A new report has shed light on handwritten letters from convicted murderer Chris Watts to his sister, Shanann Hastings. The letter was released in response to an FOI request filed by BuzzFeed News; Watts has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
In the two handwritten letters, which were written when Watts was still working as an oil field engineer before the murders and while he was incarcerated at Larimer County Jail, he discussed work and family matters but also hinted that things might not be as they seemed.
The letters have been described as “rambling,” “odd” and “remarkably unguarde.” One passage in particular, regarding his then-pregnant wife and her sisters’ pregnancies, has set off alarm bells among experts.
Watts had accuse his first wife, Shanann – who he was separate from at the time of the murders – of having an affair with a co-worker. He also had a female family member investigate Shanann’s sisters, who were planning to start families of their own.
About Chris Watts:
Prison Letters Showing He Planned to Kill His Wife and Daughters
“Everyone seems to be getting pregnant but me,” he wrote. “Guess it’s my turn for that lucky draw. 🙂 Ha, ha.”
It would later be reveale that Watts has strangle Shanann, who 15 weeks pregnant with a boy they planned to name Niko; their unborn child; and his other two daughters – Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4 – in their home in August 2018. He dumped their bodies in oil tanks belonging to his employer – the same tanks he had used to hide his previous murders.
The letter mention above, dated June 27, 2018, was an invitation to hike on the trails at Ward park, with Watts telling his sister she would get “a good workout.” He also say he is going to be working long hours and would be too tire for the outing.
Watts’ letters has been request under Colorado’s Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA).
The letters, which have never been report in the open media, show Watts’ thoughts and fears around the subject of his pregnant wife, as well as his comment that he thought she might kill her own children.
“Hey sis I don’t know what’s going on with Shanann,” Watts wrote in one letter posted online. “She’s been getting a little crazy and I’m really worr about her. I had a family member go talk to her sisters (I don’t even know if they’re siblings or what) and Shanann was planning on killing all of them because they were going to start telling on her pregnancy when she was already pregnant herself.”
Watts’ comments were unusual in the context of a sibling writing in support of their brother-in-law, but are largely common within the prison system.
“I don’t know what to do,” Watts continued. “If she’s not already make her decision I think she’s going to go ahead and do it.”
Watts also discussed his new wife, Nichol Kessinger, and the apparent possibility that she might also be pregnant. In one letter he reassure his sister that if he were release from prison, he would not go after Nichol for money if it turned out that she was indeed pregnant.
“In the event that she is pregnant I’ll get marri to her right away and we’ll start the adoption process. The state will pay for it as long as they approve,” Watts wrote. “If they don’t approve then I’ll have to use my stupid settlement money to pay for it.”
In another letter, he stated, “I love you and thank you so much for being there. When I can’t be.” He add, “You’re a great big sister. Your husband is a lucky man. I can see you’re in good hands. You’ll do great.”
The letters were take by Watts’ sister in early August, a day the couple was report missing. At the time, Watts told her that he was driving up to CO and wanted to let her know. He had sent his kids off to school because it could be a “while” until he had contact again. He did not say when he would be returning or if he had anything planned.
Watts, Shanann and their daughters returned home on Aug. 13. He gave an interview with police the next day. Led officers to where he had killed his wife and daughters. Watts was charge with multiple counts of murder, and has been sentence to life in prison without parole.
