Inside the Interrogation: Chris Watts Confesses to Triple Murder
ABC News releases footage revealing how Colorado man changed his story before admitting to killing his pregnant wife and two daughters
Quick Facts
In August 2018, Chris Watts sat across from detectives at the Frederick Police Department in Colorado, and over the course of two days, his story would unravel completely—ultimately leading to a full confession for the murders of his pregnant wife and two young daughters.
Watts initially attempted to shift blame onto his wife Shanann, claiming she had killed their daughters Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4. However, when confronted with a failed polygraph test, Watts abandoned this narrative. He then claimed that Shanann had killed the children in a rage, and that he had killed her in response.
But the interrogation tapes, released publicly by ABC News on November 30, 2018, reveal how detectives pressed Watts further. Eventually, he confessed to the full truth: he had murdered all three victims himself.
"My babies are gone, I put my hands around my wife's neck and did the same thing," Watts stated during the interrogation. When asked how he felt about his actions, he claimed he "didn't feel anything" and was "scared."
Shanann Watts, 34 and pregnant at the time of her death, was strangled by her husband. Her body was later discovered in a shallow grave. The bodies of Celeste and Bella were found in oil tanks at a remote oil field location where Watts had disposed of them.
Neighbor security camera footage provided crucial evidence in the case. The footage captured Watts loading items into his truck the morning after the murders, including a red gas can. Additional surveillance documented him at the remote oil field location where he disposed of the bodies.
The interrogation tapes became a significant part of the public record in this case, offering an unprecedented window into how Watts' account shifted under questioning. His initial deflection and changing stories contrasted sharply with the physical evidence authorities had gathered, ultimately making his confession inevitable.
