Family killer Chris Watts' female pen pals and prayers to slain kids in prison

17 August 2023 , 23:02

989     0

Chris Watts now works as a prison custodian at at a maximum-security Wisconsin prison

Family killer Chris Watts spends his days writing to female pen pals and prays to murdered kids after five years in prison.

Chris Watts pleaded guilty to murdering his pregnant wife Shanann and their two daughters Bella, four, and Celeste, three in 2018. Shanann, 34, was found in a shallow grave at Anadarko Petroleum Corp in Colorado, while her daughters were discovered stuffed in nearby barrels of crude oil. Chris was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences.

Five years on from his heinous killing of the pregnant wife and kids, Chris Watts now works as a prison custodian at at a maximum-security Wisconsin prison, Dodge Correctional Institute, with minor responsibilities in managing prisoners.

The sick inmate also reportedly has female pen pals, even writing to one and revealing the grisly details of his crimes. The letter laid out how the murderer attempted to smother his two children before strangling his pregnant wife Shanann at their home in Frederick, Colorado.

Watts pictured with daughters four-year-old Bella and three-year-old Celeste (Instagram)

However, his attempt to murder his daughters failed as they woke up bruised and traumatised from what they had endured. The oil field operator did not confess to the first murder attempt during his multiple interviews with police and FBI agents following the murders, which took place in August 2018.

Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe

The killer previously claimed that a spontaneous outburst led him to murder his pregnant wife and his two daughters so he could be with his mistress and co-worker, Nichol Kessinger.

However, in the letter to Ms Cadle, Watts said that he had been plotting the murders for a while. He wrote: "August 12th when I finished putting the girls to bed, I walked away and said 'That's the last time I'm going to be tucking my babies in.' I knew what was going to happen the day before and I did nothing to stop it!"

Chris Watts reportedly prays to his murdered children in jail (mirror.co.uk)

Shanann shows off her baby bump just weeks before being murdered

Now Watts reportedly keeps mostly to himself, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WDOC) claimed. One person, however, is said to have grown close to Watts while locked up - with fellow inmate Dylan Tallman believing his friend is innocent.

The pair are said to have grown close after being placed in nearby cells, growing so close that they self-published a book of prayers in 2021 entitled “Revelation in the Reckoning" with Watts sometimes referencing his children in his prayers reports Inside Edition.

According to a WDOC report religion is a crucial part of Watts’ "healing process", adding: "In regards to his feelings towards the victims, he just kind of renewed his faith and talks to the victims through prayer".

Following the horrific murders, Watts' lies soon began to unravel as he made a public appeal on American television for his family's safe return. Surveillance footage from his neighbours home soon revealed that Watts loaded up his truck on the morning of the murders, before he drove off.

Shanann Watts, 34, and two daughters, four-year-old Bella and three-year-old Celeste (Instagram)

The killer had told police that Shanann had run off with their daughters while he was at work but the footage revealed no one but Watts had left the house that day. Watts then took part in a polygraph test that was administered by Frederick Police, which later indicated that Watts was lying.

After a conversation with his father, Ronnie, Watts admitted to murdering his wife and initially claimed that Shanann had killed Bella and Celeste. However, he later admitted to murdering his children.

In November 2018, Watts pleaded guilty to multiple counts of first-degree murder as part of a plea deal when the death penalty (which was later abolished in Colorado in 2020) was removed from sentencing. He was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole, three to be served consecutively.

Abigail O'Leary