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Home / World

Killer dad Chris Watts 'tormented' by his past as he serves life in prison

By Shireen Khalil
news.com.au·
14 Aug, 2019 05:31 AM5 mins to read

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Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife Shanann and their two little girls Bella, 4 and Celeste, 3 on August 13, 2018. Photo / Suppliex

Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife Shanann and their two little girls Bella, 4 and Celeste, 3 on August 13, 2018. Photo / Suppliex

One year has passed since killer dad Chris Watts murdered his two little girls and wife in the most horrific of ways.

He strangled his pregnant wife Shanann to death, wrapping her body in a blanket. It woke his daughters Bella, four, and Celeste, three who began to cry after seeing their mother's lifeless body.

Watts dumped her body in the back of his truck, drove it to a remote oil work site and buried her in a shallow grave, news.com.au reported.

He would later suffocate Celeste with a blanket and dispose of her body in an oil tank.

After witnessing what he did to her little sister, a fearful Bella yelled "Daddy no!" — the last words she spoke before he suffocated her and disposed of her body in a separate oil tank.

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'HE THINKS ABOUT WHAT HE DID EVERYDAY'

Now the family murderer is haunted by his crime while serving life in a maximum-security prison in Wisconsin, United States.

"He thinks about what he did every day," someone close to him told People magazine. "He is tormented by his past and the mistakes he made.

"He said that he has finally taken responsibility for his actions. He has nothing to do but think."

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At the time of the callous act, details also emerged Watts was having an affair with a co-worker, Nichol Kessinger.

Kessinger co-operated with police and said she thought Watts was separated while they were dating.

But Watts didn't immediately admit to his actions.

He strangled his Shanann to death, wrapping her body in a blanket before burying her in a shallow grave. Photo / Supplied
He strangled his Shanann to death, wrapping her body in a blanket before burying her in a shallow grave. Photo / Supplied

IN HIS OWN WORDS

Watts told investigators on the morning of the murders, he and Shanann were having an argument in their bedroom, during which he admitted he had been having an affair. He said his wife had started crying and saying, "I knew there was someone else" and "You're never gonna see the kids again."

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That's when he said he "snapped" and put his hands around her neck and strangled her.

"I wish I could've let go," Watts told investigators.

But he didn't and instead strangled his wife to death, drove her lifeless body to an oil site near where he worked and buried her in a shallow grave.

Watts recalled that during the ride Bella and Celeste dozed on and off, held each other, and laid in each others laps.

He remembers at one point Bella said: "Daddy it smells."

In the most chilling part of the interview, Watts described the moment he, after removing Shanann's body from the car, suffocated his daughters one by one.

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"What are you doing to Mommy?" his daughters had asked.

He said he doesn't remember what he told them.

Celeste had a blue Yankees blanket, which he put over her head while he suffocated her.

After Celeste was dead, he dumped her body in an oil tank.

"What happened to Cece?" Bella asked.

"Is the same thing gonna happen to me as Cece?"

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Bella, fearful for her life after what had happened to her little sister, said, "Daddy no!" — the last words she spoke before he suffocated her and disposed of her in a separate oil tank.

In a court document supplied to news.com.au it shows Watts with his mistress Nichol Kessinger. Photo / Weld County District Attorney's office
In a court document supplied to news.com.au it shows Watts with his mistress Nichol Kessinger. Photo / Weld County District Attorney's office

CREEPY DETAILS FROM KILLER DAD'S PRISON CELL

Watts admitted to investigators that every time he closes his eyes he hears Bella's voice saying those words, "Daddy, no!" before he suffocated her.

Eerily and inexplicably, Watts said he mourns his dead wife and daughters daily.

He has pictures of them in his prison cell and claimed he talks to them every morning and night.

Chillingly, he has a children's book in his cell, the same book he used to read to Celeste, and he said he reads the book to his daughters, along with some scripture, every night.

He said he also misses Shanann's cooking, mainly "spaghetti sauce and pizza".

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Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant with their son Nico, when she was murdered.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS STRUGGLE

As August 13 mark's one year since their deaths, people from around the world have flooded a Facebook group "In memory of Shanann, Bella, Celeste & Nico" with messages of love.

"As the sun rises here in Australia. The 13th of August 2019, one thing is on my mind, Shanann and her babies," one woman posted.

"They are always on my mind. Shanann, Bella, Celeste and Nico, a candle will be lit today for your lives that were taken way too soon."

"Frank, Frankie Jr and Sandra Rzucek (Shanann's brother and parents) you are in my heart always and today I will be praying for you."

"My heart breaks for this sweet sweet family!! All of their lives were taken too soon!" another added.

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According to People magazine, friends and family of Shanann are still mourning the tragic and violent killings.

The family is set to spend the one-year anniversary in "reflection" of Shanann and the girls, a family source told People.

"It's all the family thinks about," they said. "This has changed their lives forever."

Watts is currently serving life in prison without parole at a Wisconsin jail after pleading guilty to murdering his pregnant wife and two daughters.

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