American Murder: The Family Next Door

Shan’ann Cathryn Rzucek, an American businessperson, had just been recovering

from a divorce which she claimed made her feel empty because it took everything away
from her. She tried her best to heal from it and work hard to achieve her dreams. At the
age of 25, she bought her new house which made her happy again according to her
Facebook post, but, that happiness didn’t last very long because she got diagnosed with
lupus. That was the time when she met Chris Lee Watts, a native of Fayetteville, North
Carolina. Chris exerted efforts into pursuing Shan’ann no matter how many times she
rejected him. As time passed by, she realized all his efforts and so she decided to marry
Chris, and that was when her life got directed towards calvary…
JUNE 11, 2018 – After their four-year-old daughter, Bella Marie, and three-year-
old daughter, Celeste Cathryn were born, Shan’ann surprised Chris with her pregnancy
wearing a shirt that has a statement, “Oops…we did it again.” The video posted on
Facebook showed how Chris was shocked and happy because Shan’ann’s condition made
her acquire fertility and high-risk pregnancy issues but still, she gave birth to two
healthy daughters and was carrying another one again.
JUNE 17, 2018 – On Father’s Day, Shan’ann posted a video on Facebook as she
expressed her gratitude to Chris. She mentioned that he was very hands-on to both her
and their children and even does the dishes, laundry, and even shower their kids to
lessen the workload of Shan’ann who is a work-at-home mother.
JUNE 2018 – Nichol Kessinger, Chris’ new co-worker in Anadarko Petroleum
Environmental Department, often saw him and the other operator on her way to the
company’s fridge and eventually developed feelings for him as days went by. Later that
month, Nichol and Chris had started dating outside the vicinity of their work.
JULY 2018 – After a couple of dates, they extended it to 4 to 5 times a week and
even commenced to a physical relationship. Shan’ann had had slight suspicion with
Chris’ actions still, she continued going to North Carolina, Shan’ann’s, and Chris’
hometown for their children to spend time with their grandparents for 6 weeks. During
Bella’s and Celeste’s visit to Chris’ parents, Cindy Watts, Chris’ mother, gave Celeste a
pistachio ice cream which the child is allergic to. Due to worry, Shan’ann became furious
and said words which made Cindy felt disrespected so she made Shan’ann leave the
house. Shan’ann then texted Chris about how angry she was at his mother and Chris
took Shan’ann’s side.
JULY 31, 2018 – Chris joined in late to their family vacation because of work and
when he finally flew to North Carolina, for Shan’ann, he seemed to be a lot more
suspicious than before in Colorado. Shan’ann was expecting that Chris would express
how much he missed her because they were not together for more than a month but
what happened was the complete opposite. Chris only kissed Shan’ann once when he
arrived at the airport and that was it. In their stay there, Chris was focused on his
workouts and their children only and didn’t give Shan’ann the slightest care and love
that she needs which made her sad and upset according to the text messages she sent
to her best friend.
AUGUST 9, 2018 - Shan’ann left a letter to Chris and flew for her business trip
together with her very close friend Nickole Atkinson who knows all her problems even
the ones that were going on with Shan’ann and Chris. Nonetheless, she still left Chris
responsible for their children although Chris was already acting “weird” for her.
AUGUST 11, 2018 – While Shan’ann was still on her business trip to Arizona,
Chris hired a babysitter to take care of Bella and Celeste because he and his co-workers
will go to a baseball game. But when Shan’ann checked their bank statement, it turned
out that he went to Lady Dog Restaurant & Bar Co. and had spent money greater than
how much an individual would usually spend.
AUGUST 13, 2018 – Shan’ann went home upset due to the pieces of evidence
that supported her assumption about Chris having a mistress and that was also the time
when Shan’ann, Bella, Celeste, and the baby in her womb, Nico Lee, spent their first day
in heaven. Without everyone knowing what happened to them, Nickole got worried
because Shan’ann usually leaves her a message in the morning, and during that day she
hasn’t. Nickole was also informed that Shan’ann had missed her doctor’s appointment.
These happenings made Nickole called the police to come over to Shan’ann’s house if
ever Shan’ann had fainted. Since they do not have permission from the house owners to
enter, they waited until Chris came there. As they were checking the house, they found
that Shan’ann’s medication for that day wasn’t taken, her phone was turned off, her
wedding ring was left on her bedside table, and the house was unbelievably clean to
support their assumption that someone had snuck into their house. When Chris was
asked about Shan’ann’s whereabouts, he told the police that she was going to a friend’s
house together with Bella and Celeste but he didn’t know where.
AUGUST 14, 2018 – With Shan’ann, Bella, and Celeste not giving out any sign,
Nickole thought of scenarios like Chris harming or even killing them but she didn’t
publicly tell it because she wanted to think positively for her best friend’s life. On the
same day, Chris went to Denver’s ABC affiliate and ask for his family to return because
he missed them and could not sleep properly without knowing where they are.
AUGUST 15, 2018 – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) joined Colorado
Police in investigating the loss of Shan’ann and her daughters and asked Chris to take a
polygraph test. He failed the test and so they were convinced that he is responsible for
the loss of his family but he didn’t admit it until his father Ronnie Watts talked to him.
Chris then admitted that he killed Shan’ann only because he claimed she killed their
daughters which she didn’t. He also confessed he hid their dead bodies in his worksite.
AUGUST 16, 2018 – The three bodies were recovered. Shan’ann was buried with
an “S” mark on top of the shallow grave while Bella and Celeste were inside the oil
tanks. This was also the time when Nichol was interviewed by the police and it came out
that the same day when Chris murdered his family, he called the school of her daughters
that they were being unenrolled, talked to the realtor that he will sell their house, and
even discussed his future with the mistress. Also, Nichol’s phone data showed that on
August 4, 2018, few days before the murder, she looked for a wedding dress and
searched for blogs on Reddit about dating a guy who has a wife. In contrast to that, she
denied that she knew Shan’ann and Chris were still together because Chris told Nichol
that Shan’ann and he was in their last phase of divorce.
AUGUST 20, 2018 – With all the evidence, Chris was charged with a total of 9
cases and consisted of three counts of first-degree murder; two counts of first-degree
murder for causing the death of a person under the age of 12 while being in a position of
trust; one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering
with a deceased body (Inside Edition, 2020).
SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 – A tribute to the murdered souls were given in front of their
house in Colorado and a funeral in North Carolina.
NOVEMBER 6, 2018 – Chris pleaded guilty to all the nine accounts of injustices
that he had done to his own family. The parents of Shan’ann, Frank, and Sandra also
gave their last word to Chris and expressed how angry and disappointed they are with
him because they treated him as a son but he killed their only daughter. Despite the
anger in their hearts, Shan’ann’s family did not approve of Chris’ death penalty and even
asked God to have mercy on him.
NOVEMBER 19, 2018 – Chris was finally sentenced to life imprisonment without
parole by Judge Marcelo Kapcow and tagged this case as the most inhumane and vicious
crime he had encountered. This was also the time when Shan’ann’s parents filed another
case against Chris for accusing Shan’ann of killing her daughters because according to
them, she would give her life for her daughters and would not do things that would harm
them. Also, his father gave out a statement that said he was convinced that Chris had
altered what happened on that day. Aside from accusing Shan’ann of being a murderer,
Frank was convinced she was not killed while they were discussing their separation
rather was killed in her sleep because in his assumption if she was awake, she would
surely fight back and would leave a mark on Chris’ body.
DECEMBER 3, 2018 – Since the case was made publicly, Chris was moved to
Dodge Correctional Facility in Waupun, Wisconsin from Colorado because he had been
receiving love letters as well as death threats.
 FEBRUARY 18, 2019 – Chris then provided a detailed explanation of what
happened during the day of the murder. He also mentioned how Bella realized that she
was going to die and even tried to fight back.
NOVEMBER 18, 2019 - Weld County Judge Todd Taylor told Chris that he owes
Shan’ann’s parents six million US dollars. Three million US dollars for killing Shan’ann,
Bella, and Celeste and another three million US dollars for the emotional pain that their
death brought Shan’ann’s parents. Though Chris can't pay them the money, he will still
get charged with eight percent interest if he didn’t.
Now, Chris has been allegedly exchanging letters with a lover that has constantly
sent him love letters since he got imprisoned. Though no strong and valid evidence was
shown in the public to prove this true. As for Nichol Kessinger, she had been living away
in Colorado and was allegedly given a new name by the government because of the
death threats she had been receiving.