Direct answer to how Chris Watts killed his daughters
Chris Watts killed his daughters, Bella and Celina, by strangling them after he confessed to planning and carrying out their murders along with his wife, Shanann Watts. On August 13, 2018, he strangled Bella and then helped cover the body; he knowingly asphyxiated Celina while she was in the back seat of their vehicle and also concealed her body. These acts were premeditated: he admitted to selecting the location, using his vehicle to transport the bodies, and intentionally avoiding rescue to ensure their deaths. He later pled guilty in 2019 to multiple counts of first-degree murder and is serving consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Verified case timeline and key events
The following sequence reflects court records, plea entries, and fact-finding from the Colorado judicial process. Dates and dispositions are drawn from sentencing documents and law enforcement reports entered into the public record.
| Date or Period | Event | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| August 13, 2018 (evening) | Reported disappearance of Shanann Watts and daughters Bella (4) and Celina (5) | Triggers investigation and public attention; initial missing-person response |
| August 13–August 14, 2018 | Chris Watts confesses; leads crews to shallow graves in Weld County | Provides factual basis for cause and manner of death; grounds for murder charges |
| August 2018 | Formal charges filed; Watts held without bond | Indicates prosecutorial intent and flight/public-safety risk considerations |
| August 2019 | Guilty plea to two counts of first-degree murder, one count of tampering with a deceased body | Avoids trial but locks in sentence; establishes premeditation and absence of justification |
| December 2019 | Sentencing: life without possibility of parole for each daughter, consecutive terms | Reflects judicial finding of aggravating factors and permanent incapacitation |
How the killings happened: method and context
Court transcripts and Chris Watts’s statements describe a deliberate plan to kill his daughters. After murdering his wife Shanann on the night of August 13, 2018, he returned home with the girls. He admitted to wrapping Bella in a sheet and strangling her by applying manual pressure to her neck. He placed her body in a bed and covered it with sheets. For Celina, who was in a car seat in the rear of his vehicle, he intentionally blocked the airway—strangling her while she remained restrained. He then transported both bodies to remote rural locations, burying them in shallow graves and attempting to obscure evidence. The medical examiner determined both died from asphyxia; manner of death was ruled homicide for both daughters.
Element-by-element breakdown of the method
- Victims: Bella and Celina Watts (ages 4 and 5)
- Cause of death: Asphyxia (manual strangulation) classified as homicide
- Method for Bella: Manual neck compression after placement on a bed; body concealed under bedding
- Method for Celina: Airway obstruction while secured in a vehicle; body transported and buried
- Premeditation: Advance planning of location, use of vehicle, and body disposal
- Legal outcome: Consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole
Legal outcomes and current status
Chris Watts pled guilty in August 2019 to first-degree murder for both daughters and related charges; the plea preserved victims’ dignity by avoiding a second public trial. The court imposed back-to-back life sentences without the possibility of parole in December 2019, reflecting the severity of the offense and mitigating factors weighed by the judge. He is incarcerated in a Colorado state prison; no parole or early-release mechanisms apply to these sentences. All post-conviction motions and appeals have been exhausted as of public records through 2024.
Relationship context and motive overview
The killings occurred within the context of marital conflict and Watts’s decision to conceal an affair and avoid the consequences of ending his marriage. Investigative findings indicate he feared losing his family, financial exposure, and personal reputation, and he chose to eliminate his family rather than face those outcomes. Shanann Watts, his wife, was also murdered by Watts in the same incident; his daughters were killed to remove witnesses and perpetuate control. The relationship breakdown and motive are documented in plea transcripts and investigative reports, underscoring that the daughters were targeted as part of a broader plan to conceal his actions.
Common questions and status clarifications
- Are there any ongoing appeals or sentence changes? As of 2024, all appeals have been decided; sentences remain life without the possibility of parole.
- Did mental health or substance factors alter responsibility? Evaluations did not establish a defense; he was found competent and accepted responsibility via guilty plea.
- What is the status of any civil actions or restitution? Civil suits by extended family were filed; outcomes are separate from the criminal sentence and do not alter the factual findings of homicide.
- Is new information likely to change the official account? No; the factual record is extensive, and the guilty plea binds the core facts in a legal context.
This article is an evergreen explainer designed to remain accurate over time. It does not provide graphic detail beyond method summaries but is intended to answer the core question of how Chris Watts killed his daughters with verified, court-admissible facts.