chris Watts sentenced to five life terms without parole for killing pregnant wife, two daughters (Denver7)
• Chris Watts case: Sources say bodies of 2 daughters concealed inside oil and gas tanks (Denver7)

Each location also lists its own sources in the data file.