A Colorado man, Chris Watts, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his pregnant wife and their two daughters. The 33-year-old received five life terms without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to nine charges, including murder, tampering with bodies and unlawful termination of a pregnancy.
The bodies of Shanann Watts, 34, and her daughters Celeste, three, and Bella, four, were discovered at a remote oil site where Watts worked, days after they were reported missing on 13 August. The children were found in oil tanks, while their mother was buried in a shallow grave.
Watts initially expressed shock at their disappearance and appeared on local television appealing for their safe return. However, he later admitted to strangling his wife and smothering their daughters before disposing of their bodies. He told police he had informed his wife that morning that he wanted a separation.
An unsealed arrest warrant revealed Watts had been having an affair with a co-worker, though it has not been confirmed if that woman is Nichol Kessinger, who came forward in the Denver Post. She said they began dating in July and that Watts told her he was in the final stages of a divorce.
At a sentencing hearing, Shanann's father, Frank Rzucek, described Watts as a 'heartless monster' who treated his family 'like trash'. Her mother said she did not want the death penalty, leaving his life between him and God. Watts' mother, Cindy, said she still loved him, while a court-appointed lawyer stated Watts was 'sincerely sorry'.
The judge described the killings as perhaps 'the most inhumane and vicious crime' he had seen. The death penalty was avoided as part of a plea deal urged by the victims' family.
