Update from Chris Watts: Colorado father sentenced to life without parole for the murder of a pregnant woman and two daughters



[ad_1]

DENVER, Colorado (KTRK) –

Autopsy reports regarding the death of a pregnant Colorado mother and her two daughters were released Monday, just hours after her husband's sentence to life imprisonment after throwing their bodies on an oil rig.

Prosecutors said they agreed not to seek the death penalty in exchange for Christopher Watts 'guilty plea, after seeking the approval of Shanann Watts' family.

The reports of Dr. Michael A. Burson, a forensic pathologist, shed new light on Shannan's strangulation and how the girl's father choked his children to death.

Shannan's body arrived at her interrogation on August 17, dressed in a purple t-shirt, clothing that she wore when she was buried by her husband in a shallow grave.

The examiners said they discovered possible patterned abrasions on Shannan's neck and left side of the face, while an internal examination revealed neck bruising, consistent with the strangulation of one's neck. nobody.

Shannan girls, aged 3 and 4, who were removed from an oil tank by the investigators, had various toxins in their system, a symptom of decomposition of the body and immersion in the oil for several days.

Celeste's body arrived at the examiner's office, wearing a pink and black t-shirt and a diaper; her elder sister's body, Bella, was still wearing pink pajamas with hearts and butterflies. Both examiners died after being choked.

Watts pled guilty to three counts of murder for the murder of his wife and their daughters. On November 6, he also pleaded guilty to two counts of child murder, one count of illegal pregnancy termination and three counts of falsification of a dead human body.

The 33 year old will not be eligible for parole.

On August 13, a friend asked the police to check if Shanann was unable to reach her. She feared more and more that the 34-year-old mother-to-be missed a doctor's appointment. Officers first managed the search and quickly sought the support of investigators from Colorado and the FBI.

Meanwhile, Christopher Watts met with local television reporters from the front porch of the family home in Frederick, a small town on the plain north of Denver, where drilling rigs and water wells were located. oil surround burgeoning subdivisions. Watts pleaded for the safe return of his family, telling reporters that their home was empty without Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, watching cartoons or running to greet him at the door. .

Within days, he was arrested and accused of killing his family.

The court records revealed that Watts had confessed to the police killing his wife. Watts told investigators that he had strangled her "with rage" when he had discovered that she had killed their daughters after asking for separation.

Prosecutors have since described his account as a "total lie".

The police learned that Christopher Watts had an affair with a colleague. He had denied this before being arrested.

The girls' bodies were found on a property of the company in which Watts had worked until his arrest. Shanann's body was found buried nearby in a shallow pit.

The murders have garnered media attention across the country and have become the target of real crime blogs and online video channels, helped by dozens of family photos and videos shared by Shanann on the media social, showing smiling couple spending time with their children.

But court records have shown that the couple's lifestyle sometimes leads to financial hardship. They filed for bankruptcy in June 2015, six months after hiring Christopher as operator for the big oil and gas drilling company Anadarko Petroleum, for an annual salary of about $ 61,500. At the time, Shanann was working in a children's call center at $ 18 at the time.

They reported a total profit of $ 90,000 in 2014, but $ 70,000 in unsecured claims and a mortgage of nearly $ 3,000. The claims included thousands of dollars in credit card debt, some student loans and medical bills.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

RELATED:
Chris Watts, a Colorado man who killed a pregnant woman, two girls, pleads guilty
Affidavit: Colorado man admits to killing his wife, but says she's strangled their two daughters
Colorado man arrested after confessing killing the pregnant woman and two young girls
Chris Watts mistress went to the police after killing her wife and daughters
Chronology: What happened before Shanann Watts, the girls are gone
Authorities Expecting to Publish Affidavit Explain Why They Say Watts Killed Family

(Copyright © 2018 KTRK-TV All Rights Reserved.)

[ad_2]
Source link