Christopher Watts leaned his head against his hands in a stark interview room and quietly explained to his dad how he killed his pregnant wife, a video of the Aug. 15 interview released on Thursday showed.
Watts told his dad, Ronnie, that he was downstairs the morning of Aug. 13 and when he returned upstairs he found Shanann had smothered their daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste.
“I freaked out, you understand me,” Watts told his father.
“Oh my god,” his father responded under his breath, dropping his head into his hands.
Shortly before his confession, Watts failed a polygraph test and agents from the FBI and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation encouraged him to tell the truth about what happened to his family. Watts then asked to speak to his father, who was waiting in the lobby of the Frederick Police Department. After confessing to his dad, Watts repeated his confession to the agents who had been interviewing him for hours.
The videos released Thursday are part of a second batch of files that have been released in the case. On Nov. 21, the Weld County District Attorney’s office released 1,960 pages of documents, including summaries of Watts’ interviews.
Investigators arrested Watts, 33, on Aug. 15 shortly after his confession in the murders of his pregnant wife, Shanann, and two daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. Watts told interviewers that he strangled Shanann after she killed the two girls, but officials later called that theory a lie and said he killed all three.
Frank Rzucek the father of Shanann Watts, left, and her brother Frankie Rzucek were in court for Christopher Watts arraignment hearing at the Weld County Courthouse on Aug. 21, 2018 in Greeley. Christopher Watts faces nine charges, including several counts of first-degree murder of his wife Shanann and his two young daughters, 4-year-old Bella, and 3-year-old Celeste.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Christopher Watts is in court for his arraignment hearing at the Weld County Courthouse on Aug. 21, 2018 in Greeley.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Christopher Watts is in court for his arraignment hearing at the Weld County Courthouse on Aug. 21, 2018 in Greeley. Watts faces nine charges, including several counts of first-degree murder of his wife and his two young daughters.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Nancy Lee takes a moment after placing flowers at a makeshift memorial for Shanann, Bella and Celeste Watts, outside the family's home on Aug. 17, 2018 in Frederick. Frederick police have arrested Shanann's husband, Christopher Watts, on suspicion of killing the three.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Members of the community gather for a candlelight vigil to honor Shanann, Bella and Celeste Watts outside the family's home on Aug. 17, 2018, in Frederick.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Aubriella Luna, 8, joined others from her community for a candlelight vigil to honor Shanann, Bella and Celeste Watts outside the family's home Aug. 17, 2018, in Frederick.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Frederick Police Department Chief Todd Norris talks to media on Aug. 16, 2018 in Frederick. Frederick police have arrested Shanann's husband Christopher Watts on suspicion of murdering the three.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
According to Christopher Watts's arrest affidavit, Shanann Watts' body was found in a shallow grave near this oil work site, seen here on Aug. 21, 2018 near Roggen. Both of her daughter's bodies, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, were submerged for days in the same oil tanks in rural eastern Colorado, prosecutors said.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Colleen Hendrickson and her grandson Ezra Reed, 3, who lives down the street, place flowers at a makeshift memorial to Shanann, Bella and Celeste Watts, who have been missing since Monday, outside the family home on Aug. 16, 2018 in Frederick. Frederick police have arrested Shanann's husband Christopher Watts on suspicion of murdering the three.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Residents stand in front of a makeshift memorial for Shanann, Bella and Celeste Watts outside the family's home on Aug. 17, 2018 in Frederick. Frederick police have arrested Shanann's husband Christopher Watts on suspicion of killing the three.
In his two interviews with law enforcement, Watts first claimed that he knew nothing about where his family was. For hours, he declined any involvement in their disappearance and said he only wanted them to come home.
After Watts failed the polygraph, he also admitted to having an affair. He told investigators that he buried his wife in a grave at a Weld County oil site and dumped the girls’ bodies in oil storage tanks nearby.
“She hurt them,” he said. “And then I freaked out and hurt her.”
