Chris Watts

After admitting that he had killed Shanann, Watts initially claimed that he had strangled her after seeing her kill their daughters. Prosecutors described this account as a lie; in 2019, Watts acknowledged that he had himself killed Bella and Celeste.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

During a prison interview with investigators, Watts gave what authorities described as his first full confession: he said he had strangled Shanann, then driven the girls alive to the oil site and smothered them one after the other.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Watts killed his pregnant wife Shanann and their daughters Bella and Celeste. He then transported their bodies to an oil site where he worked; Shanann was buried and the girls' bodies placed in tanks.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Prosecutors filed nine counts, including the murders of Shanann, Bella and Celeste, two additional counts of child murder, unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Accused

Watts pleaded guilty to three murder counts, two child murder counts, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body. Prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty, with the consent of Shanann's family.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

The judge sentenced Watts to life imprisonment without parole for the murders, an additional 48 years for unlawful termination of a pregnancy and twelve-year sentences on the counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated