Watts Family Part 2

This is a true crime and conspiracy podcast called Serials and Schemes. The hosts discuss the case of Chris Watts, who was suspected of killing his wife Shanann and their two daughters, Bella and Celeste. The episode focuses on the events leading up to their disappearance and the strange behavior exhibited by Chris. The police became suspicious when they found Shanann's belongings at home but she was nowhere to be found. They also discovered security footage showing Chris acting suspiciously. The podcast highlights the inconsistencies in Chris's story and his lack of concern for his missing family. Eventually, he fails a polygraph test and is interrogated by detectives. It is revealed that Chris was having an affair with a co-worker during the time his family was on vacation. Welcome to Serials and Schemes. I'm Sam. And I'm Sandy. This is a true crime and conspiracy podcast. Our podcast is intended for mature audiences. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome back to Serials and Schemes. If you're new here, hi, I'm Sam. And I'm Sandy. Before we get into this episode, this is a continuation of last week's episode, so if you'd like to get into this one, we would definitely recommend that listening to the last episode to get caught up. So as a light recap, last week we walked through the events leading up to August 13th of 2018, the day that Shanann Watts returned home from her business trip to Arizona, and we covered Chris Watts' shifting behavior and the desperation in text messages between Shanann and Chris. Yeah, we left off with Shanann's best friend, Nicole Atkinson, realizing something was very wrong that morning. Shanann wasn't answering texts, hadn't shown up for her doctor's appointment, and her car was still parked in the garage with the kids' car seats inside. Nicole did exactly what a good friend should. She didn't wait. She called the police. And that's when things got unfolding. Fast. Officers arrived at the Watts' home that afternoon for a welfare check. Chris answered the door, and from the moment he started talking, something felt off. Yeah, his demeanor was strange. He let them inside, but his explanations didn't add up. Shanann's purse was there. Her phone was there. Even her wedding ring. But she was gone. And so were their two little girls, Bella and Celeste. They didn't even bother investigating. Alarm bells. Fucking alarm bells for days, man. So many alarm bells. And the moment that the body cam footage rolled, we got a first-hand look at his performance. Because that's exactly what it was. It was a performance. Yeah. So firstly, we're breaking down what happened on August 13th, 2018, the day that changed everything. From Chris Watts' bizarre behavior to the first cracks in his story, this is where the scheme started to unravel. So, let's go back to that morning. Shanann got home just before 2am. We noticed from her friend's doorbell camera, inside the house, Chris was awake and waiting. So let's talk about what happened when the police arrived at the Watts' home. Officer Coonrod from the Frederick Police Department was the first to respond to Nicole Atkinson's call. She was outside, clearly worried, and told the officer that Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant, had missed a doctor's appointment, and wasn't answering calls or texts. That was completely out of character for her. Completely out of character. Nicole had already knocked on the door, and even tried her keypad code to get in. But the door had one of those interior latches, so she couldn't open it. When Chris finally showed up, wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and work boots, he let the officer inside. But he seemed... detached. Yeah, and as they walked through the house, things didn't add up. Shanann's purse was still there, with her wallet and keys inside. Her phone was found stuffed between the couch cushions, which made no sense, since she was always on it. And then there was her wedding ring, left on the nightstand. And that's when the question started. Officer Coonrod asked Chris when he last saw Shanann. Chris said she got home late from her trip, they had a civil conversation, and then he left early for work, around 5.15 that morning. Supposedly leaving her in bed. But when the officer asked if she mentioned going anywhere that day, Chris just shrugged and said, she said she was in her friend's house with the kids, that's all I know. Sorry, but the fact that this man didn't even know that she had a fucking doctor's appointment pisses me off. It fucks me off. And it all comes back to that detachment. He didn't give a shit. Yeah. And that's when things got weird, because the timeline didn't make sense. Shanann's car was still in the garage, along with both kids' car seats. If she had left, how? And why wouldn't she take her phone? Obviously, if the kids' car seats are there, no one came to pick her up. You know, obviously people are like, well, she obviously got picked up. Well, obviously she didn't, because her kids' car seats are in the car. Yes. And Nicole must have picked that up, because Nicole pushed hard. She knew Shanann wouldn't just disappear. You can tell the officer is trying to keep things calm, but the pieces are not fitting together. Then something really interesting happens. Nicholas, Nicole's son, points out that their neighbor, Nate Trinovich, has security cameras. So the officer and Chris walk over to Nate's house, where he pulls up the footage on his TV. The camera doesn't show the Watts' front door, but it does capture the driveway and street. And here's what they see. Just before dawn, Chris is backing his truck into the garage, something he never did before. Then, over the course of a few minutes, he's seen walking back and forth between the garage and the truck, loading something inside. And let's talk about Chris's reaction for a second, because as soon as that video starts playing, his body language completely shifts. He's standing there, arms crossed, swaying back and forth, breathing heavily. He keeps touching his head, like he's suddenly very uncomfortable. Nate even says something like, That's unusual for him. He never backed his truck in like that. And Chris immediately jumps in with an excuse. He says he was loading up tools for work. But you can hear it in his voice. He's scrambling. And after that, the officer thanks Nate for the footage and heads back to Chris's house. But now, there's a serious red flag. Chris just watched himself on camera making multiple trips to his truck before sunrise, on the very morning his wife and daughters disappeared. And you can tell, it's time to catch up with him, because he's a fucking idiot. He literally did not think any of this through. Like, I'm sorry, but the handbag and the fucking phone and the car with the kids' seats in it? Yeah. Stupid. Fucking stupid. All of it. Just be aware. He's just so not self-aware or aware of what's going on. And I mean, thankfully, he's not, because, you know. But, easily caught. But, like, so fucking dumb. Like, actually, so dumb. Just divorce your fucking wife. Yeah. So after leaving Nate's house, Officer Coomrod heads back up to the Watts' home, and at this point, he's clearly suspicious. But since there's no evidence of a crime yet, all he can do is keep pressing Chris for information. And Chris keeps trying to play it off-call. He tells Officer he's been texting Shanann all day, with no response. He even pulls out his phone and pretends to be worried. But it still feels off. Meanwhile, other officers start getting involved. The Frederick Police Department puts out a Be On The Lookout, or a BOLO, alert for Shanann and the girls. They also start calling hospitals, checking with family, and searching the neighbourhood. But nothing. And the thing is, while Chris is pretending to be cooperative, he's not acting like a husband who's desperate to find his pregnant wife and kids. When police ask him if he has any idea where she could be, he just shrugs and says, I have no idea, I just want them back. It's vague, it's cold, it's unemotional. Yeah. Then, as the search continues, Chris does something bizarre. He starts reaching out to the media. He agrees to an interview with local news stations, standing in front of his house, practically begging for Shanann and the girls to come home. Oh my god, whenever they start doing shit like that, and like... Well, they start acting like they're gone. And you're only going to act like they're gone if you know they're gone. Yeah. 100%. He's saying all the right words, but his face tells a completely different story. He's swaying, barely making eye contact, folding his arms across his chest. At one point, he even says, I just hope, wherever they're at, they're safe. Dude. Which is a really strange thing to say if you truly believe your wife just took off with the kids. Yeah. And behind the scenes, detectives aren't buying it. By August 14th, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the CBI, and FBI are involved. They start focusing on Chris, asking him to take a polygraph test. And here's the kicker, he agrees. Oh my god. Because, I mean, you're going to agree, because then it makes you look not guilty. Until you fucking take it. But also, polygraphs are not admissible anymore. They're not admissible, yeah. So just say no. Yeah. And also, if you've done nothing wrong, it can also suck you. As long as, if you're anxious, it can suck you. Yeah. There's a reason they're not admissible. Yeah. That happens on August 15th, and let me tell you, this is where things start to crumble for him. The lead polygraph examiner, Tammy Lee, is straight to the point. She tells Chris, there's only one reason you would fail this test, and that's if you're lying. Although, that's not true. Yes, yeah, exactly. But that's the right thing to say to someone if you think that they're guilty. Yes, I'm just saying that because we literally just did not admissible in court. Yeah. And fail he does, miserably. His deception score is off the charts. And after that, detectives sit him down for an official interrogation. They tell him outright, Chris, we know you're lying. And that's when the real cracks start to show. Before we go any further, let's backtrack for a second. Because while Shanann and the girls were away on their summer vacation in North Carolina, Chris wasn't exactly acting like a concerned husband missing his family, either. No, he wasn't. While Shanann was visiting family with Bella and Celeste, Chris was back in Colorado. And that's when his affair with Nicole Kickinger really took off. Nicole was a co-worker at Anadarko Petroleum. They met in June 2018. And by July, their relationship had escalated fast. At first, she said she thought he was single. But eventually, Chris told her he was married with kids, but that he and Shanann were separating. He painted himself as a man stuck in a loveless marriage. And before I carry on, no one's ever fucking stuck. Okay? Saying that they were only together for the children, and that Shanann was very controlling. He even told Nicole that Shanann didn't want another baby, when in reality, Shanann was thrilled about her pregnancy, and had been excitedly sharing updates online. People piss me off. I was going to say men, but look, women are assholes, too. Not Nicole in this situation. She kind of pisses me off, too. All she's going to do is take a look at their fucking social media and see that there's real things going on. I'm sorry, if you really wanted to know the truth, you would go look for it. Yep, exactly. Yeah, exactly. But just the fact that people just go off other people's words, and be like, you know, someone says, oh yeah, we're getting divorced. Well, then you're not separated, and you're not divorced. You're getting divorced. So you sit there, status quo, until you're actually separated properly. Yeah. Because this is how this sort of shit happens. 100%. People have this fucking idea in their head, and they run with it, and it just fucking hurts people. Really, people piss me off. I know. So all that, and while Shanann was across the country trying to keep their marriage together, Chris was spending time with Nicole, going on dates, taking her to sand dunes, even telling her he loved her. He started working out more, changing his appearance, and distancing himself from Shanann. And it wasn't just emotional distance. While Shanann was away, Chris barely called or FaceTimed with the kids. Shanann noticed. Of course she did. She texted him, saying, I don't know who you are anymore. You don't call or check on us. It's like you don't even miss us. She was right. Because while she was begging for answers, Chris was looking at jewellery online. For Nicole. Not only that, but bank records show he took her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant, spending over $60 on a meal just days before Shanann came home. These fucking subpar men. Who will do the most for anyone but their wives and children. Yep. Cherry sauce at home, bro. Yep. And here's the really chilling part. When Nicole asked about his future, Chris told her he was finalizing some things with Shanann. He made it seem like his family was already out of picture. And in just a few days, he was going to make sure that that became his reality. Now let's take a closer look at the weekend before Shanann went missing. She was in Arizona for a business trip with her Thrive team, but Chris was supposed to be home taking care of Bella and Celeste. And technically, he was. Just not the whole time. Exactly. On Saturday, August 11th, Chris actually hired a babysitter, his co-worker's daughter, to watch the girls for the evening. And while he told people he was going out to dinner with friends, that wasn't the case. No. He was with Nicole. Kissinger. Right. He took her to The Lazy Dog, a restaurant in Erie, Colorado. And this wasn't just a casual meal. This was a romantic dinner date. Chris even used Shanann and his shared account, bank account, to pay for it. That charge, $62.65, would later raise red flags for Shanann because she knew he never spent that much on a meal for just himself. Also, I think it's very fitting that he took Nicole to The Lazy Dog, given what he is. Yeah, so true. And also, like, Chris knew that she would see this, having spent that on the joint account. Yeah. And Shanann actually confronted Chris about that dinner receipt on Sunday, August 12th, the day before she came home. Right. And while she was still in Arizona, she checked their bank records and saw a charge for $62.65 at The Lazy Dog, from The Lazy Dog. That immediately set off alarm bells because Chris had told her he was just hanging out with his friends. And let's be real. Chris wasn't the type to spend over $60 on a solo meal. Shanann knew that. So she texted him, asking him what he ordered. And his response? Salmon. Just the salmon. $60 salmon. Which didn't make sense, because she knew that even a pricey salmon dish wouldn't add up to that total. She kept pressing him, but he downplayed it, acting like it was nothing. Meanwhile, what Shanann didn't know was that Nicole Kissinger had been with him that night. They shared appetisers, entrees, and even drinks. Bro, how cheap is America, though? $60 for a romantic date with fucking... Isn't that like 90 bucks a year though? Huh? Is that 80 bucks a year? Mmm... 90? About 90 to 100. Yeah. That's like such a low-key date night, and it's so expensive. Yeah. And here's the chilling part. While Shanann was questioning him about that receipt, trying to get a straight answer, Chris was already planning her murder. Murder. Meanwhile, the babysitter later told investigators that when Chris got home that night, he was acting weird. He wasn't his usual laid-back self. He was anxious, almost jittery. And here's where it gets even stranger. After the girls went to bed, Chris sent Nicole a message telling her how much he enjoyed their date. And then, a few hours later, he searched Google, forget this, how to prepare for a date. Which is insane, because he had just been on a date. But clearly, he was still trying to impress Nicole. The next day, Sunday, August 12th, he spent most of the time at home with the girls, but Shanann was still texting him, feeling like something was wrong. She told her friend, Chris has changed. He doesn't touch me. He doesn't call or check on us. Something is definitely off. That night, Shanann was on her way back from Arizona, texting Chris, trying to figure out what was happening in their marriage. She straight-up asked him, do you still want this marriage? And all she, sorry, and all he said was, I don't know if this is going to work. Actually, you do know, you're fucking someone else, and you don't want a new baby. Like, you know it's done. Yeah, exactly. Fuck, I hate men who do this shit. So, let's jump back to August 15th, when Chris was at the Frederick Police Department. At this point, the investigators know he's lying. He's just failed his polygraph miserably, and they sit him down for questioning. And they don't waste any time. They tell him straight-up, Chris, you did not pass the polygraph test. And his response? He just exhales sharply and says, Okay. No shock, no denial, just, okay. Okay. And from there, he shuts down. They press him, asking what really happened, but Chris won't talk. He keeps shaking his head, rubbing his face, and refusing to answer directly. Then, he asks for his dad. Yeah, and this is important. Chris's father, Ronnie Watts, had flown in from North Carolina, and Chris clearly felt more comfortable talking to him than the investigators. So they bring Ronnie into the interrogation room, and this is when the confession finally happens. It's funny that he feels more comfortable talking to his dad about this. Like, I get if you hadn't done it, and you have comfort from your dad, but I sure as fuck, if I was guilty, I would have told my mom, I sure as fuck, if I was guilty, I would have told my bloody mom about anything. Like, you get me a lawyer now. Get me a lawyer, but also, if I tell you this shit, can you please not tell my mom? Because mom would scare the shit out of me. No, no, I don't like that. I just would like to tell investigators things, people that I don't know. And let's be clear, Chris still doesn't tell the full truth. Instead, he tries to twist the story. At this point, Chris is sitting in the interrogation room, completely backed into a corner. But that's where things get really interesting. Because the second Ronnie walks into that room, you can see Chris physically change. His whole posture softens, he looks exhausted, but it's like he finally sees someone he thinks is on his side. And that right there, is why he is the way he is. Yeah. Because mommy and daddy save him. Yeah. Sorry, but if you have done this shit wrong, at this point, they know he's guilty. And you see dad, and you're like, someone is going to love me. Yeah, nah, fuck that. That's why your kid is the way it is. Yeah, and when his dad sits down, Chris is quiet for a minute. He's hunched over, rubbing his face, looking down at the table, and then in a barely audible voice, he mutters, she, she smothered them. Oh, get fucked, actually. I'm sorry, but does Folly have a name as well? Nah, fuck in jail, literally. And so, Ronnie doesn't even seem to understand this at first. He leans in, and he asks, who? And Chris says, Shanann. She, she did it. She smothered them. And then he just lets it sit there. He really lets it marinate. Yeah. It's honestly, in the bin. It's straight in the bin. It kind of seems like he was testing it out, by throwing it out there, seeing if his dad would believe him. But that's, like, here's what's wild. He doesn't cry, he doesn't break down, he just sits there, waiting to see how his dad's going to react. And Ronnie, to his credit, is clearly confused. He asks, what do you mean? And that's when Chris starts building his lie. He says that after he told Shanann he wanted to separate, she snapped. He claims he walked into Bella and Celeste's room, and saw that Shanann had smothered them. And that's when he says he just, he lost it. He said, I freaked out, and I just, I did the same thing to her. That's his so-called confession. He's trying to say that he killed Shanann, only because she had killed their daughters first. It's such a pussy move, to trickle-truth this. Like, I want my dad, but then you just tell him a half-a-fucking-truth. Yeah. It's such, like, it's such a transparent lie. Investigators know that's not what happened, and they don't buy it for a second. They let him talk, though, because for the first time, he's actually admitting that he did one thing. Yeah, and you can tell Ronnie isn't sure how to react. He just sits there, nodding, probably in total shock. He even says, did she say anything? Like, was she mad at you? And Chris just keeps shaking his head, avoiding eye contact. And that's what's really, like, haunting. Chris doesn't show any real emotion. He isn't sobbing, he isn't breaking down, he's just matter-of-factly spinning a story about how Shanann supposedly killed their kids. And what's even worse, he's putting the blame on the woman he had already murdered. I know. That part, honestly, like, that's what I'm saying, like, I can't believe he sullied her name, even after what he's done. Yeah. Like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like,