It’s the image everyone remembers. A man standing on his porch in Frederick, Colorado, nervously rocking back and forth in his oversized work shirt, pleading with news cameras for his "babies" to come home. He looked like a guy who just woke up to a nightmare. But we know now that Chris Watts wasn't a victim of some mysterious disappearance. He was the monster in the house. When people ask why did Chris Watts kill his family, they are usually looking for a single, "aha!" moment that explains how a seemingly devoted father could strangle his pregnant wife, Shanann, and then smother his two daughters, Bella and Celeste.
The reality is messier. It wasn't one thing. It was a perfect storm of financial ruin, a narcissistic collapse, and a desperate, cowardly desire to hit a "reset" button on his entire life.
The Affair and the "New Life" Fantasy
You can't talk about the murders without talking about Nichol Kessinger. She was a co-worker at Anadarko Petroleum, and for Chris, she represented a version of himself he actually liked. Shanann was the boss in the relationship. She handled the finances, the social media, the schedules—basically everything. Chris was passive. He did what he was told. But with Nichol, he felt like a "man." He was losing weight, getting fit, and playing the role of the unattached bachelor.
By the summer of 2018, Chris was living a double life. While Shanann was away in North Carolina for six weeks with the girls, Chris was playing house with his mistress. He tasted a life without responsibilities. No mortgage he couldn't afford. No kids crying for snacks. No wife telling him how to dress.
Psychologists often point to this as a "displaced" reality. Chris didn't want a divorce because divorce is loud. Divorce involves lawyers, child support, and social shame. He wanted the family to simply cease to exist so he could slide into this new life with Nichol without the baggage. It’s terrifyingly simple. He chose murder as a logistical solution to a lifestyle problem.
The Crumbling House of Cards
On paper, the Watts family looked like they were winning. They lived in a $400,000 home. They drove a Lexus. Shanann’s Facebook feed was a non-stop highlight reel of "Le-Vel" Thrive patches, luxury trips, and a happy marriage.
It was a lie.
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They were drowning. They had already filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy once in 2015. By August 2018, they were facing a lawsuit from their homeowner's association and were thousands of dollars behind on their mortgage. Chris knew this. He saw the bank statements. He saw the "declined" alerts on his phone.
When you look at why did Chris Watts kill his family, you have to look at the pressure of the mask. Shanann was obsessed with maintaining the image of success. For a man who was already checked out emotionally, the financial pressure felt like a literal weight. He didn't see a way out that didn't involve total humiliation. In his warped mind, killing them was "easier" than being the guy who failed at the American Dream.
The Psychology of a Family Annihilator
Forensic psychologists like Dr. Phil and various FBI profilers have categorized Chris as a "family annihilator." Usually, these killers fall into two camps: the "self-righteous" who blame the spouse for the family's downfall, and the "disappointed" who feel the family has let them down.
Chris was a bit of a hybrid.
He had no prior criminal record. No history of violence. That’s what freaks people out the most. He was "Quiet Chris." But that quietness was just a lack of personality. He was a chameleon. He reflected whoever he was with. When he was with Shanann, he was the helpful husband. When he was with Nichol, he was the adventurous lover. When these two worlds finally collided on the morning of August 13, he snapped. Not in a "blind rage" way—because he had the presence of mind to load his daughters into a truck with their mother's body—but in a cold, calculated way.
The Morning of August 13: What Really Happened?
Shanann got home late from a business trip. Her flight was delayed. We know from the doorbell camera that she walked inside at 1:48 AM.
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What followed was a "civilian conversation" that turned deadly. Chris claims he told her he wanted a divorce. He says she told him he’d never see the kids again. Whether that's true or just Chris trying to make himself look like a victim is up for debate. But the result was him strangling her in their bed.
The most haunting part of the story isn't the murder of Shanann; it's what happened next. He didn't stop. He didn't call 911. He put her body in the back of his work truck. He then drove 45 minutes to an oil site owned by his employer, with his two daughters, still alive, sitting in the back seat.
The Tragedy of Bella and Celeste
Why the kids? This is the question that haunts the investigators who worked the case, like Coder and Lee. If he wanted to be with his mistress, why not just leave the kids with Shanann’s parents?
The answer is dark. It’s about total erasure.
If the girls lived, he would always be tied to his "old" life. He would be a father. He would have to pay. He would have to explain. By killing them, he was attempting to wipe the hard drive of his life. Bella, only four years old, reportedly fought back. Investigators found defensive wounds. She knew what was happening. That level of cold-blooded detachment is rare, even among killers. It suggests that Chris Watts lacked basic empathy—a trait often masked by his "nice guy" persona for decades.
Debunking the Myths
A lot of people online want to blame the mistress or blame Shanann's "controlling" nature. Let's be clear:
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- Nichol Kessinger's Role: While she was the catalyst, there is no evidence she helped or knew about the plan. She actually went to the police herself when things started looking weird in the news.
- Shanann's Personality: Being a "strong" personality or being bad with money isn't a justification for murder. Chris had every opportunity to walk away.
- The "Snap" Theory: This wasn't a crime of passion. Chris had been Googling the "price of an Audi" and "lyrics to love songs" weeks before. He was preparing for a life without them long before he put his hands on Shanann’s neck.
Lessons from the Watts Case
So, why did Chris Watts kill his family? He did it because he was a coward who valued his own comfort and a "fresh start" more than the lives of the people who loved him. He was a man who lived his life as a performance, and when the performance got too hard to maintain, he burnt the theater down.
If there's anything to take away from this tragedy, it's the importance of looking past the "social media" version of people. We live in an era where everyone is curated. Chris Watts was the ultimate curation. He was a "good man" until he wasn't.
How to spot the "Mask"
- Extreme Passivity: People who never express a preference or an opinion may be repressed, not just "easygoing."
- Financial Secrecy: Massive debt hidden behind luxury items is a massive red flag for underlying instability.
- Sudden Personality Shifts: A total change in hobbies, fitness, and communication style (like Chris's "new" persona) often signals a detachment from reality.
To truly understand this case, you have to read the discovery documents released by the Weld County District Attorney’s Office. They contain thousands of pages of text messages and interviews that paint a picture of a man who was checked out months before the first drop of blood was spilled.
The most important thing we can do is remember Shanann, Bella, Celeste, and Nico (the unborn son). They weren't just characters in a true crime documentary. They were a family who deserved a father who would protect them, not a man who saw them as obstacles to his own selfish happiness.
If you or someone you know is in a situation involving domestic instability or fear, reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. There are ways out that don't end in a field in Colorado.
Next Steps for Deep Research:
- Read the Weld County Discovery Documents for the full timeline of text messages between Chris and Nichol.
- Watch the unedited CBI interview with Chris Watts from February 2019, where he finally admits the details of the girls' deaths.
- Examine the financial records from the 2015 bankruptcy to understand the long-term stress the family was under.